Moby Dick
American writer Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick in 1851 but it took decades before finally it was regarded as a great American novel, and worthy of its place amongst the greatest texts of humankind. It recounts the obsessive quest of Ahab, captain of a whaling ship seeking vengeance on Moby Dick, the white whale that had bitten off Ahab's leg on a previous voyage.
Flame Tree Gothic Fantasy, Classic Stories and Epic Tales collections bring together the entire range of myth, folklore and modern short fiction. Highlighting the roots of suspense, supernatural, science fiction and mystery stories, the books in Flame Tree Collections series are beautifully presented, perfect as a gift and offer a lifetime of reading pleasure.
James Noel (new introduction) is an English Professor at Los Medanos College in California and teaches composition as well as literature classes. In addition to his work on classroom and pedagogical techniques, James is a Herman Melville scholar, and most of his research focuses on racial performance in the nineteenth century.
Herman Melville (1819–91) is the author of the novel Moby Dick, which was a commercial failure during his lifetime but is now considered a classic. Born in New York City, Melville enjoyed some years as a successful writer following the publication of his first book Typee in 1846. He produced a number of travelogues and nautical works, inspired by his earlier experience as a sailor.