Join the Voyage (Moby Dick Club!)

Over the past semester, Moby Dick Club has had a grand time reading and discussing the first 50(!) chapters of Moby Dick. Okay, some of those chapters were pretty short, but it is still quite a feat!

The great news is that it isn’t too late to join the voyage! All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to join us in our Spring Semester meetings, and Winter Break is a great time to catch up.

Want to know more? Below is an account by one of our student crew members, and Marist University Library Intern, Keira Carpenter.

Join Moby Dick Club!

Are you feeling sick and tired of life on land? Do you find yourself getting so fed up with everyone that it takes everything in you to not knock the hats off of passersby? Do you yearn for a life on the open ocean? If so, you should join Moby Dick Club. If you’ve ever wondered if a whale is a fish, this is the club for you.

Although the possibility of a life on the seas is tempting, it is not a feasible escape for everyone. Luckily, with Moby Dick Club, you can embark on an exhilarating oceanic journey from the comfort of your own dorm. Oceanic journeys can be lonely and dangerous. Luckily, the club is equipped with a full crew of seasoned sailors to help you on your voyage, including Captains Jeffrey Canino, Margaret Roach, and Nancy Calabrese.

If that doesn’t convince you, allow me to tell a personal tale of my journey. Before joining Moby Dick Club this September, I was apprehensive. I’d heard rumors of the novel’s lengthiness, and shuddered at the thought of having to slog through 19th century vocabulary. The novel seemed to me almost as formidable as the titular terrifying white whale.

Upon attending my first meeting, the Captains reassured me that I had nothing to fear. There are plenty of resources on the library website in case a crew member gets stuck, such as the Moby Dick Club Special Topic Guide. There is even a Moby Discord for more immediate advice, where members can discuss the various chapters of the novel.

The novel itself is also not as frightening as it seems. First of all, the actual length depends on the version. One version I saw only has around 378 pages! Secondly, most of the chapters are super short. There may be 135 chapters in total, but some of them don’t even take up a full page. The chapters also have fun titles, such as “A Bosom Friend,” “Chowder,” and “The Doubloon.”

We all have fun at the meetings, too! We discuss plenty of intriguing and insightful topics, such as “Why is the whale white?” and “Is the whale even white?” We’re a pretty philosophical bunch. If you get hungry, never fear. We’re always stocked with plenty of hardtack and Starbucks coffee.

So far, we’ve discussed up to chapter 50, and plan to discuss chapters 51-80 at our next meeting. Still, it’s never too late to join the journey! Our Pequod is always ready to welcome new crewmates. Plus, the upcoming winter break provides the perfect opportunity to catch up on reading. There’s nothing quite like reading about a frigid, stormy whaling voyage from within your warm home while a winter storm blusters outside.

Even if you don’t want to read Moby Dick, but still like the vibe of the club, you can still come! We won’t judge you, even if you only want to talk about whales. Whales are cool, so we completely understand.

Interested in Joining? Have questions?

Reach out to Nancy.Calabrese@marist.edu, Margaret.Roach1@marist.edu, or Jeffrey.Canino@marist.edu.

Can't get enough whales or not ready to make the commitment to reading the book but still want to join in on the whale craze? Join the Moby Dick Craft Club where we make whale themed crafts including mosaics, diamond art, and more!