American author Herman Melville published his first novel, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, in 1851. The story of Ahab, the captain of the whaling ship Pequod, and his irrational pursuit for vengeance against Moby Dick, the huge white sperm whale that wounded him on a previous journey, is told in the book by the sailor Ishmael. Moby-Dick, a work that contributed to the literature of the American Renaissance, had received mixed reviews upon publication, was a commercial flop, and was out of print when the author passed away in 1891. It wasn't until the 20th century, on the centennial of its author's birth in 1919, that it gained recognition as a "Great American Novel." William Faulkner expressed regret for not having written the novel himself, while D. H. Lawrence praised it as "the best book of the sea ever written" and "one of the oddest and most wonderful books in the world." One of the most well-known starting lines in all of literature is "Call me Ishmael." Moby-Dick was started by Melville in February 1850, and it was finished a year later than he had intended, in 18 months. Melville drew on his observations as a common sailor between 1841 and 1844, especially those of whalers, as well as extensive reading in the literature on whaling.
Herman Melville was an American author born on 1 August 1819, in New York. His parents were Allan Melvill and Maria Melvill, Scottish and Dutch decent. He belonged to a reputated family, his father was a successful merchant and his grandfathers were regarded as revolutionary heroes. Unfortunately, Herman's father died in his childhood leaving the family into distress. His elder brother Granesevoort shouldered the responsibility of business and family. Herman got basic education in Albany Academy and Albany Classical School. His interest generated in classic literature and he began writing poems, essays and short stories. In his youth, he did several jobs, he began with teaching, got unhappiness. After that he joined a ship as a cabin boy and later went on a sea voyage as a harpooner. He continued writing and his first novel, Typee, based on sea adventure was published in 1846. Moby-Dick or the Whale is his master piece creation, got recognition after his death. He died of a heart attack in 1891, in New York. His literary works - Moby-Dick or the Whale, Bartleby the Scrivener, Billy Budd Sailor and Other Stories, Benito Cereno, Typee- A Peep at Polynesian Life, The Confidence-Man, Omoo-A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas, Redburn, Mardi, etc.
