Israel Potter ─ His Fifty Years of Exile & Life and Remarkable Adventures of Israel R. Potter

In this spirited saga, a promising young solider is wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill, sets sail with John Paul Jones, and undertakes espionage at the behest of Benjamin Franklin. Herman Melville drew upon the obscure memoirs of a Revolutionary War veteran to create his only historical novel, combining Israel Potter's real-life reminiscences with fictional incidents that lead his hero into encounters with noteworthy figures of colonial America. Recounted with humor and zest, this adventure abounds in sea battles, prison escapes, and other episodes of derring-do.
The Village Voice acclaimed Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile as "Melville's most vigorous work: hilarious, tender, expressive, a fierce and rollicking chronicle … of brilliantly sustained comedy." This edition also includes Melville's source material, The Life and Remarkable Adventures of Israel R. Potter.

Herman Melville (1819–91) found early success with stories inspired by his adventures in the South Seas. His fortunes declined with the 1851 publication ofMoby-Dick, now recognized as a masterpiece but scorned by Melville's contemporaries. The author was obliged to work as a New York City customs inspector and died in obscurity, three decades before the critical reassessment of his work.