Herman Melville Reading Order

14 books (1963–2020)

This series comprises twelve anthologies featuring selections that span American literature and various genres, published between 1963 and 2018. The collections include classic short stories, novellas, crime fiction, animal tales, and sea stories, drawing from the broader literary canon rather than focusing exclusively on Herman Melville's own works. Read these anthologies in publication order, beginning with 50 Great American Short Stories. The series is complete and each anthology can largely be approached as a standalone collection.

Start with 50 Great American Short Stories, the first of 12 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	50 Great American Short Stories 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	War: An Anthology 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Mysterious Sea Stories 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Famous and Curious Animal Stories 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Short Story: 30 Masterpieces 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Classic Sea Stories 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Writing New York 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	40 Short Stories: A Portable Anthology 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Best Crime Stories Ever Told 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	50 Classic Novellas 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Keys to the Bureau 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Writers: Their Lives and Works 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Great Sea Adventure 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	50 Masterpieces You Have To Read Before You Die Vol. 1 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1855–1855)

4 books (1854–2021)

This four-book series collects the short fiction of Herman Melville, spanning from 1854 to 2021, and should be read in publication order. The Encantadas and Other Stories begins the collection, followed by The Piazza Tales, The Apple-Tree Table, and I Would Prefer Not To. The series appears to be complete and encompasses Melville's shorter narrative works across his career and literary legacy.

Start with The Encantadas and Other Stories, the first of 4 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#	Title
1	The Encantadas and Other Stories 1854Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Piazza Tales 1856Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Apple-Tree Table 1922Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	I Would Prefer Not To 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

11 books (1846–1924)

Herman Melville's eleven standalone novels span from 1846 to 1924 and should be read in publication order, beginning with Typee. This complete collection encompasses works across the romance genre and includes some of literature's most enduring narratives. Each novel stands independently, allowing readers to explore Melville's evolving themes and literary style across nearly eight decades of publication.

Start with Typee, the first of 11 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Typee 1846Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Omoo 1847Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Mardi 1849Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Redburn 1849Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	White-Jacket 1850Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Moby Dick 1851Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Pierre 1852Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Bartleby: The Scrivener 1853Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Israel Potter 1855Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Confidence-Man 1857Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Billy Budd 1924Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible