Scan barcode
benbru's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
izzybbartell's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
bobbo49's review against another edition
3.0
Melville's first book, a novel very roughly based on his life and observations when he was on a whaling ship in the South Pacific (which led, of course, to the later masterpiece, Moby Dick). Not nearly as compelling a tale as that brilliant volume, but certainly an interesting introduction to his travels and his worldviews.
The story is told by a young man who runs away from his ship in Polynesia with a shipmate, and wanders into a native village where he is treated as both a guest and a hostage. The book consists mostly of his observations and reflections on the "savages," as he calls them, but he comes to believe that their lives, and the land they inhabit, are in many respects far preferable to those of his home in the developed world: "there were none of those thousand sources of irritation that the ingenuity of civilized man has created to mar his own felicity . . . to sum it all up in one word: no Money!" He also became very critical of the role and impact of Christian missionaries in these "heathen" lands. All in all, a well-written, if some slow and repetitive, vision of Melville's early interest in the very different peoples and lands of the South Pacific islands.
The story is told by a young man who runs away from his ship in Polynesia with a shipmate, and wanders into a native village where he is treated as both a guest and a hostage. The book consists mostly of his observations and reflections on the "savages," as he calls them, but he comes to believe that their lives, and the land they inhabit, are in many respects far preferable to those of his home in the developed world: "there were none of those thousand sources of irritation that the ingenuity of civilized man has created to mar his own felicity . . . to sum it all up in one word: no Money!" He also became very critical of the role and impact of Christian missionaries in these "heathen" lands. All in all, a well-written, if some slow and repetitive, vision of Melville's early interest in the very different peoples and lands of the South Pacific islands.
mlindner's review against another edition
4.0
Reading the free ebook version http://www.feedbooks.com/book/4592
neuschb's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty edgy for 1846, I imagine. Here are some of the less edgy bits I found interesting:
"Sailors are the only class of men who now-a-days see anything like stirring adventures; and many things which to fire-side people appear strange and romantic, to them seem as common-place as a jacket out at elbows" (xi).
"...however ignorant man may be, he still feels within him his immortal spirit yearning after the unknown future" (255).
"...in every case where Civilization has in any way been introduced among those we call savages, she has scattered her vices, and withheld her blessings" (291).
"Sailors are the only class of men who now-a-days see anything like stirring adventures; and many things which to fire-side people appear strange and romantic, to them seem as common-place as a jacket out at elbows" (xi).
"...however ignorant man may be, he still feels within him his immortal spirit yearning after the unknown future" (255).
"...in every case where Civilization has in any way been introduced among those we call savages, she has scattered her vices, and withheld her blessings" (291).
allisonwebster's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. I love Herman Melville's prose, but the travel book form makes for tough sledding sometimes. ("Let me now relate the history and many uses of breadfruit..."). Still, the book is great fun.
61dccain's review against another edition
5.0
Half novel and half anthropology/sociology text, Typee is a marvelous bit of pre-modern fiction/prose from one of the best modern novelists.
piccoline's review against another edition
4.0
As a novel, 4 stars is too high, really. It's about 30% story, 70% description of daily life in the valley of Typee. Melville's first novel, and it's a long way from the mastery of _Moby-Dick_ and _The Confidence-Man_. What's striking, though, is how sympathetic Melville is here to the indigenous people. It ends up a rather melancholy book to read, now, looking back across time at these destroyed ways of life (so similar to so many other destroyed ways of life). You can't help but feel the deep loss of such a way of life.
It's becoming obvious to even the casual observer that I'm now a huge Melville fan.
It's becoming obvious to even the casual observer that I'm now a huge Melville fan.
ivaelo's review against another edition
3.0
Мелвил е оцелявал на предела before it was cool!!! Беър пасти да яде. Има спорове за това, колко е достоверна книгата, и дали Мелвил не си е досъчинил определени "факти", ама нас това не ни интересува особено.
Главният герой попада съвсем неслучайно на един остров с канибали. Има добри канибали и лоши канибали. За наш, а и за негов късмет той попада при лошите, които се оказват не чак толкова лоши. И тук свършва действието в книгата, и започва едно описание на нравите, традициите, растителността, храната, манталитета, ежедневието и т.н., на симпатягите от Тайпи. За наша голяма изненада се оказва, че не са толкова кръвожадни и зли, колкото ги изкарват, иначе миролюбивите европейци, даже са доста мързеливи. Мелвил прави съпоставка между "диващината" на островитяните, и диващината на европейците. Множество от проблемите за тези народи идват точно от този допир с "цивилизацията", която ги покварява. И преди да се сблъскат с тези носители на цивилизацията и високия морал, те не са запознати с фалша, лъжите, завистта и още много "добродетели", които са ни до болка познати.
Главният герой попада съвсем неслучайно на един остров с канибали. Има добри канибали и лоши канибали. За наш, а и за негов късмет той попада при лошите, които се оказват не чак толкова лоши. И тук свършва действието в книгата, и започва едно описание на нравите, традициите, растителността, храната, манталитета, ежедневието и т.н., на симпатягите от Тайпи. За наша голяма изненада се оказва, че не са толкова кръвожадни и зли, колкото ги изкарват, иначе миролюбивите европейци, даже са доста мързеливи. Мелвил прави съпоставка между "диващината" на островитяните, и диващината на европейците. Множество от проблемите за тези народи идват точно от този допир с "цивилизацията", която ги покварява. И преди да се сблъскат с тези носители на цивилизацията и високия морал, те не са запознати с фалша, лъжите, завистта и още много "добродетели", които са ни до болка познати.