Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville
A Story of Wall Street
"Bartleby the Scrivener" is a story set in Wall Street, revolving around a law firm clerk named Bartleby who, after initially proving himself a diligent employee, begins to refuse his boss's orders with the phrase "I would prefer not to." Despite being fired and even imprisoned, Bartleby continues his passive resistance until his eventual death. The narrative explores themes of isolation, the mechanization of the workplace, and the inexplicable nature of human behavior.
The 461st greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1853
- Nationality
- American
- Type
- Fiction
- Pages
- 30-50
- Words
- 35,000
- Original Language
- English
- Alternate Titles
- None
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This book is on the following 8 lists:
- 3rd on Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World (Literary Hub)
- 424th on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 880th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- The New Lifetime Reading Plan (The New Lifetime Reading Plan)
- 100 Novels That Shaped Our World (BBC)
- El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors (El Pais)
- 'The perfect library': the 196 books selected by 133 personalities (XLSemanal and Zenda)
- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers (The College Board, an American not-for-profit organization)