Mardi - Volume 2

MP3 Audio CD. Herman Melville, acclaimed 19th century British novelist, began expressing his enormous talent in 1846 through his first novel, Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life. Together with his second novel written the following year and entitled Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas, he established his initial style, which was factual, albeit involving fictitious narrators.

His third book, however, Mardi: And a Voyage Thither, broke the pattern to reveal the author?s true potential through a blend between maritime adventure, romantic endeavors and philosophical insight presented in a manner uniquely reflective of Melville?s depth and insight.

The book, published in 1849, was Melville?s first attempt at an entirely fictional story, paving the way toward Moby Dick, which would only be written two years later.

The story focuses on narratives based on the author?s own exploits and adventures as a sailor on the South Seas. In his own words, it was an attempt to respond to the disbelief that his readers had expressed regarding his first two books.

The first part of Mardi is a thrilling sea-going adventure that would appeal to anyone who has picked up books like Moby Dick and actually enjoyed them. However, Melville goes off into uncharted territories through the continuation, which, instead of focusing on tying up loose ends, presents a philosophical vision of the human condition. Human thought and character is carefully dissected, and the novel is literally torn in two distinct parts, leading many critics to suggest that it should have been divided up into two separate books.

Upon closer inspection, however, readers will find that there are many more subtle connections between the adventure and its philosophical continuation.