38Talk:
A Forum for Discussions among Voyagers and Others related to the 38th Voyage of the Charles W. Morgan
From: UNK
Date: 2014 Jul 5, 17:02 +0000
Dear André,
I'm looking forward to writing my biography of Melville. It takes time, and I end up writing more than I anticipate. Taking this leg of the voyage will be a deep learning experience for me. I blush to say that I have also written a shorter biography: it's my introduction to my Melville's Tales, Poems, and Other Writings (Modern Library), which you are free to xerox for you students. I think one of the best short book length biographies is Newton Arvin's, and Leon Howard's, somewhat longer and drier, remains excellent: though both were written in the early 1950s the substance of HM's life is rendered in them without any particular axes to grind. Andrew Delbanco's more recent bio places HM's life in the political context of the 19th century. Parker's two-volume biography is archival.
yrs,
John
Founding Editor, Leviathan: A Journal of Melville Studies
Consulting Editor, The Melville Society, http://melvillesociety.org/
Director, Melville Electronic Library
Director, Hofstra Digital Research Center
Mason 204, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549; Tel: 516.463.5470
Sent: Friday, June 27, 2014 12:36 PM
To: John L. Bryant
Subject: [38Talk] Re: Melville Biography
John, you say that you're writing "a full, critical biography of Melville". I look forward to reading that! In the meantime, can you or anyone else recommend a short Melville biography, or a biographic essay? I'm looking for an essay on Melville for students, beyond a Wikipedia article, but not a full-length biography. Thank you for any ideas.
Best wishes to all of the 38th Voyagers,
André
