Herman Melville
Books by Herman Melville
“This volume of short fiction includes three of Melville’s most widely-read works…The short fiction features more narrative economy and unity without sacrificing Melville’s still-dazzlingly ornate prose. What I especially love about these stories is how tricksy and untrustworthy the narrators are” Read more...
Hester Blum, Literary Scholar
“Pierre is so bananas that a contemporary reviewer’s headline read HERMAN MELVILLE CRAZY…But I could not love the novel more: it’s so densely, perversely strange, so elaborately, bombastically contrarian.” Read more...
Hester Blum, Literary Scholar
“It’s a clear classic … it stands on its own as simply a classic piece of literature about the war between duty and morality.” Read more...
Scott Turow, Thriller and Crime Writer
“It showcases the susceptibility of this republic and others, to being overcome by populist demagogues, the danger of democracy being usurped by tyranny. In Moby Dick, the crew are proxies for a cross-section of society. They enter an almost parody version of ‘the social contract’ to ship out with the Pequod. They find themselves at the mercy of Captain Ahab’s regime. During Melville’s day, the plot provided a way of reflecting on slavery; it continues to call attention to the danger of authoritarianism. My book ended before 2016; since then, there were umpteen new readings of Moby Dick in light of Donald Trump’s election. That’s part of the afterlife of Moby Dick. It has been seized upon in popular culture and by the media as a reference point for misadventures that overtake the United States.” Read more...
Interviews where books by Herman Melville were recommended
The Great American Novel, recommended by Lawrence Buell
Albeit an object of satire and overreach, the ‘Great American Novel’ remains a vital concept in American literature, encouraging writers to capture the essence of national culture and history, argues Lawrence Buell, Professor of American Literature Emeritus at Harvard University. He talks us through the origins of the phrase and nominates five novels as contenders.
Best Herman Melville Books, recommended by Hester Blum
Today it is celebrated as one of America’s great novels, but when it came out, Moby-Dick was received with little acclaim and none of the commercial success of Herman Melville’s first book, Typee. Here, Hester Blum, Professor of English at Penn State, introduces the 19th century American novelist and recommends which books to read by and about him.
Best Philosophical Novels, recommended by Rebecca Goldstein
The skills of a philosopher and those of a novelist are often in tension, but they have much to learn from each other, says novelist and philosopher, Rebecca Newberger Goldstein. She chooses her favourite philosophical novels.
The best books on The Sea, recommended by Philip Marsden
The travel writer casts his net over books about the sea and comes up with a haul including Moby Dick and a naval history of Britain.
The best books on Saving the World, recommended by Jonathon Porritt
Co-founder of Forum For The Future and one of the leading experts on climate change hammers home the need to encourage sustainable development technologies across the globe
The best books on Evil, recommended by Adam Haslett
Bestselling author, Adam Haslett, defines the existential origin of evil as the refusal to acknowledge and confront our own mortality. He picks the best books on evil.
The Best Legal Novels, recommended by Scott Turow
The bestselling author of legal thriller Presumed Innocent tells us about his own favourite legal novels.