Publisher's Synopsis

Typee is a novel written by the American author Herman Melville, first published in 1846. The book is a fictionalized account of Melville's own experiences as a sailor on a whaling ship, and his subsequent desertion and stay with the Typee tribe on the island of Nuku Hiva in the South Pacific.The novel follows the story of Tommo, a sailor who jumps ship with his friend Toby and finds himself stranded on the island of Nuku Hiva. There, they are taken in by the Typee tribe, who are known for their cannibalistic practices. Initially suspicious of their hosts, Tommo and Toby soon become enamored with the Typee way of life, and the novel explores themes of cultural relativism and the clash between Western and indigenous cultures.Melville's vivid descriptions of the island and its inhabitants, as well as his critique of Western imperialism and colonialism, make Typee a landmark work of American literature. The novel was a commercial success upon its publication, and helped establish Melville's reputation as a writer. Today, it is considered a classic of American literature and a pioneering work of ethnographic fiction.Sailors are the only class of men who now-a-days see anything like stirring adventure; and many things which to fire-side people appear strange and romantic, to them seem as commonplace as a jacket out at elbows.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Book information

ISBN: 9781169294745
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
Imprint: Kessinger Publishing
Pub date:
DEWEY: FIC
Language: English
Number of pages: 226
Weight: 612g
Height: 254mm
Width: 177mm
Spine width: 14mm