The Manifesto of Herman Melville

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The book presents a provocative interpretation of Moby Dick, arguing that it is not merely a novel but a manifesto warning of environmental destruction. Barry Sanders contends that Melville intended the work as an alarm about humanity's relentless pursuit of nature for resources, exemplified by the hunt for the whale. Tracing its journey from initial dismissal to classic status, Sanders highlights how modern aesthetic movements reframed its significance, obscuring its deeper message about the ongoing exploitation of the natural world.