Redburn S First Voyage

This is the extended and annotated edition including an extensive biographical annotation about the author and his life. Redburn is a semi-autobiographical novel concerning the sufferings of a refined youth among coarse and brutal sailors and the seedier areas of Liverpool. This theme of a youth confronted by realities and evils for which he is unprepared—or incorrectly prepared by both family and American institutions—is a prominent one in Melville's works. (from wikipedia.com)

The life of a sailor isn’t all its cracked up to be. Wellingborough Redburn cannot find employment in his native New York, and so signs aboard the merchantship Highlander, on its journey to Liverpool. He discovers that he is a “boy,” the lowest rank among the crew, and has to contend with the worst, most offensive duties, and the abuse of the seaman Jackson. Redburn proves to be a quick study at both the craft of seafaring and the surprisingly intricate social dynamics among the crewmembers, but will it be enough to turn his voyage around? Drawing equally on Melville’s experiences at sea and his talent for cleverly poking fun at human foibles, this is a wonderful treat from a spectacular writer. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.

Herman Melville was a 19th century American novelist, poet, essayist and short story writer. He is best known for his works Moby Dick and Typee. During his lifetime he was considered a failure, but after his death his worth as a writer was recognized. First published in 1849, this novel is based on the reminiscences of the author's first voyage in 1837. Wellingborough Redburn makes his first voyage to Liverpool where he sees the lack of democracy and the poverty, enjoys a wild excursion to London, and faces a harrowing voyage home. Melville elaborates on the theme of a youth unprepared for the cruelties of the sailors and the evils he finds in Liverpool.

Drawn from Melville’s own adolescent experience aboard a merchant ship, Redburn charts the coming-of-age of Wellingborough Redburn, a young innocent who embarks on a crossing to Liverpool together with a roguish crew. Once in Liverpool, Redburn encounters the squalid conditions of the city and meets Harry Bolton, a bereft and damaged soul, who takes him on a tour of London that includes a scene of rococo decadence unlike anything else in Melville’s fiction. In her Introduction, Elizabeth Hardwick writes, “Redburn is rich in masterful portraits—a gallery of wild colors, pretensions and falsehoods, fleeting associations of unexpected tenderness. . . . Redburn is not a document; it is a work of art by the unexpected genius of a sailor, Herman Melville.” This Modern Library Paperback Classic is set from the text of the first American edition of 1849.

Drawn from Melville's own adolescent experience aboard a merchant ship, "Redburn" charts the coming-of-age of Wellingborough Redburn, a young innocent who embarks on a crossing to Liverpool together with a roguish crew. Once in Liverpool, Redburn encounters the squalid conditions of the city and meets Harry Bolton, a bereft and damaged soul, who takes him on a tour of London that includes a scene of rococo decadence unlike anything else in Melville's fiction. In her Introduction, Elizabeth Hardwick writes, ""Redburn" is rich in masterful portraits--a gallery of wild colors, pretensions and falsehoods, fleeting associations of unexpected tenderness. . . . "Redburn" is not a document; it is a work of art by the unexpected genius of a sailor, Herman Melville." This Modern Library Paperback Classic is set from the text of the first American edition of 1849.

Wellington Redburn is a fifteen-year-old from the state of New York, with only one dream - to run away to sea. However, when he does fulfil this long-held fantasy, he quickly finds that reality as a cabin boy is far harsher than he ever imagined. Mocked by the crew on board the Highlander for his weakness and bullied by the vicious and merciless sailor Jackson, Wellington must struggle to endure the long journey from New York to Liverpool. But when he does reach England, he is equally horrified by what he finds there: poverty, desperation and moral corruption. Inspired by Melville's own youthful experiences on board a cargo boat, this is a compelling tale of innocence transformed, through bitter experience, into disillusionment. A fascinating sea journal and coming-of-age tale, Redburn provides a unique insight into the mind of one of America's greatest novelists.