We Are All Shipmates—Moby Dick

Above you see Orson Welles in his ship pulpit in the 1956 adaptation of Moby Dick.

I’d enjoy having this pulpit in my home. I’d love to give a sermon from that pulpit.

Even better might be that pulpit hooked up to the back of a truck. I bet could draw some crowds.

What would I say? I’m sure I would come up with something.

Here is Welles delivering the sermon in this movie version Moby Dick.

At the beginning of the sermon the pastor refers to the parishioners as “shipmates.”

We are all indeed shipmates.

Here is the text of the sermon in Moby Dick.

Here is a review of Moby Dick from a modern reader. People still read this book.

Here is the link to Herman Melville.org.

Look at this fine event held each year in New Bedford, Massachusetts—

The Moby-Dick Marathon, a nonstop reading of the novel, will celebrate its Fifth Annual read, starting Wednesday January 3rd at 12 noon and ending Thursday January 4th at about 1 PM. The dates celebrate the anniversary of Herman Melville’s departure from the port of New Bedford aboard the Fairhaven whaleship in 1841. About 150 readers will take part, including several in non-English languages. If interested in reading, contact Laura at 508-997-0046 extension 34 or whaling@ma.ultranet.com“

That sounds like a good event to attend.

An informative book I’ve read about whaling is–Leviathan–A History of Whaling in America by Eric Jay Dolan.

Here is the link to the New Bedford Whaling Museum. On that site there is information about other things you can do in New Bedford.

New Bedford was the capital of American whaling.

I went to New Bedford a few times as a kid growing up in Rhode Island. But is has been so long I just can’t recall the town. I bet there is plenty of history well worth spending some time to see and investigate.