Mohammed Anuz Anuz من عند Azur, فرنسا
From Typee I was able to gather about a five page list of words Herman Melville weaved into his south seas lexicon and which were way over my head (i.e. arcana=secret, disinter=to bring from obscurity into view, oleaginous=having qualities of oil;smarmy;unctuous)! Melvilles exciting journey in the Marquesas during which time he lives with a cannibal tribe for four weeks was a great tale filled with bold narrative and wity commentary on the "barbarism" of the "savage" tribe Typee (meaning "cannibal"). Melville wrote this, his first book, in his early twenties. This fact inspires and intimidates me. Whaling, with its quest for spermacetti oil to fill the lamps of American homes, is an industry with a history truly worth reading. To learn more please read "The Essex".
I was captivated from the first page on. This book hits right at the heart and doesn't let go. It really opened my eyes to the inner workings of people and made me think about an afterlife more sincerely. This is another must read. I'm also looking forward to Peter Jackson's film of the book.