Herman Melville's Moby Dick can be a bear to read, with chapter after chapter of nautical terms and incorrect biology. (Sorry, Herm, but whales aren't fish.) But the beast of a novel is a joy to hear out loud, and there's no better place in town to do that than on the sand of Venice Beach. Every year since 1995, Tim Rudnick and the Venice Beach Oceanarium have hosted a two-day Moby Dick reading marathon, complete with thick blankets and warm seafood stews. The story of Ishmael, Queequeg, Starbuck and Ahab floats past your ears as your eyes watch surfers braving the cold water. You can drop by for an hour or stay for the whole thing — this year, it's the weekend before Thanksgiving. Just be prepared to read when it's your turn, matey. —Keith Plocek

Venice Breakwater, Venice, 90291. veniceoceanarium.org.

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