I smote the book Moby Dick. I finished her last night. After months of work, she is now fully read, and I can say that I have survived to tell the tale. It was a long journey, but I finally made it through to the end. And boy let me tell you, it ends badly. I wouldn't want to ruin the ending or anything for you, but let me tell you that whale is one mean son of a bitch.

I believe this is the first novel I've ever read where the plot can be described in a single cliff note sentence, which I have conveniently posted abaft this post. Of course the plot isn't why one reads Moby Dick, or at least why someone finishes the damn thing. It is the journey, the exploration and the detail. The way it reads, it feels like you have really spent three years of your life sailing the ocean, killing whales and trying to smote your inner demons.

It has been a good ride, and I am to soon send this book to Australia so that another can take the Pequod on its ill-fated ocean journey to find the immortal Moby Dick.