On what date was Moby-Dick first published in the United States?

Moby-Dick was first published in the United States on November 14, 1851. The American edition appeared in New York under the title Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, issued by Harper & Brothers.

The date comes after the British edition, titled The Whale, which Richard Bentley published in London on October 18, 1851. Melville’s novel therefore had two closely timed first editions with different titles and different publishing arrangements. The American edition was the one that established the familiar form of the book’s title.

The November 14 date is also supported by contemporary publication evidence: the American edition was reviewed that same day in the Albany Argus and the Morning Courier and New-York Enquirer. A copy was later deposited in Washington for copyright purposes on November 19.

Readers sometimes confuse the U.S. date with October 18, the British publication date. The other dates in the choices do not correspond to the recognized first American edition. Some bibliographical accounts qualify the November 14 date as “probably,” but it remains the standard answer for a general-history quiz.