Moby Dick by Herman Melville, Fiction, Classics, Sea Stories

A sailor narrates the obsessive quest of Ahab, captain of the whaler Pequod, for revenge on Moby Dick, a white whale which on a previous voyage destroyed Ahab's ship and severed his leg at the knee.
Call me Ishmael. Some years ago -- never mind how long precisely -- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off -- then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.

Herman Melville (1819-1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet, best known for his novel ""Moby-Dick."" Here is a detailed overview of his life and literary career, with a focus on his work ""Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas."". Melville was born into a well-to-do family, but his father's financial troubles and death left the family in difficult circumstances. His formal education was sporadic, but he was an avid reader and self-educated in literature and writing. Melville's time at sea profoundly influenced his writing. He worked on several ships, including a whaler, which provided material for his sea narratives. Melville's first two books, ""Typee"" (1846) and ""Omoo"" (1847), were well-received, offering romanticized accounts of his adventures in the South Seas. A narrative of his experiences in the Marquesas Islands. A sequel to ""Typee,"" ""Omoo"" recounts his subsequent adventures in the South Seas, focusing on his time on Tahiti and the surrounding islands. Melville's work was largely forgotten by the time of his death but was rediscovered in the early 20th century. ""Moby-Dick"" and his other works gained recognition for their complexity and depth. Today, Melville is considered one of the greatest American writers, with his work studied for its themes of humanity, nature, and the metaphysical.
Herman Melville's life and career were marked by early adventures and literary success, followed by a period of neglect and posthumous recognition. His contributions to American literature, particularly through works like ""Typee,"" ""Omoo,"" and ""Moby-Dick,"" have left a lasting impact.