United States of America
Herman Melville is a giant of American literature.
Though his early life was comfortable, his father’s death plunged the family into financial hardship.
This hardship would shape Melville’s future, leading him to seek adventure at sea.
Melville’s seafaring experiences were the wellspring of his most famous works.
In 1839, he first took to the sea as a merchant sailor, followed by a stint on a whaling ship.
Paul Auster was a prolific American writer who left his mark on literature with novels, essays, screenplays, and even films.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Auster’s life was touched by a defining moment at a young age: witnessing a friend’s death by lightning.
This experience would later echo in themes of chance and mortality within his work.
After graduating from Columbia University, he spent time in France, translating works and starting his own writing career.