An Invitation
Our First In Person Event!
The last couple of years, I have been thinking about the best way to host an in-person summer event. I’ve finally figured it out!
Every summer, there is a Moby-Dick Read-a-Thon in Pittsfield, MA (July 30th - August 1st) at the property where Melville wrote Moby-Dick. Listeners take turns as readers as the book is read outloud in its entirety across those days. Something the event does not offer, however, is a discussion of the book! That is what we will be doing.
We will have a Socratic style seminar each evening after the readings. I will supply the seminar questions to you in early April. You should read the book over the summer with those questions in mind. Then we will have delightful conversations in person. Each conversation will be focused on core themes and characters. A week after the event ends, we will have one additional online conversation to tie up loose ends and discuss the new ideas and questions that will undoubtedly emerge.
I’m principally concerned with understanding Ishmael’s view of science, philosophy, and religion (and Fate!); trying to understand Ahab as he understands himself with a view to finding out if his madness might be a spectacular version of a problem that we ourselves have smaller approximations of (in what sense are all of us Ahab-ian in quiet ways?); whether there is a carefully ordered plan of the book that underlies the apparently chaotic structure; and figuring out some kind of rank order of the characters as to who has the best psychological make-up. By no means are these the limits of what we can and will discuss, but it is good to have some things we are aiming at.
In previous years, the readings ended at 5:00 pm. Here are the logistics:
After the readings, we will get dinner together (or get it on your own if some private time is exactly what you need on such a public-facing day). I have talked on the phone with a number of people who read this stack, and even met a few people in real life who do. I do not exaggerate at all when I say that all of them have been people whom I respect. This will be a powerful network-building event.
Seminars will go from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. That doesn’t have to be a hard stopping time, but I know that many of you live well ordered lives where you go to bed early, work out in the morning, etc.
I have rooms secured (a conference room at a hotel; community room at a coffee shop; and a private room at a bar for the last night). I will only disclose those locations to those who officially sign up because this is a private event.
On Sunday (August 2nd), there is a lovely 3-hour hike right off of Melville’s property for those who don’t have early flights home.
The cost: Chapter 99 of Moby-Dick is called “The Doubloon.” So the price for attendance at the seminars is $99. There is no cost to attending the readings. You can donate to the Berkshire Historical Society if the spirit moves you. I will set up a tier on this Substack called the “Doubloon Tier.” In addition to the seminars, you will get 2 years of free access to anything here that is behind a pay wall (which there will be more of soon)
If you have questions, you can reply to this email or email me at: montanaclassicalcollege@gmail.com
Do you want to meet good people, listen to America’s greatest novel read by people who love it, discuss the fundamental questions, and then go on a beautiful hike?
I’ll see you in July.
Yes, please.