All I remember from the book is He Really Loves Whales (x).

No, there are great social commentaries, I think that's the most fun part for me, cuz I really wasn't here for whale encyclopedia. And his cannibal friend is fun. I think the captain lost a leg to the whale and so was determined to hunt the whale, I wonder whether it has anything to do with peter pan's captain hook.

There is also a quote about artists are like gods that I really enjoyed, because one day they can make a man a wooden leg from wood and the next day they can make him a casket with the wood, they are capricious and are only concerned with aesthetics.