Ahab's Rolling Sea

In Ahab's Rolling Sea, Richard J. King offers a chronological exploration of the natural history within Herman Melville's classic novel Moby-Dick, revealing connections between Melville's insights on marine life—from the enigmatic white whale to barnacles and sharks—and the mid-19th century understanding of the ocean. King situates Melville's perspectives against the backdrop of a changing America during the Industrial Revolution and compares the worldviews of Ahab and Ishmael with contemporary views on ocean conservation. This work invites both longtime fans and newcomers to appreciate the environmental themes woven into Melville's narrative.