Moby Dick Energy: A Moby Dick Podcast

After a long hiatus, we're back! Talia talks with Byrd Pinkerton, amazing podcast producer and multimedia artist, about three chapters in which Melville rambles about how people depict whales. We dissect monstrous pictures rendered in florid language.

A link to the slideshow Byrd made so lovingly is here, posted to Medium! https://mobydickenergy.medium.com/moby-dick-pics-b58f6b9a25bf

Produced by Ty Wood (@bobo_the_second on Twitter). Theme song by Noam Hassenfeld.

Talia talks with Beth Skwarecki, senior health editor at Lifehacker, about three fascinating chapters. That's right -- we're BACK! After 33 episodes last year, we're off on the second year of Moby Dick Energy, and with hellish strength we are taking another stab at this great book. This week, we examine Melville's glowing and romantic depictions of the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes; gam a lot; and go with Ishmael to Peru. 

ALSO: A BIG AUDIENCE REQUEST --
We would *LOVE* to see some sea shanties by our listeners!!! If you are so moved, and want to write a sea shanty (to the tune of "Wellerman" or any other one you like, or an original tune) inspired by chapter 54, "The Town-Ho's Story," we want to feature it on the show!!!! Email your song creations to [email protected], or @ us on Twitter at @mobydickenergy.

With excellent production by Ilana Weinstein. Theme song, as always, by Noam Hassenfeld.

Talia talks to author and producer Jay Bushman, author the new book "Novel Advice," about two marvellous chapters of this book. We're back, babey!!!! With an Agony Aunt letter from Ishmael, an exploration of Melville's orientalism, and the haunting beauty of the spirit-spout.

Prefacing this episode is Talia's prank call to the Trump Voter Fraud hotline.

This episode Talia talks to the lovely, gentle-voiced and brilliant Lili Loofbourow, a staff writer at Slate, about THE FIRST TIME WE ENCOUNTER SOME REAL LIFE WHALES in the book and the racially fraught introduction of Ahab's mysterious, hitherto hidden companions,  Fedallah and his crew. The word "swart" recurs, as does our habit of reading monologues aloud.

Theme song by Noam Hassenfeld.
Production by Ilana Weinstein.

Talia talks with Sarah Marshall, of the "You're Wrong About" and "Why Are Dads" podcasts, about 2 odd marooned mid-40s chapters of the book. It's Sarah's first experience with the book and we debunk some myths about Ahab -- as well as conveying that he's the ultimate Bad Dad of the Sea. "Man and whale must go down together, like Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty." -Sarah Marshall

merch: mobydickenergy.threadless.com 

Talia talks with New York Times bestselling author Morgan Jerkins about the bizarre and wonderful chapter "The Affidavit." With clips from "Matilda," asides about dairy, and as always, contemplation of the majesty and terror of The Sea.

Talia talks to Justin Scheck (@ScheckWSJ) about a short chapter and a longer chapter, which are also a comical chapter and a profound chapter. In "Hark!" we see a bit more of daily life on the Pequod, while "The Chart" attempts to map Ahab's madness. 

Justin Scheck is a Wall Street Journal reporter and author of the recent book "Blood and Oil," which is about Mohammad bin Salman, not whaling.

Moby Dick Energy merch is available at http://mobydickenergy.threadless.com
You can support the show at www.patreon.com/talialavin

Production by Ilana Weinstein. Theme song by Noam Hassenfeld. 

Talia talks to vaunted Melville scholar Christopher Freeburg about an infamous, complex and fascinating episode, "The Whiteness of the Whale." We discuss the meaning of whiteness, filled with both sinister and holy connotations. Has the author/protagonist line completely blurred? Is Ishmael going slightly insane? What does whiteness mean? Also, check out Professor Freeburg's new book, "Counterlife: Slavery after Resistance and Social Death," from Duke University Press!

Production by Ilana Weinstein. Theme song by Noam Hassenfeld. Merch at mobydickenergy.threadless.com! 

Talia talks to James Beard Award nominated writer Rax King about Chapter 41, "Moby Dick." It's an encapsulation of the book in miniature: we talk about the feared whale himself, introduced to our antagonist at last; about the madness of Ahab; about the whaling industry; about sperm whales as the great terrors of the sea. With many thanks to producer Ilana Weinstein for rescuing some truly dreadful audio, and adding their signature creative touches. 

A RADIO PLAY.

First, Talia talks to Akela Lacy, reporter at the Intercept, about the strange, drunken dream of this chapter; its racialized elements; and the feelings of Pip, the Black cabin-boy, about being alone on a ship of white madmen, threatening to knife each other.

In the second half, produced painstakingly by Ilana Weinstein, we have the fruits of much labor!! Fans of the show have sent in lines from the Belfast Sailor to the St. Jago's Sailor, and together they form a radio play of Midnight: Forecastle that is the most ambitious effort of the show's run. Thank you thank you thank you to all the fans who took the time to record lines! And the ending is a recollection of our painful moment, and its reckonings. 

"Oh! thou big white God aloft there somewhere in yon darkness, have mercy on this small black boy down here; preserve him from all men that have no bowels to feel fear!"