Typee

Typee is Herman Melville’s first book, recounting his experiences after having jumped ship in the Marquesas Islands in 1842, and becoming a captive of a cannibal island tribe. It was an immediate success in America and England, and was Melville’s most popular work during his lifetime. It was not until the end of the 1930’s that it was surpassed in popularity by Moby Dick, more than thirty years after his death. The story provoked harsh criticism for its condemnation of missionary efforts in the Pacific Islands. Many sought to discredit the book, claiming that it was a work of fiction, but this criticism ended when the events it described were corroborated by Melville’s fellow castaway, Richard T. Greene, who appears in the story as the character Toby. (Summary by Michael)