1965 Spanish Language Moby-Dick

Llamadme simplemente Ismael.

We have many many foreign language editions in the collection, but alas we have held off on collecting a Spanish Language edition.  Not because we have some problem with spanish dating back to high school when we had to focus on a language and we choose french. Which turned out to be a big mistake, "oh eh le gar" turned out to be a pretty much useless phrase. And thus we had a distaste for all the romance languages, no not at all.  

It was a hesitation as to which country best represented the Spanish Language. One would think that, obviously, Spain was the correct choice, but we thought that our friendly neighbors to the south might also be a better choice. Or perhaps, the Philippines, they speak Spanish there right? 

All of the staff meeting discussions proved moot when this edition became available and we snapped it right up. While its abridged and really poor printing and paper, thoughtless cover design we love that it is Argentinean 

We so fondly remember back in the 1980's when the UK and Argentina came to blows over the Falkland Islands.  There were high tech weapons, sea battles, death and destruction, a vast naval armada steaming south to free a small band of sheep herders from the yoke of.... you get that point. 

But our real point is this: IT was a four month war.  Oh how we wish nations would have four month wars now.   I never thought I would long for those days.  

Therefor we have chosen Argentina to represent the Spanish Language edition of Moby-Dick in the collection as a salute to that proud and beautiful nation. Someday it is our wish to visit Buenos Aires, number one on the list of cities to visit.

1939 Albert and Charles Boni, MOBY-DICK

We purchased this volume late last year. There was some discussion about it, since there is another copy in the collection. Here  However, the other volume has a nice blue cover with silver type and decoration, so we thought that this issue is an example of the continuing drag the depression placed on the economy in the late 1930's. Here the printer forgoes the silver. Yet the three gulls are still lovely.

Chapter LVI

From the ship, the smoke of the torments of the boiling whale is going up like the smoke over a village of smithies; and to windward, a black cloud, rising up with earnest of squalls and rains, seems to quicken the activity of the excited seamen.

Life is full of black clouds, some pass quickly, and other linger. Here a black cloud calls the seamen to action, whether from excitement and anticipation, or from anxiety, we are not told.