Michael Rock Invited to Read in Moby Dick Marathon

On this date in 1841, the author of Moby Dick, Herman Melville launched out of Fairhaven on a whaling boat named Acushnet. According to History.com, the vessel "anchored in Polynesia, where Melville took part in a mutiny. He was thrown in jail in Tahiti, escaped, and wandered around the South Sea islands for two years."

Naturally, when he found his way back home, Melville wrote about his adventures on the other side of the planet, but he always had in the back of his mind a story that began off the coast of New Bedford.

It's at the seaport of New Bedford where year after year, Melville is honored.  The first New Bedford Whaling Museum Moby Dick Marathon took place over the winter of 1997 and has become one of the most prestigious events in all of New England.

While it's hard to pinpoint an exact length for the event, on average it takes roughly 25 hours to continuously read through the book.  Readers are permitted to use whichever copy of the classic that they'd like.

The Moby Dick Marathon will begin on Saturday at Noon with the strike of eight bells from the watchmen, and three of the most famous words to ever open a novel.  "Call Me Ishmael."

Sadly, the man who wrote the book, Herman Melville, died long before Moby Dick became a hit.  He had no idea that his book would become one of the greatest American novels ever written.  He would have been stunned.

I have been extended the honor of reading a passage of the book on Saturday.  I expect to start reading at roughly 12:30 PM.  The event is free to attend in person, or you can stream it online.  Click here for this weekend's complete schedule of events for the marathon.  

Last year, Emmy Award nominated actress Taylor Schilling had the honor of reading the opening of the Moby Dick Marathon.  Schilling is best known for her lead role in Orange is the New Black.