Typee Audiobook By Herman Melville cover art

Typee

A Peep at Polynesian Life

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Typee

By: Herman Melville
Narrated by: George Guidall
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Herman Melville is one of the greatest figures in literary history. His classic Moby Dick is generally considered the finest novel ever written by an American. Yet in Melville’s day, Typee was a far more popular book. Largely autobiographical, this classic adventure story is set in the South Seas, where a runaway sailor is captured by the Typees. Described as “a fierce and unrelenting tribe of savages," the islanders have no intention of letting their captive go.

Public Domain (P)2002 Recorded Books, LLC Classics

Editorial reviews

You probably heard of this novel when studying Melville in high school or college. You learned that it's a minor work and haven't thought of it since. But this was Melville's most popular book during his lifetime. It's a great adventure story, told by a master storyteller, and gives the feeling of having been lived firsthand. (For the most part, it was.) George Guidall provides a spirited narration of the plot-driven passages and enlivens expositional chapters (for example, Melville's extensive anthropological observations). Guidall's gift for wry humor and the arch comment serves him (and listeners) well throughout.

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Rich Descriptions • Vibrant Style • Clear Voice • Engaging Adventure • Cultural Commentary • Skillful Writing
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...the vocabulary, syntax and metaphor of Melville remain both a inspiration and reproach to the peddlers of the written word today. What a GIANT of the English Language. Few authors can compare. Recommended for anyone who wants to be swept away - not so much by the south sea tropics - but by the beautiful eloquence of a master’s pen.

A not too absorbing Travel Diary, BUT...

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The narrator does a wonderful job with this minor classic. Part novel, mostly travelogue, and full of charming descriptions and turns of phrase.

Great treatment

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We are headed out to the Marquesa islands and Tahiti this August. I was excited to learn that Herman Melville was not only on the island but wrote a story about it. Very interesting. You a good flavor for the island and the people at the time. Can’t wait to see how things have changed. Very entertaining, “true “story.

Great story

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Herman Melville's first book Typee is a blend of creative memoir, cultural commentary, and good story telling. Melville recounts and elaborates on his experiences among the Typee cannibals on the French Polynesian island of Nuku Hiva (Marquesas Islands) in 1842. Typee ended up being Meville's best-selling book during his lifetime, no doubt due to both his skill as a writer mated with his romantic story of life among Polynesian savages.

The book flows nicely and balances between the chasms of cultural superiority & nobel savage worship that can easily dominate these types of books. Reading this made me think of similar types of long-form journalism that catch fire in our day (Junger to Theroux to Conover to Vollmann). While approachable, it isn't Melville's best work, but shows early signs of motifs that would show up later in Moby-Dick, Billy Budd, etc.

Peeping Typee is Tapu; Reading Typee is Noa!

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This was Melville’s first successful book, and it made him instantly famous. It is an astonishing adventure told in a lush, vibrant style. Unlike Moby Dick, this is a light, dreamy tale and one of my favorites. I am not particularly fond of this performance. His voice is clear, and his enthusiasm matches the tale, but his personality seems a poor choice for the voice of the narrator. That said, I gave him a 4 of 5, and, combined with Melville’s spectacular story, I was delighted.

Wonderful Adventure - Melville at His Best

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I’ve sailed solo across the pacific and anchored my boat in the bay at Taipevai. How have I never read this classic?! The locals are fabulously welcoming and friendly. Though the valley has a few paved roads now, with a little hiking, the platforms for the houses and the carved stone faces of the gods were still to be found.

Sailors view

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Was suprised and very satisfied with this recording. Great narration and a great story. I would recommend without hesitation.

Suprised

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Herman Melville displays his writing chops with this amazing, true travelogue. The narration is expertly done by an actor who is quite familiar with the material.
Thoroughly enjoyable!

Well, written, engrossing true story

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A south seas tale of two young men who go AWOL from a merchant ship on the island of Typee. The story is full of rich description and adventure. The reader is left to wonder about many unmentioned details that keep the story solidly in the G-rated range. Melville hints at romance and cannibalism but never graphically describes them in detail. Lighthearted and enjoyable.

Travel Adventure

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The story takes 11.5 hours to tell what could be said in 3 hours--pretty much filled with useless meandering descriptive words that do not add any value to the story as a whole. Melville is too bombastic which makes it wearisome. On top of that, the story is unbelievable. Still, I trudged on because I wanted to learn what happened in the end. Instead of a bang, I got a little peep. Moreover, the narrator is horrible. Half of the time he sounds like he is speaking with a mouth full of marbles and the other half of the time I found myself wishing that he would swallow the mouth full of saliva because that's what it sounded like to me. This is my first Melville and I'm working my way to Moby Dick. I hope the journey gets better.

Average Story with a Below Average Narrator

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