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Title details for The Whale by Mark Beauregard - Available

The Whale

A Love Story

by Mark Beauregard
Lloyd James
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
A rich and captivating novel set amid the witty, high-spirited literary society of 1850s New England, offering a new window on Herman Melville's emotionally charged relationship with Nathaniel Hawthorne and how it transformed his masterpiece, Moby-DickIn the summer of 1850, Herman Melville finds himself hounded by creditors and afraid his writing career might be coming to an end—his last three novels have been commercial failures, and the critics have turned against him. In despair, Melville takes his family for a vacation to his cousin's farm in the Berkshires, where he meets Nathaniel Hawthorne at a picnic—and his life turns upside down.The Whale chronicles the fervent love affair that grows out of that serendipitous afternoon. Already in debt, Melville recklessly borrows money to purchase a local farm in order to remain near Hawthorne, his newfound muse. The two develop a deep connection marked by tensions and estrangements, and feelings both shared and suppressed. Melville dedicated Moby-Dick to Hawthorne, and Mark Beauregard's novel fills in the story behind that dedication with historical accuracy and exquisite emotional precision, reflecting his nuanced reading of the real letters and journals of Melville, Hawthorne, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and others. An exuberant tale of longing and passion, The Whale captures not only a transformative relationship—long the subject of speculation—between two of our most enduring authors but also their exhilarating moment in history, when a community of high-spirited and ambitious writers was creating truly American literature for the first time.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    June 14, 2016

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781504738088
      • File size: 238898 KB
      • Duration: 08:17:42

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      The circumstances that inspired the classic MOBY-DICK by Herman Melville are made wonderfully accessible in this audiobook. Lloyd James's lively narration pays close attention to detail throughout the exploration of Melville's relationship with fellow author Nathaniel Hawthorne. The energy that James projects takes what some may see as a dusty subject and makes it contemporary and intriguing regardless of one's knowledge of the original novel. James's strength lies in conversation; he has the skill to create distinct personalities through his development of character voices, accents, tones, and timing. There are moments when the narration stumbles, mainly as a result of delivering necessary background, but, overall, this story is both educational and engaging. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      May 2, 2016
      In the summer of 1850, Herman Melville met Nathaniel Hawthorne at a Massachusetts picnic, and the lives of both man were changed forever. In his debut novel, Beauregard weaves a tale based on the real-life relationship of two of America's most renowned novelists, following the interactions they shared while living as neighbors in the Berkshires. During this period, Hawthorne wrote The House of the Seven Gables and Melville completed Moby-Dick, which he dedicated to Hawthorne. This fictional biography is the story behind that dedication and the love affair that some believe the two men sharedâa stormy romance that would scarcely be believable if not for the use of Melville's real letters to Hawthorne, many of which are reprinted in the book. The emotion of the affair can occasionally feel abrupt, but readers will come to reconsider what they know about the lives of the two authors, and those who approach with an open mind may find their views on the writings of Melville and Hawthorne permanently changed.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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