Omoo

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Omoo

Omoo: A Narrative of the South Seas is Herman Melville

Herman Melville

Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist and poet. His first three books gained much attention, the first becoming a bestseller, but after a fast-blooming literary success in the late 1840s, his popularity declined precipitously in the mid-1850s and never recovered during his lifetime....
's sequel to Typee
Typee

Typee is United States writer Herman Melville first book, partly based on his actual experiences as a captive on Nuku Hiva in the South Pacific Marquesas Islands and the title comes from a valley there called Tai Pi Vai....
, and, as such, was also autobiographical. After leaving Nuku Hiva

Nuku Hiva

Nuku Hiva is the largest of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It was formerly also known as ?le Marchand and Madison Island....
, the main character ships aboard a whaling

Whaling

Whaling is the hunting of whales and dates back to at least 4,000 BC. The evolution of traditional Arctic whaling developed with increasing rapidity with early organized fleets in the 17th century; competitive national whaling industries in the 18th and 19th centuries; and the introduction of factory ships along with the concept of whale "har...
vessel which makes its way to Tahiti

Tahiti

O Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward Islands group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean....
, after which there is a mutiny and the majority of the crew are imprisoned on Tahiti. The book follows the actions of the narrator as he explores Tahiti and remarks on their customs and way of life.

Many sources incorrectly assert that Omoo is based on Melville's stay in the Marquesas

Marquesas Islands

The Marquesas Islands are a group of volcano islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9? 00S, 139? 30W....
—the novel is, in fact, exclusively based on his experiences in the Society Islands

Society Islands

The Society Islands are a group of islands in the south Pacific Ocean. They are an administrative part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands; however, Cook states in his journal th...
.