Herman Melville

Typee, a Romance of the South Seas Herman Melville

Typee is American writer Herman Melville's 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. It was Melville's most popular work during his lifetime. In Typee the hero and his shipmate, Toby, stumble into the cannibal kingdom. When the friendly Typees force the pair to stay, they must decide whether to remain in luxury with their captors or escape to American civilization.