Herman Melville (1819 — 1891) was an American poet and novelist of the American Renaissance, best known for his allusive adventure novel "Moby-Dick." Mysterious and unpredictable, the "Pierre: or, The Ambiguities" contains all the good and intriguing features of the Gothic fiction genre. "The Apple-Tree Table and Other Sketches" is a wonderful collection of the author's short stories, such as "Jimmy Rose," "The Happy Failure," "The 'Gees," and of course "The Apple-Tree Table" itself.