A capital timeline of the life of Herman Melville. Leyda's attempt was unique: collect all the important events, sources, etc. in Melville's life and allow the reader to create their own biography of Melville. A mash of images, letters, title pages, book excepts, that will delight any Melvillean. It's also a must for any serious Melville scholar.

The arc and heartbreak of Melville's life is presented quite beautifully. It was painful to read near the end of his life, quoting a 1919 reminiscence by Frank Jewett Mather Jr., (p. 831):

Shortly before [M's] death the magnanimous poet-critic, Edmund Clarence Stedman, managed a complimentary dinner for him and with difficulty got him to attend it. It was about the only public recognition he ever received.

Hershel Parker leaves this poignant scene out of his massive bio.

Now, of course, Leyda is selective and a shaper just like any other biographer. So, you're not really creating your own mental bio of Melville, you're creating Leyda-You bio of Melville. But, it's neat. ( )