Have book, will travel

I've got an eight hour train ride ahead of me this Thursday and I'm going to read "Moby Dick." I won't, as I usually do when I travel, bring seven different books, wind up reading only one and lug around the rest as dead weight in my bag. Okay, so maybe I'm bringing one other book but I can't help myself; I'm halfway through the second Steig Larsson book ("The Girl Who Played With Fire") and I know I'll need to indulge in that at some point. It's too delicious to leave behind.

Anyway, I was inspired to finally read the great Moby Dick by a conversation I had at the register with two fellow booksellers and an enthusiastic customer. Both the customer and my co-worker raved about Melville's story so much that it lit a fire in me and I decided to commit. I admit to being a little intimidated by the size, but size is nothing if you love a book. I was told that there might be some boring bits in the middle, but that overall the narrative is excellent. I think I can handle that. I love Dickens, after all.
Being a visual person, I was also swayed by the gorgeous Penguin edition with the awesome woodblock art on the cover. It's always nice to carry around a bit of art with you on your travels.


I really WANT to like Moby Dick. I'll report back after my trip and let you know how I feel about it. Sixteen hours on a train (to Washington, DC and back) should give me enough time to at least get halfway through.

Have a good week!