"Best" edition of Moby Dick?

I plan to read this book and would love to hear recommendations as to the best edition to buy. Currently, I'm trying to decide between the Longman Critical Edition and the Norton Critical Edition.

Thanks!

Those are both very good. The Norton has a lot of additional info about the book's historical context, while the Longman provides useful material on the ways in which the text is "fluid," having changed from edition to edition due to Melville's and later editors' changes. I get the sense from the design that the Longman is targeted at a younger reader.

These both provide explanatory notes on Melville's sometimes-obscure vocabulary and references. (The Longman has some notes as footnotes and others as endnotes, which can be a little confusing.) Neither had enough notes for my tastes--I like to understand every word--so when I read the book a couple of years ago, I looked everything up and made a (free) online annotation of the book, with the full text. I'm not allowed to post a link to it on here, but it's easy enough to find if you want to check it out.

As for other editions, the 2001 Penguin deluxe edition has the most elegant design that I have seen, but it has no notes at all, other than the very few that Melville wrote himself. (It also has a map in the back that'll ruin the book's ending for you, so don't look!) I have been told by one scholar that the 1952 edition by Mansfield and Vincent is "stupendous"--it contains 300 pages of notes!--but I haven't seen that one.

Enjoy the book!

In a related matter, does anyone have any recommendations for an abridged version of Moby Dick? Has anyone read "Moby Dick in one sitting" by Stu Guideman? I don't normally buy condensed versions but my book list is reaching impossible levels.

The "best" edition, IMO, is the limited edition signed by Leroy Nieman!

Have a look!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290755167210...84.m1555.l2649