'Moby Dick'. The present vogue of Hermann Melville is mainly due to two English novelists, Frank Swinnerton and myself. We both of us have great opportunities for publicity and 8 or 10 years ago, in the Reform Club, we decided to convince the world that 'Moby Dick' was the greatest of all sea-novels. And we did! There is a lot more of Melville that you ought to read, if you have not already read it. Some of the ‘Piazza Tales’ are wonderful. And the novel 'Pierre', though while mad and very strange and overstrained, is really original and remarkable. Some of the still stranger books I have not yet read or tried to read. The trouble is that the esoteric books can only be obtained in the complete edition of the works. Happily I possess it. I believe that the original editions of 'Typee' and 'Omoo' are much better than the current editions, which have been expurgated. Please note that I think 'Evan Harrington' is better than 'Beauchamp’s Career' and 'The Woodlanders' better than the 'Mayor of Casterbridge'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Arnold Bennett Print: Book
'Moby Dick'. The present vogue of Hermann Melville is mainly due to two English novelists, Frank Swinnerton and myself. We both of us have great opportunities for publicity and 8 or 10 years ago, in the Reform Club, we decided to convince the world that 'Moby Dick' was the greatest of all sea-novels. And we did! There is a lot more of Melville that you ought to read, if you have not already read it. Some of the ‘Piazza Tales’ are wonderful. And the novel 'Pierre', though while mad and very strange and overstrained, is really original and remarkable. Some of the still stranger books I have not yet read or tried to read. The trouble is that the esoteric books can only be obtained in the complete edition of the works. Happily I possess it. I believe that the original editions of 'Typee' and 'Omoo' are much better than the current editions, which have been expurgated. Please note that I think 'Evan Harrington' is better than 'Beauchamp’s Career' and 'The Woodlanders' better than the 'Mayor of Casterbridge'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Arnold Bennett Print: Book
'After a less than frugal luncheon (no ice aboard) I made an attempt to read "The Egoist" (a tattered copy of which lay on the desk) but gave it up and lay, practically for the rest of the voyage, a high heaved and higher-heaving log of uncomplaining misery.[...] In more conscious moments contrived almost to finish the unique "Egoist" (last read at Cambridge): near the end it approaches a high tragic Vaudeville, and [De] Craye's wit does not wear well; but how direct and simple the whole effect, and how much easier and more compelling than Henry James.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ronald Storrs Print: Book
