Hermen Meville's novel Moby Dick commemorated in Google Doodle

It celebrates the rather unusual milestone of 161 years since the epic novel was first published in Great Britain back in 1851.

Google's search engine home page also celebrates a project - mobydickbigread.com - that is putting together digital audio footage of famous fans of the novel, including actor Simon Callow and Stephen Fry as well as Prime Minister David Cameron, reading every one of the 135 chapters.

Now recognised as a classic in American literature, the epic whale hunting tale Moby Dick was not celebrated during Melville's lifetime.