Moby Dick or, The Whale is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book follows the narrative of Ishmael, a sailor who sets out on a whaling expedition aboard the Pequod ship led by Captain Ahab in search of vengeance against Moby Dick, a giant white sperm whale that bit off his leg on an earlier voyage. The novel is considered one of the greatest works of literature, taking readers through the epic journey into the heart of the sea and exploring themes of obsession, fate, and the complex relationship between man and nature.