Herman Melville (August 1, 1819 – 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period, best known for "Typee" (1846), a romantic account of his experiences in Polynesian life, and his whaling novel "Moby-Dick" (1851).

Fun Fact: Much of Melville’s later work, which is now considered his most highly regarded fiction, was neither critically nor commercially successful during his lifetime. For instance, between 1863 and 1887, an average of only 23 copies of "Moby-Dick" were sold annually. Today, "Moby-Dick" sells more copies each year than were sold in the entire nineteenth century and is recognized as a classic. Interestingly, its influence extends into the modern world of coffee and capitalism: the founders of the Starbucks chain took the name from a character in Melville’s novel.

During the last thirty years of his life, his work was nearly forgotten. Melville's writing draws from his experiences as a common sailor, his exploration of literature and philosophy, and his engagement with the contradictions of American society during a time of rapid change.

He developed a complex, baroque style characterized by rich and original vocabulary, a strong sense of rhythm in his elaborate sentences, and imagery that is often mystical or ironic. His writing is abundant with allusions to Scripture, myth, philosophy, literature, and the visual arts.

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