That book is my white whale. I’ve tried 4 or 5 times to read that thing and I’ve never made it to the part where they start hunting whales.

Try the audiobook, only way I got through it

I read it as a kid via Great Illustrated Classics, which are adaptations made to be easier to read to get children into classics

e.g. “a damp, drizzly November in my soul” and “bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet.” gets paraphrased to, “whenever life got me down.”

Might be a good way to finally read it?