| Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life Contributor(s): Melville, Herman (Author), Tanselle, G. Thomas (Editor), Hayford, Harrison (Editor) |
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ISBN: 0810120526 ISBN-13: 9780810120525 Publisher: Northwestern University Press OUR PRICE: $16.16 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: November 2003 Annotation: Almost from the time of its publication in 1846, Melville's first book, based on his own travels in the South Seas, has been recognized as a classic in the literature of travel and adventure. Although initially rejected as too fantastic to be true, "Typee" was immensely popular and regarded in Melville's lifetime as his best work. It established his reputation as the literary discoverer of the South Seas and inspired the likes of Jack London and Robert Louis Stevenson. Two common sailors jump ship and are held in benign captivity by Polynesian natives. Through the narrator's eyes we see a literate (if romanticized) portrait of the people and their culture presented in vivid, even scientific, detail. Melville's racy style and irreverence toward Christian missionaries caused a scandal, and critics denounced the narrator's suggestion that the native life might be superior to that of modern civilization. An adventure story above all, albeit one with a philosophical bent, "Typee" is a combination of elements that even early in Melville's career hinted at the towering ambition he would fulfill with "Moby-Dick". |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Fiction | Classics |
| Dewey: FIC |
| LCCN: 2003052670 |
| Series: Melville |
| Physical Information: 0.65" H x 5.56" W x 8.44" (0.74 lbs) 271 pages |
| Accelerated Reader Info |
| Quiz #: 50687 Reading Level: 12.6 Interest Level: Upper Grades Point Value: 25.0 |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Almost from the time of its publication in 1846, Melville's first book, based on his own travels in the South Seas, has been recognized as a classic in the literature of travel and adventure. Although initially rejected as too fantastic to be true, Typee was immensely popular and regarded in Melville's lifetime as his best work. It established his reputation as the literary discoverer of the South Seas and inspired the likes of Jack London and Robert Louis Stevenson. Two common sailors jump ship and are held in benign captivity by Polynesian natives. Through the narrator's eyes we see a literate (if romanticized) portrait of the people and their culture presented in vivid, even scientific, detail. Melville's racy style and irreverence toward Christian missionaries caused a scandal, and critics denounced the narrator's suggestion that the native life might be superior to that of modern civilization. An adventure story above all, albeit one with a philosophical bent, Typee is a combination of elements that even early in Melville's career hinted at the towering ambition he would fulfill with Moby-Dick. |