Israel Potter

by Herman Melville

Overview

'Israel Potter' is a historical novel about a soldier in the American Revolution who fought at Bunker Hill, was captured by the British and imprisoned in England, escaped, served as a spy for the American cause, was a sailor under Captain John Paul Jones, and after the war, impoverished and unable to return to his native New England, remained in London until near the end of his life.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940000745687
Publisher:	B&R Samizdat Express
Publication date:	09/01/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	462 KB

About the Author

Herman Melville (August 1, 1819 - September 28, 1891) was an American novelist.

Date of Birth:

August 1, 1819

Date of Death:

September 28, 1891

Place of Birth:

New York, New York

Place of Death:

New York, New York

Education:

Attended the Albany Academy in Albany, New York, until age 15

Editorial Reviews

Published in 1855, Melville's fictional biography is his only historical novel. It tells the story of Israel Potter, a Revolutionary War hero and Bunker Hill survivor who ultimately ends up on the streets of London. Melville mixes fact with fiction and real characters (Ben Franklin) with invented ones.

—Michael Rogers

Library Journal