November 14 Birthday
On November 14, 1851, Moby-Dick was published in the United States. It had been published in Britain three weeks earlier under the title The Whale. The book sold poorly — fewer than 3,200 copies during Melville's lifetime. Reviews were mixed. Melville died in 1891, forgotten. The novel was rediscovered in the 1920s and is now considered one of the greatest American novels. Melville had been a whaler, and the book is a meditation on obsession, revenge, and the nature of evil. The opening line — "Call me Ishmael" — is among the most famous in literature. Prince Charles, born this day in 1948, became King Charles III on September 8, 2022, upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II. He was the longest-serving heir apparent in British history — seventy years. People born on November 14 fall under the zodiac sign of Scorpio. The birthstone is Topaz and the birth flower is Chrysanthemum. Historical events on November 14 include 1851: Herman Melville's Moby-Dick published in the United States, 1969: Apollo 12 launches to the Moon (struck by lightning twice during launch), 1882: Billy the Kid convicted of murder. Famous people born on November 14 include Aaron Copland (1900), Veronica Lake (1922), Prince Charles (1948).