Herman Melville (1819-1891) was an American novelist, short
story writer, essayist, and poet. His first two books gained
much attention, though they were not bestsellers, and his
popularity declined precipitously only a few years later. By the
time of his death he had been almost completely forgotten, but
his longest novel, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale (1851) - largely
considered a failure during his lifetime, and most responsible
for Melville's fall from favor with the reading public - was
rediscovered in the 20th century as one of the chief literary
masterpieces of both American and world literature. Melville is
less well known as a poet and did not publish poetry until late
in life. Other works include Typee (1846), Omoo (1847), Mardi
and a Voyage Thither (2v/1849), Redburn: His First Voyage
(1849), White-Jacket (1850), Pierre (1852), Israel Potter: Fifty
Years of Exile (1855), The Piazza Tales (1856), Benito Cereno
(1856), Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War (1866), Timoleon
(1891), The Apple-Tree Table (192