MOBY-DICK

Illustrated by Rockwell Kent

Herman Melville

“One of the strangest and most wonderful books in the world.”
—D.H. Lawrence

An enigmatic tale of the sea, whaling, and obsession, Moby-Dick echoes themes from the Bible and the works of Shakespeare in a uniquely American story that continues to fascinate and enthrall today. Spurned by readers and critics alike upon its initial publication in 1851 and for the rest of the author’s life, Herman Melville’s epic novel underwent a dramatic rediscovery and reappraisal after his death. During the early years of the 20th century, it came to define the Great American Novel. This spurred and was, in turn, boosted by the 1930 Lakeside Press edition that featured Rockwell Kent’s stark pen-and-ink illustrations that captured the drama, beauty, and violence of Melville's masterpiece.

This Top Five Classics edition of Moby-Dick features all of the more than 270 illustrations by Rockwell Kent, the unabridged text, a glossary of terms, a detailed map of the voyage of the Pequod, and biographies of Herman Melville and Rockwell Kent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Herman Melville was born in 1819 in New York City, the grandson of two Revolutionary War heroes. He began his career as an author in 1845 with the publication of the novel Typee, which recounted and fictionalized some of his adventures over three and a half years at sea on whaling and naval ships in the South Pacific. The book’s success enabled Melville to write four more novels, including Omoo (1847) before publishing his magnum opus, Moby-Dick, in 1851. Met with an indifferent response, the book and author fell into obscurity until decades after the author passed away in 1891.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Rockwell Kent, born in 1882 in Tarrytown, New York, was an artist and author who first came to prominence in the early twentieth century as a painter. Drawing inspiration from the austere power and beauty found in nature, Kent once wrote, “I don’t want petty self-expression. I want the elemental, infinite thing; I want to paint the rhythm of eternity.” Kent’s stark black-and-white illustrations for the 1930 Lakeside Press edition of Moby-Dick became his most famous work, reigniting an interest in the novel. Kent died of a heart attack in 1971.