Melville: His World and Work

I would say the author has done as well as possible making a biography out of someone whose life is little known. He weaves a synthesis of literary criticism, psychological speculation, and social, cultural, and political history (as well as his own thoughts) into the surviving letters and the scarce biographical details that exist, adding portraits of some of Melville's contemporaries where it helps. It does seem like the book veers away from its subject in a mild way here and there, but that's of necessity. Starting with skimpy material that leaves lots of blank spots in the record, Andrew Delbanco has managed to make a lively, intelligent, and readable book that feels complete and satisfying. It conveys the drama of Melville's life and places his accomplishments in context. A fine book.

I loved this biography. It's gracefully written and the necessary chronology is layered into the language without the usual plodding of more academic efforts. I think one of the reasons this is such an enjoyable read is because the biographer likes to write, respects writing, and is deeply aware of the extraordinary range of Melville's talent. Unlike one other reviewer I was not troubled by the long quotations. I think it's difficult to reduce Melville to bon mots. He's too expansive. Delbanco is prodigiously well-read and brings out the intertextuality of Melville's work and his vast reading. He also covers Melville's sexuality and other areas too often shied away from by other biographers. He understands Melville's erotic response to other cultures (in his nonfiction especially) as a revolutionary response to oppressive times.I highly recommend this book. It's sent me back to reading Melville, who I read regularly with Shakespeare, Homer and Dante.

Not that by saying that I'm strongly recommending it or anything.I read this recently on a road trip through Iran, which made it a bit more interesting than I think it otherwise would have been, but also made it harder to pay attention to. In fact, I was in Tehran when I read (on p. 8) that "as far away as Tehran there is a popular kebab place called `Moby Dick.'" Incredulous, I made my way over there, and sure enough! I managed to finish the next couple of chapters there.I was particularly looking forward to this book after having read Andre Delbanco's famous classic essay "The Death of Literary Criticism," with which I agreed wholeheartedly. I liked his spirit and his outlook, so it was with eager fingers that I got a hold of a volume in which he harpoons my favorite author.Really, though, I don't think there's been a better biography of Melville than the one Newton Arvin did in the 50s. Sure, it's out of date, but even at this remove it gives you all you need to know to get going on his books. It strikes the right balance between literary criticism and biography.This latest job may use more recent scholarship, but unfortunately it also falls prey to pop psychology a bit much, not really struggling with Melville on his own terms so much as on ours. There's no sexual innuendo that isn't made much of for pages on end. Sheesh. If Melville had known the trouble he would be getting into on account of Ishmael and Queequeg sharing a bed, he would have had that harpooner sleep in the hall!To Delbanco, Melville is a closet case pure and simple. If you aren't in the mood to constantly hear that, don't pick this book up. Delbanco is the kind of critic that will shape his entire understanding of a work of fiction on a few lewd references.In fact, I would say that my most common emotion reading this book was revulsion. Despite my love for all things Melvillean, it was a struggle to get through. Here's a sample of what I'm talking about:"The young Pierre may have felt `more than cousinly attachment' for his male cousin Glen, but the older Pierre is aroused by the sight of Isabel's nestled `ear' and craves the sensation of being enveloped by the throbbing walls of her `guitar.'"Brother!

This biography of Herman Melville does a great job of mixing his personal life with his professional life. Delbanco smoothly integrates passages from Melville’s novels and stories into the text. Even if you have read very little of Melville (or perhaps only seen the movie of Moby Dick) this book will grab your attention. From his masterpieces like Moby Dick, Bartleby the Scrivener, Benito Cereno and Billy Budd to his several failures, I learned a lot not just about the works but the circumstances in which Melville wrote them. It’s tough to write an interesting biography of an author but Delbanco succeeds admirably. For anyone interested in Melville or the history of American literature, this is a valuable and enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.

The parcel arrived on time, and in great condition. Very pleased with overall experience.