# The Confidence-Man - Hardcover

by **Herman Melville** (Author), **Mint Editions** (Contribution by)

_The Confidence-Man_ (1857) is a novel by American writer Herman Melville. After the failure of his novels _Moby-Dick_ (1851) and Pierre: or, The Ambiguities (1852), Melville struggled to find a publisher who would accept his work. When it was published, _The Confidence-Man_ was seen as a flawed, unnecessarily complicated novel, and beyond several collections of poetry, it all but ended Melville's career as a professional writer. When Melville's work was reappraised in the 1920s, however, scholars recognized his status as one of nineteenth century America's finest literary voices. A keen visionary, Melville's satirical outlook and pessimistic sense of American morality drive the fragmented narrative of _The Confidence-Man_, his final, most complicated, and perhaps most rewarding novel.

In St. Louis, a mute man dressed in cream colored clothes boards a riverboat bound for New Orleans. On the journey down the Mississippi, a cast of characters at once bizarre and commonplace passes the time playing cards, engaging in conversation, and attempting to gain one another's trust. A crippled African American beggar faces disbelief when he speaks of his life on the streets. A young and naïve student idolizes wealthy men and hopes to make a fortune by investing in stocks. A man in a gray suit asks his fellow passengers to donate to a suspicious charity. As the boat sails on, it becomes increasingly clear that while confidence is easily purchased, honesty remains the rarest of commodities. Set and published on April Fool's Day, _The Confidence-Man_ is a satire of American life that explores with unsparing pessimism themes of religion, identity, morality, and the role of money in everyday life.

With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Herman Melville's _The Confidence-Man_ is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

### Back Jacket

A mysterious drifter boards a steamboat bound for New Orleans. As they travel down the Mississippi River, the passengers aboard the _Fidèle_ pass the time by telling stories, playing cards, and making conversation as suspicion grows and trust becomes no more than a commodity. _The Confidence-Man_ is Herman Melville's final novel.

**Number of Pages:** 252

**Dimensions:** 0.63 x 8 x 5 IN

**Publication Date:** July 27, 2021

## Details

- **Price:** 22.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 22.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- The Confidence-Man - Hardcover

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