"Melville in the Berkshires" book talk with John Dickson

Join John Dickson for an author talk:

Herman Melville in the Berkshires

Saturday May 16, 2026
4:00 p.m. ET
In-person at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead 

780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA

Free and open to the public.

The Berkshires have long attracted artists and writers, drawn to the mountains, rivers, forests, and lakes of Western Massachusetts. Herman Melville first came here as a young boy and was so inspired by the surroundings that he returned to live here for thirteen years during one of the most productive writing periods of his life. He finished his masterpiece, Moby-Dick, in his first year here, seated in his study with a view of Mount Greylock. “His first love,” is the way his cousin described his relationship to his adopted home. He wandered on foot and horseback to all corners of the county, tapping into the Berkshires in his art. The places he explored are sprinkled through the pages in his stories. Herman Melville in the Berkshires reveals the connections between Melville’s writing and the beauty of the landscape that inspired him.

About John Dickson

John Dickson serves as Chair of the Pittsfield Historical Commission and is a  board member of the Berkshire County Historical Society.  He has authored a local history book, Berkshire County’s Industrial Heritage, on the 19^th century mills in this corner of Massachusetts.  He received a master's degree in public history having completed a thesis on the Berkshire Athenaeum.

This program is co-sponsored by:

Arrowhead is also offering a whole day of free programming on May 16, celebrating the opening of their season. Learn more here!