Typee, Omoo, Mardi (udgave 1982)

Typee--adventure story only read because Melville did better later. Here are the basics: jumped ship on Pacific isle, horrendous idols, savage cannibals, and half-clad nymphs. Titillation and adrenalin for the 1800's. And speculations on the good life, too (good life = piles of breadfruit, nymphs, and bananas). ( )

Two wonderful autobiographical novels and one wacked out allegory. ( )

Lots of great stuff in Typee, but (as with Moby Dick) most of it is in the first 20% of the book. Starts off being about race and colonialism, ends up being about sexy Polynesian chicks weaving napkins. ( )

I love Melville! Therefore, my objectivity is somewhat lacking.
I read this volume some 30 years ago.
This was an excellent book (i.e., a 5 on a 5 point scale), which is much more than I expect when I buy a book.
This contains Melville's early works.
These are adventure stories of sailing in the South Seas.
He is a competent writer with a very good vocabulary. His plot development is at times slow. His character development is good.
I was fully involved. But, there was for one long passage (100 plus pages?) of a seemingly endless description of floating in a canoe.

Positives:
This is a Library of America book.

Negatives:
Descriptions are too long at times.

The first book is this volume is 'Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life'.
The second book is 'Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas'.
The third book is 'Mardi: and A Voyage Thither'. ( )

a unique look at life in the south pacific ( )