I've always been intrigued what this book is really about. All explanations I've read sofar always are sort of superficial or higly intellectual. They never really responded with me.
Recently I came across Jed Mckenna's second book: Spiritual incorrect enlightenment. I don't consider this (Mckenna's) a well written book but then my main interest is not literature but something else. Mckenna's perspective is difficult (for the mind) but throws a very intrigueing (to me) light on the something else Ahab/Ishmael/Melville was after: truth, freedom, waking up from the dream....
Liberté ou la Mort.
What an example this Ahab is. And what a book Melville has written.
Steven Somsen