Herman Melville

As a child

As an adult

As an artist

Herman Melville (1819-1891) was born in New York City into a wealthy family, but when he was twelve his father went bankrupt. Melville then worked as a bank clerk, a farmer and a teacher before going to sea, first as a cabin boy, then on trading ships, whalers and in the U.S. Navy. His travels in the South Pacific, including a brief stay amongst the Typee cannibals, formed the basis for his popular earlier novels. Moby Dick, published in 1851, was initially misunderstood but is now hailed as one of the greatest works of American literature.

Things you didn't know about Herman Melville