I think we're still in the process of catching up to this novel - or perhaps it's something else entirely.

It's an unyielding exploration into a plethora of problems such as truth, deception, race, the shortcomings of language, and regional identity - you can name just about any complex issue.

This in-depth examination may very well aggravate the casual reader who is perhaps looking for a more straightforward and轻松的 read.

However, for those who are willing to engage with the text on a deeper level, it offers a rich and thought-provoking experience.

It challenges our preconceived notions and forces us to confront the uncomfortable realities that exist within our society.

As we continue to grapple with these issues, this novel serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of seeking truth and understanding in a world that is often filled with confusion and misinformation.

A dense, difficult, and literary book, "The Confidence-Man" is one where reading the footnotes is absolutely imperative to better understand what Melville was up to. At the time, nobody thought much of it, and his fame had pretty much vanished after "Moby Dick." The problem seems obvious: Melville was far ahead of his time. It's fair to say that much of his work not only pre-dated certain modernistic ideas, like an agonized search for inner meaning, but even post-modernist ideas of the uncertainty of ideas and language.

All of this is wrapped up in some of the most complex and densely composed writing I've ever seen. It's not just that every sentence is extremely long; it's that the sentences wind through complex and twisted syntax, often requiring multiple readings before the deft meaning jumps out at you.

In this book, not much seems to happen. Some people on a boat wander around and talk to each other. They tell stories, try to swindle money from each other, debate the meaning of friendship, and attempt to gain confidence. Melville even stops several times to directly address the reader, in fourth-wall breaking sections that experiment with the structure of the novel and the connection between the writer and the reader in ways that weren't fully explored for decades.

Surprisingly, the book is also quite funny! You wouldn't expect it from his reputation as the grim writer of "Moby Dick," but Melville's sense of humor is sharp and astute, although it often takes navigating the waves of his complex prose to fully understand the jokes. Sometimes, it also requires looking at the footnotes, which, while annoying to some, are absolutely necessary at times.

So, it's not a book of action but a book of ideas, ideas intertwined with the concepts of trust, confidence (i.e., putting your confidence in others), and the fickle nature of America's success at the time and its rather delicate place in the world. Things were changing, and the ending, though seemingly arbitrary, reflects how the lack of trust and the obsession with protecting money (try counting how many times someone asks for and cheats money from another) were troubling the nation and, in a sense, tearing it apart.

In this way, it often resembles a philosophy tract, and at points, it clearly and willfully mimics the "argument" structure that many of the Greek philosophers used. In fact, one section has two characters literally taking on the guise of other fictional characters (identity is fluid in this book, and characters come and go constantly) and getting into a debate centered on friendship and, of course, lending money. It almost seems like Melville is making a joke at the expense of his own novel, further enhancing its modern and post-modern touch.

So, who is the Confidence-Man of the title? According to Melville, it's everyone in the country. Oops! How depressing and yet how true. No wonder it was so ignored at the time.

An American Book of Job or Canterbury Tales (Antebellum Tales?), this work is truly a remarkable one. It is filled with Melville’s erudite musings, which show his deep intellectual depth. The digressions add an element of unpredictability, taking the reader on unexpected journeys. His ability to stretch a metaphor into unusual and contradictory shapes is truly astonishing.

It is also a kin to Gogol’s Dead Souls, yet it is a little more successful. To Gogol’s credit, he did go nuts and not finish the book. However, Melville hits closer to home with his concerns over various important issues. He delves into the medical industry, the credit-based economy, the genocide of the Indians, and man’s place in the universe. In contrast, Gogol’s work features a parade of Russian weirdos and grotesques.

This book is a pretty rough read. There is no central character, and almost no names for the characters. The prose is dense, making it a challenging read. Moreover, at least one character is a shape-changing “devil” or trickster spirit (or an “angel” as it implies). Despite all these difficulties, a wild sense of humor pervades the proceedings, especially in the chapter headings. If you do nothing else, flip through a copy of this book for them. They are sure to amuse and surprise you.

This book is like a haunted little creature, animated by something that is eerie, sad, and painful to the author.

It seems to carry within its pages the echoes of emotions that are both mysterious and deeply felt.

As one delves into its words, a sense of unease may creep in, as if there are hidden secrets lurking just beneath the surface.

The author's use of language adds to this atmosphere, painting vivid pictures that both fascinate and disturb.

It's a book that lingers in the mind long after the last page has been turned, leaving the reader with a sense of wonder and a touch of melancholy.

Whether it's the result of personal experiences or a flight of the imagination, this haunted little creature of a book has the power to captivate and move its readers in ways that are both unexpected and profound.

The Confidence Man is truly not the kind of book that one would pick up merely to kill time.

It is an extremely thought-provoking and captivating piece of literature, yet it can also be rather energy-draining, which, on occasion, can be a very good thing.

I thoroughly relished the concept of a con man attempting to persuade people to be convinced. The clever storyline, along with the philosophy presented, really made me reflect on my own life and the extent to which I trust others.

Overall, it was an incredibly worthwhile read, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who has a penchant for learning and self-reflection.

It challenges our perceptions and forces us to question the motives and actions of those around us, as well as our own susceptibility to being deceived.

So, if you're looking for a book that will not only entertain but also make you think deeply, The Confidence Man is definitely worth checking out.

This book did absolutely nothing for me.

Perhaps I'm just not smart enough to appreciate Melville's intentions. However, his extremely technical experiments with storytelling, when combined with the book's density and curious structure, made me feel frustrated and alienated by the end.

I had to look into this a little bit, and many of my issues begin with Melville's perspective work. It is clear that it is allegorical and a cultural satire, but it just gets so lost in itself. It feels unfocused, making wild attempts at different literary conventions, and my patience didn't last through the encounter.

It's very difficult for me to recommend this to anyone except English majors and those who like to complete collections.

I really hope that others might have a different experience and be able to find the value and beauty that I couldn't see in this book. Maybe with a different mindset or more in-depth knowledge, they can better understand Melville's genius.

But for now, I have to admit that this book was not for me.

You believe that money is the only reason for the pains and perils, the fraud and the evil in this world. How much money did the devil earn by deceiving Eve?


Herman Melville is and will always be one of my favorite authors. In fact, Moby Dick is my favorite book.


The Confidence-Man is the story of a small-time swindler and charlatan who boards a ship traveling from Mississippi to New Orleans. Disguised, he charms unsuspecting passengers, consisting of bankers, philanthropists, politicians, and other personalities of the time (bearing in mind that The Confidence-Man is his last long novel, published in 1857), usually to extract money from them, using charity and trust as means of persuasion.


This confidence man can disguise himself as a blond mute with a sign on his back, a black man with deformed legs, a man in mourning with a ruff, a herbal doctor with a predominantly snuff-colored appearance, a representative of the "Office of Philosophical Information", and a philanthropist with crazy ideas, but no one on board the Fidèle can be indifferent to him.


Is he a charlatan and a liar? Surely, but also in his expositions and propositions, he discovers the veil of hypocrisy and selfishness of those people he meets on the ship, showing the less shining side of the human soul.


Loaded with a lot of black humor, absurdity, and parody, the novel is also a forceful opportunity for Melville, as it allows him to impose a strong criticism on the "god" money and the capitalism of the time that still prevails today.


By this time, the author had practically given up after the setback suffered after the resounding failure of Moby Dick, which paradoxically would become one of the greatest novels of world literature, starting from its reprint in 1924, which positions Melville as one of the many great writers misunderstood in his time and who are now glorious.


In general, I liked it, although the book is a bit eclectic (in fact, it seems to be an unfinished novel). Perhaps, I felt a bit confused at times, as happened to the public in 1857.


Anyway, I give it four stars, because going back to what I declared at the beginning of my review, Herman Melville will never cease to be among my favorite writers along with Franz Kafka, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and Edgar Allan Poe.

I am really glad that I didn't relegate this one to the DNF (Did Not Finish) shelf after 10 months of not reading it.

Truly, there is nothing I can say about this book that hasn't been said before. It is unbelievably intricate, with a complexity that is simply mind-boggling.

My assessment would in no way do it justice. If you have a penchant for biblical allusions, verbal trickery, and caricatures of 19th century American literary giants, then this book is definitely worth picking up.

There is an excellent description of Poe near the end that made me laugh out loud. It was so vivid and clever that it really brought the character to life in a humorous way.

This book is a literary gem that offers a unique and engaging reading experience.

A long overdue re-reading of Melville's strangest, darkest novel - the last he published in his lifetime.

This edition is truly remarkable as it features an introduction and extensive annotations by H Bruce Franklin. He does an impressive job teasing out the novel's many themes, references, games, and double-meanings.

This is a novel that demands careful consideration. As the title implies, it is filled with tricks and disguises. Melville's sentences, usually clearer and more colloquial than those of his contemporaries, here are often filled with mis-direction, like little shell-games.

I am still working out much of what Melville is up to in The Confidence Man. However, what I do know is that there is much brilliance to be found throughout. The last chapter, in particular, is some of Melville's finest writing. It is evocative, unsettling, funny, and beautiful all at once.

This re-reading has opened my eyes to the depth and complexity of Melville's work, and I look forward to further exploring this fascinating novel.

**Original Article**: The importance of exercise cannot be overemphasized. It helps keep our bodies healthy and strong. Regular exercise can improve our cardiovascular system, boost our immune system, and increase our energy levels. It also helps us maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of many chronic diseases.

**Expanded Article**:
The significance of exercise truly cannot be overstated.

It plays a crucial role in keeping our bodies in a state of good health and strength.

Engaging in regular exercise offers numerous benefits. It has a positive impact on our cardiovascular system, making our hearts pump more efficiently and our blood vessels function better.

Moreover, it boosts our immune system, enabling our bodies to better defend against various diseases and infections.

Exercise also has the ability to increase our energy levels, allowing us to be more active and productive throughout the day.

In addition, it helps us maintain a healthy weight by burning calories and building muscle.

Most importantly, it significantly reduces the risk of many chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Therefore, it is essential that we make exercise a regular part of our lives to enjoy these numerous benefits and lead a healthy and fulfilling life. 3,5⭐️

Strange, that in a work of amusement, this severe fidelity to real life should be exacted by anyone. By picking up such a work, one sufficiently shows that he is not unwilling to drop real life and turn, for a time, to something different. Yes, it is truly strange that anyone should clamour for the thing he is weary of. That anyone, who for any cause finds real life dull, should yet demand of him who is to divert his attention from it that he should be true to that dullness.

Well said, man! And in The Confidence Man, the last thing on Melville’s mind is fidelity to reality. For that reason, and for its particular, night-scented, theatrical atmosphere, I loved this book. Despite the fact that I couldn't tell you rightly what it’s “about” or even follow its convolutions at times. I picked it up, put it down, read other books in between, and lingered over it for 2 - 3 months. Luckily, then, that it was plotless. At the base level, what kept me reading was the atmosphere, the sheer pleasure in language, and the way its characters (ill-described, without backstories and masked as they may have been) spoke, always so convincingly. Not that their speech was peppered with slang or “true to life” (in fact it was almost Shakespearean), but it burst forth, came unforced, seemed natural/inevitable, as of beings – maybe human, maybe other (“You can conclude nothing absolute from the human form”) – hashing harsh truths in spirited debate.

Contrasted with a spate of small-press, contemporary, “experimental” works – which uniformly lacked this alive-seeming speech – The Confidence Man came to seem a lifeline, paradoxically, to something “real”. Not that I enjoyed it entirely. In the words of a critic I don't know of (John Bryants), “Eventually the reader’s mind short-circuits.” But as in the prose of Beckett, the placement of a comma could, at once, redeem it. (Am I the only one who laughs at the commas in the above-quoted passage? Melville’s pedanticism, I'm sure, is self-conscious.) Some days (or nights) I was daunted; I read something else. But some nights it hypnotised me. What can we have confidence in? And is he who tests our confidence angel or devil? If he has to test it, you might say, he too lacks confidence. In this refractive, self-perpetuating inquiry I lost myself. His “most perfect book”? (H. Bruce Franklin in the 60s.) I'm not familiar enough with Melville to know, but there is a kind of perfection – maddening, impenetrable – here. A 19th century Thomas Bernhard with mirrors on the Mississipi, in the key of black. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll finish Moby Dick.

If ever, in days to come, you shall see ruin at hand, and, thinking you understand mankind, shall tremble for your friendships, and tremble for your pride; and, partly through love for the one and fear for the other, shall resolve to be beforehand with the world, and save it from a sin by prospectively taking that sin to yourself, then will you do as one I now dream of once did, and like him will you suffer; but how fortunate and how grateful should you be, if like him, after all that had happened, you could be a little happy again.

Allegory, satire, parable - The Confidence Man is all of these and more, as per the experts.

To fully appreciate Melville's literary sleight of hand, it is essential to obtain an annotated edition. The novel commences with a series of sketches featuring the diverse passengers on a Mississippi steamboat. Later, it chronicles a number of philosophical conversations that Frank Goodman, "the cosmopolitan," has with his fellow travelers.

The fact that some scholars identify Goodman as Satan while others perceive him as Jesus Christ reveals the vast scope for interpretation. Personally, I relished the book on a purely visceral level as an entertaining portrayal of mid-19th-century scoundrels who engage in cunning discourses on gullibility and skepticism.

Melville intended to amuse, and he succeeds. Therefore, don't be deterred by the copious amounts of critical analysis surrounding the book. However, if you desire to explore further, my copy had an extensive bibliography that will assist you in delving into the depths of this strange and charming little novel.