White-Jacket: Or, The World in a Man-of-War (Oxford World's Classics) [Paperback]

Herman Melville (Author), Tony Tanner (Introduction), John Dugdale (Contributor)

Book Description

Series: Oxford World's Classics | Publication Date: March 30, 2000

In 1843, after three years of voyaging in the South Seas, Melville signed up as an ordinary seaman on the man-of-war United States, and headed for home. What he observed on that trip formed the basis of White-Jacket, a success both as a story and as an expose of certain naval practices of which the public was only dimly aware. Melville's subtitle, 'The World in a Man-of-War', points to its broad theme: the autocratic, male regime aboard the Neversink is perhaps no more than a microcosm of pre-Civil War America. But under his scandalized liberalism, his desire to expose and to reform a barbaric system which reflects badly on the Declaration of Independence, runs an unspoken connection. The treatment meted out to the white men on the man-of-war is the same as that experienced by black slaves in every state. With hindsight, Melville's novel is double-edged. This is the only paperback edition currently available.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It's terrific to see this in print again, and with a useful appendix as well."--Charles Npravnik, State University of New York at Brockport

"An unusually attractive edition, from the cover design to the print and the generous margins. The author chronology, bibliography, and explanatory notes are all helpful. I also like the size and the feel of this edition."--Donald Coen, Sam Houston State University

"Delighted to have a moderately priced, well annotated edition available again."--Marvin Fisher, Arizona State University

"Excellent! Good, clear type--a much needed new edition."--George F. Day, University of North Iowa

From the Inside Flap

One of Melville's most popular novels during his lifetime—and the subject of renewed interest in recent decades—White-Jacket is both a brisk sea adventure and a powerful social critique. Based on Melville's own experiences, it explores the fascinating and often harrowing world of a naval fighting ship, the Neversink. The ship becomes for Melville a microcosm of America itself; its hierarchy, social divisions, and cruel practices suggest larger injustices, including slavery.

This Modern Library Paperback Classic reproduces the definitive Northwestern-Newberry Edition. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192838016
• ISBN-13: 978-0192838018
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,549,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Second to one, October 25, 2004

By 

M. Nesbit "One reader" (Daly City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: White-Jacket: or, The World in a Man-of-War (Modern Library Classics) (Paperback)

This book is second only to Moby-Dick in the list of Melville's greatest works. And Melville's greatest works are America's greatest works.

White-Jacket has it all; humor, pathos, poetry and philosophy. This book makes me not only admire Melville the author but love Melville the man.

To suggest that the book would be better off without its "sermons" against cruelty in the Man-of-War's world is to suggest that Melville should have written some other book. He didn't write that book, he wrote this one and this is the one he wanted us to read. God bless him.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "hull the blockheads, whether they will or no." (ch. 45), October 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: White Jacket, or The World in a Man-of-War: Volume Five, Scholarly Edition (Melville) (Paperback)

This is the second of three books Melville published in quick succession--after Redburn in 1849, and before Moby-Dick in 1851. If you read them in that order, you can actually witness Melville's powers as an author growing. White-Jacket has passages that approach the difficulty of Moby-Dick, but it also has not a few chapters that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter. It's not the best of Melville, but it is certainly brilliant! (Smokers, and non-smokers alike, should take a look at ch.91)

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome, November 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: White Jacket, or The World in a Man-of-War: Volume Five, Scholarly Edition (Melville) (Paperback)

Fascinating, entertaining account of life on a man-of-war. Hilarious in parts; always subversive. Melville's mock glorification of the U.S. Navy and its officers is brilliant.