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Title: Places the man squarely in his setting
Review: This is a fascinatingly rich account of Melville's development as a writer with a particularly strong focus on his surroundings and environment and their influence on his work. DelBanco is at his best when describing settings such as 1840's Manhattan with it's noise , crowds and filth. Melville emerges through the details as the narrative shifts seamlessly between historical anecdotes to literary biography and analysis. For anyone with an interest in Melville this is time well spent.
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