Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the 19th century. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick, which was published in 1851. He also wrote several other novels, including Typee, Omoo, White-Jacket, and Billy Budd. Melville's works are considered to be among the most important literary works of the 19th century. His writing style has been described as dark, complex, and often ironic. Melville's influence on literature has been immense, and he is considered to be one of the most important authors in American literature.