James Noel (new introduction) is an English Professor at Los Medanos College in California and teaches composition as well as literature classes. In addition to his work on classroom and pedagogical techniques, James is a Herman Melville scholar, and most of his research focuses on racial performance in the nineteenth century. Herman Melville (1819–91) is the author of the novel Moby Dick, which was a commercial failure during his lifetime but is now considered a classic. Born in New York City, Melville enjoyed some years as a successful writer following the publication of his first book Typee in 1846. He produced a number of travelogues and nautical works, inspired by his earlier experience as a sailor.
