The Piazza Tales
The Piazza Tales, published in 1856, is the only collection of short fiction Herman Melville issued in his lifetime. It opens with "The Piazza," a new sketch in which a narrator in the Berkshire hills goes in search of a gleam of light on a distant mountain. Then come "Bartleby," the Wall Street scrivener who answers every request with "I would prefer not to"; "Benito Cereno," in which an American captain boards a Spanish slave ship off Chile and misreads everything he sees; "The Lightning-Rod Man"; "The Encantadas," ten sketches of the desolate Galápagos Islands and their castaways; and "The Bell-Tower," a fable of an overreaching Renaissance engineer. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first story is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about The Piazza Tales
The Piazza Tales by Herman Melville can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read The Piazza Tales online?
Yes. The Piazza Tales opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is The Piazza Tales free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of The Piazza Tales is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Piazza Tales in the public domain?
Yes. The Piazza Tales by Herman Melville is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Piazza Tales?
About 5 h 17 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Piazza Tales?
The Piazza Tales by Herman Melville is filed under "Short Stories" in the Vinteuil library.
