Hayford, Harrison G.Thomas, Tanselle, and
Hershel, Parker (eds.),
The Writings of Herman Melville, 13 vols. to date,
Evanston and Chicago: Northwestern University Press and The Newberry Library,
1968– (vols. 1–10, 12, 14–15). Each volume in this edition contains a detailed historical essay placing the work in its biographical, historical, and critical contexts. The editorial policy for the early volumes omitted explanatory notes, but during its lengthy publication, the policy has changed. Some of the more recent volumes in this collected edition – Journals, Clarel – include excellent annotations.
Google Scholar