Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street by Herman Melville

I mentioned a few weeks ago my fondness for Herman Melville’s Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street, which first appeared in Putnam's Magazine in two parts -- the first in November 1853 and the conclusion in December 1853. Although first published anonymously, it was then reprinted in Melville's The Piazza Tales in 1856 with a few minor changes.

Set in the mid-19th century on Wall Street, Bartleby tells the story of a young scrivener (a professional copyist/scribe) caught up in the rat race of commerce finally saying "I would prefer not to."

It is said to be one of the first significant pieces of literature to give voice to the dehumanizing aspects of the modern industrial compartmentalized workplace.

Personally, I enjoy Bartleby for its humor and tragedy.

I read it again last night on bartleby.com and -- as I have for weeks on end after each time I re-read this classic -- I again find myself saying "I would prefer not to" all the time. :)

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

My favorite websites for free classic books is Bartleby.com. Named after the title character from Herman Melville's Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall-Street -- one of my all-time short stories -- it was founded by by Steven H. van Leeuwen as a personal classic literature on the website of Columbia University. It's funded by revenue from web advertising which allows Bartleby.com to provide access to the collection free to users. On Bartleby.com, you can find books, poetry, quotations, presidential speeches, and more.

Last night I decided to take advantage of this fabulous website and read part of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, available on bartleby.com here. Written in 167 A.C.E., it is truly an amazing work. It's easy to see why it is still revered as a literary monument to a government of service and duty.

I think I may finally purchase a copy for my exceedingly large collection of books.