The confidence man held a fascination for Melville, Hawthorne, Howells, Johnson J. Hooper, Bret Harte, and Mark Twain. In this study the writers are grouped in

Karen Halttunen draws a vivid picture of the social and cultural development of the upwardly mobile middle class, basing her study on a survey of the conduct ma

In Moby Dick Melville set out to write a "mighty book" on "a mighty theme." The editors of this critical text affirm that he succeeded. Nevertheless, their prol

General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1857 Original Publisher: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans