Moby Dick vs Old Man and the Sea: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: American Sea stories, Sea Stories, Psychology, Fiction

Cover of Moby Dick

Moby Dick Herman Melville · 1851 ★★★★☆ 3.6 476 pages · ≈ 8 h 49 m · Demanding Find on Amazon

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Cover of Old Man and the Sea

Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway · 1952 ★★★★☆ 3.8 87 pages · ≈ 1 h 37 m · Moderate Find on Amazon

The verdict

Readers rate Old Man and the Sea higher: 3.8 vs 3.6 from 1369037 votes.
Old Man and the Sea is the quicker read — about 1 hours vs 8 for Moby Dick.
Old Man and the Sea is the easier read (Moderate), Moby Dick more demanding (Demanding).

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