Herman Melville takes us on a 625-page voyage that could have been 90. Maybe the greatest example of overwriting in history, Captain Ahab's monomaniacal quest is a sick example of pushing your story, themes and characters to breaking point and how it sometimes pays off. It's easy to criticise Melville's inaccuracies, scientific blunders and cultural insensitivity but if you can step forth critically, armed with context and good humour, there be gold in them hills. Or should I say spermaceti in them organs.