Image of Moby Dick by David Austen.
In 2013, Plymouth University initiated the Moby Dick The Big Read project, offering a full audiobook of Herman Melville’s influential novel. The project featured famous and lesser-known voices taking on a chapter each. Initially, only six chapters were available, with renowned actors like Tilda Swinton, author Nigel Williams, and poet/journalist Musa Okwonga participating.
The project successfully concluded with a stellar lineup of celebrity readers including Stephen Fry, Neil Tennant, Fiona Shaw, and more. The readings are available for listening on the website, downloading on iTunes, or streaming on SoundCloud.
The website also features works of art by 135 contemporary artists like Matthew Barney, Oliver Clegg, and Matthew Benedict, corresponding to each chapter. The project is a monumental tribute to this iconic book, offering a unique way to experience it.
Copies of Moby Dick can be found in our collection of Free eBooks, and this big reading will be added to our collection of Free Audio Books.
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Ted Mills is a freelance writer on the arts who currently hosts the artist interview-based FunkZone Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @tedmills, read more of his arts writing at tedmills.com, and view his films here.
