Skip to content

Exploring Moby-Dick Episode 1: Setting Sail

August 11, 2026 · 47 min

Show notes

This is Episode 1 of Exploring Moby-Dick with Rob Delaney and Hester Blum.

To access all episodes, join the book club at exploringthegreats.com

In this first episode, Hester and Rob meet at 25 Craven Street in London, where Melville briefly lived in 1849, to kick off their exploration of Moby-Dick. Bonding over a shared obsession with the novel, they provide some context and summary before diving into the opening chapter, "Loomings." They discuss the novel's humor, narrative style, and enduring legacy, while sharing the personal reading experiences that first reeled them in.

Send all questions and comments to [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All episodes of Exploring The Greats

Settings

Display

Language

Decides which stations you see first on the home page.

History

Recently played stations and episodes and your latest searches are only stored in this browser.

Notifications

A short notice when a podcast you follow has a new episode. Turn off single podcasts with the bell on their page.

Account

Save favorites – in the app and on the website.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Open search
Space
Play or pause
← →
In the player: back 15 s, forward 30 s (episodes) · in a row: next tile
↑ ↓
In a row: target within the tile
Home / End
In a row: first or last tile
Esc
Close window or menu
?
This overview
Now playing

Go to station page

Play next

    Add episodes with “Play next” – they play after the current episode.