 First American edition title page | |
| Author | Herman Melville |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Travel literature |
| Published |
|
| Publication place | United States, England |
| Media type | |
| Followed by | Omoo |
| Text | Typee at Wikisource |
Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life is American writer Herman Melville's first book, published in 1846, when Melville was 26 years old. Considered a classic in travel and adventure literature, the narrative is based on Melville's experiences on the island Nuku Hiva in the South Pacific Marquesas Islands in 1842, supplemented with imaginative reconstruction and research from other books. The title comes from the valley of Taipivai, once known as Taipi.[1]
Typee was Melville's most popular work during his lifetime; it made him notorious as the "man who lived among the cannibals".[2]
- ^ Christian, F.W., Nuku and Uia-Ei, 1895, "Notes on the Marquesans," Journal of the Polynesian Society 4(3):187-202. Page 200
- ^ Howard (1968), p. 291-294.