The Piazza Tales were written upon the public indignation over his novel Pierre, which had forced Melville to retire to the piazza of his house in Lenox, Massachusetts. The six tales included here are among Melville's most notable writings. They include the famed tale 'Bartleby' a story of slavery, 'Benito Cereno,' 'The Encantadas,' 'The Lightning-Rod Man,' 'The Bell-Tower,' and the title story, 'The Piazza.'