White Jacket or The World in a Man-of-War by Herman Melville 1925 7th Impression
White-Jacket; or, The World in a Man-of-War, also known as White-Jacket, is a novel by Herman Melville originally published in 1850. Based on Melville’s experiences as an ordinary seaman aboard the frigate USS United States from 1843 to 1844, as well as stories told to him by other sailors, the novel is harshly critical of virtually every aspect of American naval life. It thus ranks as Melville’s most politically strident work.
It contains eleven stories, including some of his most celebrated and experimental works such as “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “May Day,” and “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz.” These stories reflect Fitzgerald’s fascination with youth, wealth, disillusionment, and the dazzling but disoriented spirit of postwar America.
