Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
Herman Melville is one of the most challenging authors of American literature. Known primarily as the author of Moby-Dick, he wrote several other novels, short stories, and poems. With the rise of interest in Melville in the 20th century, critical and biographical studies of Melville continue to be published at an ever-increasing rate. This encyclopedia is a comprehensive guide to Melville's rich and complex literary career.
The volume includes several hundred alphabetically arranged entries for all of Melville's works and characters, and for his family members, friends, and acquaintances. Entries on the most important topics include bibliographies. The encyclopedia is more factual than critical, but scholarship from 1990 and beyond is emphasized throughout. The book also gives special attention to the 19th-century women who influenced Melville, for these women have often been overlooked. A chronology overviews the principal events in Melville's life, and a selected bibliography lists major studies.
Synopsis
Includes hundreds of entries for Melville's works, characters, family members, friends, and acquaintances.
Booknews
Provides an easy, alphabetically-arranged sorting out of plots, characters, relatives, friends, and activities in Melville's fiction, poetry, and life in a largely informational rather than critical format. Includes a chronology and cross-references. In addition to a general bibliography, many entries provide bibliographic sources for further research, with an emphasis on post-1990 material. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)