White Jacket: The World on a Man-of-War

Written by Herman Melville (who was best known for his classic whaling novel), White Jacket was first published in 1850. It is considered to be a semi-biographical book, written from Melville's own personal experiences while returning home to the Atlantic Coast from the South Seas with the American Navy on a man-o'-war vessel. During 1834-44, Melville served as an ordinary seaman aboard the U.S. frigate United States. A critically acclaimed novel, White Jacket won political support for its ...