Within a few years of his death in 1891, Herman Melville and his works were largely forgotten. It wasn’t until 1919, the centennial of his birth, that a Columbia scholar published an appreciation of the little-known novel Moby-Dick, which revived interest in the book and the author, leading quickly to the first biographies and the elevation into the canon of one of the world’s greatest writers.
From the Judges
"Melville at 200" is a fascinating story told with witty word play that shines new light on a familiar subject. A fitting way to showcase Columbia University's storied tradition of scholarship, well grounded in the present day.
