Bartleby and Benito Cereno

In this collection readers will find two of Herman Melville's most renowned shorter works, "e;Bartleby: The Scrivener"e;, and "e;Benito Cereno"e;. The first story, "e;Bartleby"e;, was first serialized in two issues of "e;Putnam's Magazine"e; in November and December of 1853. It concerns the office of a Wall Street lawyer who due to an increase in business hires a third scrivener named Bartleby to copy legal documents by hand. At first Bartleby proves to be a very productive worker but one day begins acting rather strangely. When asked to proofread a document he replies "e;I would prefer not to"e;, an answer he begins repeating perpetually in regards to all the tasks put to him. What follows for Bartleby is a tragic decline into apathy. The second story, "e;Benito Cereno"e;, first appeared in "e;Putnam's Monthly"e; over three installments in 1855. It is the story on Don Benito Cereno, the captain of a Spanish Slavery ship, and the revolt that happens aboard his ship. Together "e;Bartleby"e; and "e;Benito Cereno"e; are widely regarded as two of Melville's finest compositions. This edition includes a biographical afterword.