The famous novel that begins with the line "Call me Ishmael" is "Moby-Dick," written by Herman Melville. This iconic opening sets the stage for a complex tale of obsession, whale hunting, and humanity's struggle against nature. The protagonist, Ishmael, embarks on a sea voyage aboard the whaling ship Pequod, captained by the monomaniacal Ahab, who is determined to seek revenge on the titular white whale, Moby Dick. The novel explores themes of fate, obsession, and the sublime, encapsulating the struggles of the human spirit against overwhelming forces. It remains a classic of American literature.