This is an excellent short introduction to the complexities of Melville's work and thought, set in their historical context. Although brief, it is by no means superficial. Edward Rosenberry (author of Melville and the Comic Spirit, 1955) has good, new comments to make, particularly on Redburn and White-Jacket. One of the great assets of this book is the detailed bibliographical information it supplies, relevant to each chapter and to the study of Melville in general. Leon Howard's has been the standard biography since its appearance in 1951 , but Rosenberry's Melville contains some sharper insights. Rosenberry concentrates his attention on Melville's daring experimentation with a wide range of literary forms and proves that the poetry, neglected and underrated by many critics, is in itself evidence of Melville's characteristic vision and stylistic subtleties. The poetry can be seen as the climax of Melville's literary career, rather than as a major falling off.

Rosenberry's concern is with technique and theme, not with interpretation as such. This modest aim will come as a welcome relief to those suffering from the excesses of the Melville industry. His account of the narrative method of Moby Dick itself, and of the lesser known