JMW Turner, Snow Storm – Steam-Boat off a Harbour’s Mouth, 1842 (de Young Museum)
No need to get excited. I plan to travel virtually, in honor of Herman Melville’s 200th birthday. Over the next few months I’ll be aboard stories set on ships (with perhaps a rowboat or two) that will take me up rivers, across oceans, and through canal locks.
While the blog-o-meters clock pages conquered in Moby Dick (worth it!, says this 3-time reader; it’s nearly time for my 4th voyage aboard the Pequod), I’ll be cruising through some shorter works, including other dark tales from Melville, along with several of his progeny: Joseph Conrad, Eva Ibbotson, RL Stevenson, Holling Clancy Holling, and Julian Barnes. I’m indulging myself with several re-reads, but there will be some first timers as well (I’m looking at you, Lord Jim and Billy Budd).
I have no master plan or goals (other than to be entertained), and I make no promises to report much beyond what I’ve read — although I’ll allow myself to encourage (or discourage) any who wish to follow in my wake.
Meanwhile, I’ve committed to joining Lory’s appreciation of Robertson Davies @ ECBR, and of course Chris @ Calmgrove and I will be planning something exciting for this year’s WitchWeek in October (only 6 months away? Yikes!).
And also meanwhile, my 2018 NaNoWriMo project, a dystopian sci-fi thriller that’s currently challenging my knowledge of bitcoin mining, is filling my days with procrastinative research.
Finally, here’s a very young Dick Clark setting the tone for my next few months:
Lizzie Ross 
Great post Lizzie. Myself, try as hard as I might, I could not complete Moby Dick.
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Thanks, Dale (and for the reblog!). I understand about Moby Dick — it is definitely an acquired taste.
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haha! Great post complete with audio visual effects.
I wish you a very Bugs Bunny (keeping with the nostalgia theme) Bon Voyagee as you sail these charted and uncharted waters. Will keep my spyglass on hand 🙂
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Thanks, Laurie — I’ll be thinking of you as I sip my grog and watch the scenery drift by.
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Moby Dick is one of my (and my grandfather Conrad’s!) favourite books, a great theme to pick. Another great tome you may not have time for but which has certainly raised passions, both for and against is Ahab’s Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund – have a look here if you don’t know it? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7742.Ahab_s_Wife_or_The_Star_Gazer
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Thanks for the suggestion, Lizza. I’ve just downloaded a copy from the NYPL and will start it right away. I vaguely remember reading a review when it came out and thinking it was worth a look, so I’m glad you’ve reminded me of it.
As for the theme — as I browsed my collection, I noticed so many ship-themed books that I could keep busy on this project for a couple of years. Dido Twite (Captain Casket’s pink whale!) + Swallows & Amazons alone would keep me happily occupied for a couple of months.
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