Herman Melville (1819–1891), one of America's towering literary figures, is renowned for his deep, expressive, and sometimes enigmatic examination of the human condition and the vagaries of life at sea. Born in New York City, Melville's early experiences aboard ship provided grist for his literary mill. He began his career with adventure narratives such as 'Typee' (1846) and 'Omoo' (1847), which w...