The Bell-Tower

"The Bell-Tower," published in 1856, is the story of an eccentric architect named Bannadonna and his quest to build a magnificent bell-tower. As building progresses, local townspeople begin to hear of mysterious occurrences in the tower, leading to a suspenseful conclusion. Herman Melville (August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist and poet, whose work is often classified as part of the genre of dark romanticism. He is best known for his novel Moby Dick and novella Billy Budd, the latter of which was published posthumously. After a fast-blooming literary success in the late 1840s, his popularity declined precipitously in the mid-1850s and never recovered during his lifetime. When he died in 1891, he was almost completely forgotten. It was not until the "Melville Revival" in the early 20th century that his work won recognition, most notably Moby Dick which was hailed as one of the chief literary masterpieces of both American and world literature.