Chasing Melville Chasing a Whale

By Erin Levens Climbing roses and big puffs of hydrangea accent the houses along the cobblestone streets of Nantucket. An island of weathered buildings with starfish in the windows and whales on the doors; trendy stores, cafés, coffee and ice cream shops sit alongside brick mansions bearing semi-circular plaques to commemorate which sea captain lived in which home. Lighthouses and waves. Seals in the breakers. Whales breaching offshore. Boats, ferries, sails, rigging, cobblestones, shutters, Quaker meeting houses, and churches. The tininess of the Nantucket Town. Open air shops, seagulls, and ...