Two Pictures Are Worth 223,000 Words

Jim Lewis, writing in Slate, observes that all of Errol Morris's New York Times articles about the Fenton cannonballs, and all of the comments written in response, taken together, add up to approximately 223,000 words, making the whole shebang slightly longer than Melville's Moby-Dick.

Which makes me feel better, because I skipped parts of Moby-Dick too.

_____________________

Mike (Thanks to Paul De Zan)

Comments

[stephen connor]

Did the Morris article ever actually end? I know "Moby Dick" did.

[Sam]

Not sure what Jim Lewis is trying to prove. A three part article is three times the size of a magazine article. That's some great insight.

What is amazing is not that Errol Morris spent 3 parts writing about this, but that people are passionate enough about it that it's been posted all over the interwebs and generated that much commentary.

[Luke Smith]

"I skipped parts of Moby-Dick too"
You're funny.
Sometimes hilarious.
And thanks for another good book notice (A.A.: 400 Photos).

[charlie d]

I'm starting to think the web is too small for this story. What was the story about again?

[dasmb]

Don't do that.

Moby Dick is one of the most important and interesting works of American literature. The basic plot of obsession and wide open symbolism are part of the reason why.

However, the more exciting thing to me about that book is the skill with which it's produced. It is part encyclopedia, part fictional work, and at times has the drama and comedy of a stage play.

The parts you skip? Try reading them again. Think about why Melville might have included them, and more importantly, why he included them at that part of the novel. I try to re-read it every five years or so.

[Eolake Stobblehouse]

I never really got what was so compelling about that cannonball mystery.

[Mike]

"I never really got what was so compelling about that cannonball mystery."

Eolake,
Yeah, but I bet you skipped some parts too.

Mike J.