Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the 19th century. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick, which is considered one of the greatest works of American literature. Melville was born in New York City in 1819 and was the third of eight children. He was educated at a local school and worked various jobs before joining a whaling ship in 1841. His experiences on the ship inspired his writing, and he published his first book, Typee, in 1846. Melville's writing style was unique and often experimental, and he wrote about a variety of topics, including religion, philosophy, and morality. His works often featured characters who were outsiders, and he explored themes of alienation and identity. He wrote several novels, including Redburn, White-Jacket, and Pierre, as well as several collections of short stories. Moby-Dick was published in 1851 and was not well-received at the time, but it has since become a classic. Melville's later works were not as successful as his earlier ones, and he eventually stopped writing. He died in 1891, and his works have since been widely studied and appreciated. He is remembered as one of the most important American writers of the 19th century, and his works continue to influence literature today.