PITTSFIELD, Mass. —The Berkshire County Historical Society's annual "Moby-Dick" Read-a-Thon will begin Thursday, Aug. 3.

 

Readings will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday, and 1 to 5 on Sunday until the novel's more than 200,000 words are read aloud.

 

Participants will read aloud for 15 minutes with the next participant picking up where the prior reader left off. Readers will have the choice of participating virtually or at Herman Melville's historic home, Arrowhead. 

 

Advanced sign up is required here. Participation is free, but a $5 donation is suggested. The annual event commemorates Melville's birthday Aug. 1, 1819.

 

Those who would like to read remotely and do not own a copy of "Moby-Dick" can purchase one through the historical society's shop or use powermobydick.com for a free online edition.

 

This event is sponsored by MountainOne, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Housatonic Heritage, Berkshire Bank and Adams Community Bank.