Herman Melville

In this influential critical biography, the great American critic Lewis Mumford reassesses the life and work of Herman Melville, helping to spark the twentieth-century revival that restored Moby-Dick to its place among the world’s greatest novels. Mumford traces Melville’s turbulent life, his creative struggles, and the depth of his vision with sympathy and penetrating insight. Written with eloquence and conviction, it is both a portrait of a neglected genius and a passionate argument for his greatness. For readers interested in Melville, American literature, or the art of biography, Mumford’s study is a landmark work that changed how the world sees one of America’s most profound writers.