Big notions need big vehicles
By Dave Read, May 28, 2026, Lenox, MA – In the middle of the 19th century, whale oil was an important source of energy; then as now, the energy business attracts an interesting cross-section of the population, which makes it a perfect setting for Herman Melville’s book, as great a work of art as yet produced by an American. (It is the greatest book written in the Berkshires, a place where more than a few great writers have plied their craft.)
We hope these excerpts will remind readers of the current importance of all great books, especially the greatest book by an American. Of priceless value, Moby Dick is in the public domain, and freely available in every library in the world, but probably not where Trump and his partisans rule!