White-jacket: Or, The World in a Man-of-war (World's Classics S.) - Softcover

Melville, Herman

3.79

897 ratings by Goodreads

9780192818287: White-jacket: Or, The World in a Man-of-war (World's Classics S.)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192818287 ISBN 13: 9780192818287

Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks, 1990

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In 1843, after three years of voyaging in the South Seas, Melville signed up as an ordinary seaman on the man-of-war United States , and headed for home. What he observed on that trip formed the basis of White-Jacket , a success both as a story and as an expos 'e of certain naval practices of which the public was only dimly aware. Melville's subtitle, `The World in a Man-of-War', points to its broad theme: the autocratic, male regime aboard the Neversink is perhaps no more than a microcosm of pre-Civil War America. But under his scandalized liberalism, his desire to expose and to reform a barbaric system which reflects badly on the Declaration of Independence, runs an unspoken connection. The treatment meted out to the white men on the man-of-war is the same as that experienced by black slaves in every state. With hindsight, Melville's novel is double-edged. This is the only paperback edition currently available. This book is intended for general; students at undergraduate level following courses on American literature. explanatory notes by: Dugdale, John;

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Review:

"It's terrific to see this in print again, and with a useful appendix as well."--Charles Npravnik, State University of New York at Brockport"An unusually attractive edition, from the cover design to the print and the generous margins. The author chronology, bibliography, and explanatory notes are all helpful. I also like the size and the feel of this edition."--Donald Coen, Sam Houston State University"Delighted to have a moderately priced, well annotated edition available again."--Marvin Fisher, Arizona State University"Excellent! Good, clear type--a much needed new edition."--George F. Day, University of North Iowa "It's terrific to see this in print again, and with a useful appendix as well."--Charles Npravnik, State University of New York at Brockport "An unusually attractive edition, from the cover design to the print and the generous margins. The author chronology, bibliography, and explanatory notes are all helpful. I also like the size and the feel of this edition."--Donald Coen, Sam Houston State University "Delighted to have a moderately priced, well annotated edition available again."--Marvin Fisher, Arizona State University "Excellent! Good, clear type--a much needed new edition."--George F. Day, University of North Iowa "It's terrific to see this in print again, and with a useful appendix as well."--Charles Npravnik, State University of New York at Brockport "An unusually attractive edition, from the cover design to the print and the generous margins. The author chronology, bibliography, and explanatory notes are all helpful. I also like the size and the feel of this edition."--Donald Coen, Sam Houston State University "Delighted to have a moderately priced, well annotated edition available again."--Marvin Fisher, Arizona State University "Excellent! Good, clear type--a much needed new edition."--George F. Day, University of North Iowa "It's terrific to see this in print again, and with a useful appendix as well."--Charles Npravnik, State University of New York at Brockport"An unusually attractive edition, from the cover design to the print and the generous margins. The author chronology, bibliography, and explanatory notes are all helpful. I also like the size and the feel of this edition."--Donald Coen, Sam Houston State University"Delighted to have a moderately priced, well annotated edition available again."--Marvin Fisher, Arizona State University"Excellent! Good, clear type--a much needed new edition."--George F. Day, University of North Iowa

About the Author:

Herman Melville was an American novelist, poet, and lecturer best known for his classic novel Moby-Dick, as well as for his short fiction "Bartleby, the Scrivener," and the unfinished "Billy Budd, Sailor." Educated as a teacher and later as an engineer, Melville s writing was heavily influenced by his time aboard the whaling ship Acushnet, and his month-long captivity by Typee natives on Nuka Hiva island. Although Melville experienced success early in his writing career, public indifference to his masterpiece, Moby-Dick, resulted in waning attention, and his work was almost entirely disregarded by the time of this death in 1891. Melville s work experienced a revival in the early twentieth century, and he is now considered one of the pre-eminent American writers of his time. He is also one of the most-studied novelists, and was the first writer to be collected and published by the Library of America.

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