Herman Melville: The Man Who Swam with Whales and Wrote Novels

Herman Melville, affectionately known as the “Whale Whisperer”, was an American author and adventurer who gained fame for his novel “Moby-Dick”. But there’s more to this guy than just his literary masterpiece.

Born in New York City in 1819, young Herman dreamed of being a sailor. He set about fulfilling this dream by working on various ships, seeing a lot of the world and gaining valuable life experiences. However, he soon discovered that life at sea wasn’t all fun and games, especially when a giant sperm whale attacked the ship he was on, inspiring him to write his classic novel, “Moby-Dick”.

The book tells the tale of an obsessive Captain Ahab, who seeks revenge on the whale who caused him to lose a leg. Melville famously said, “I have written a wicked book, and feel spotless as the lamb.”

But did you know that Melville was so dedicated to his writing that he once swam with an actual whale to get inspired? Yes, you read that right. He braved the open ocean and swam alongside a colossal sperm whale, which he later described in one of his letters as being “a gentle giant who showed me the secrets of the deep.” To this day, experts speculate that this encounter may have been what gave Melville the inspiration he needed to write his novel.

Aside from his love of whales and writing, Melville was also known for his sense of humor. He once joked that he “would prefer not to” when asked to do something he didn’t want to do, giving rise to the famous literary character Bartleby. He also wrote a satirical novel called “The Confidence-Man” which made fun of gullible Americans who fell for scams in the 1800s.

Sadly, Melville’s legacy was not fully appreciated during his lifetime, and he struggled to make ends meet. But today, he is recognized as one of the great American writers, whose work has inspired countless others. So, the next time you hear about a man who swam with a whale to get inspired, remember Herman Melville, the intrepid author who did just that, while also writing one of the most famous novels of all time.