James Fenimore Cooper
4 total works
Set in the immense landscape of the Great Plains, The Prairie (1827) addresses many questions raised by the penetration of the American west: the displacement of the Indians, the destruction of nature, and the creation of a just society both ordered and free. The aged trapper, Natty Bumppo, is given a grand voice in The Prairie , where he appears in the autumn of his days; he is spokesman for the conservation of the natural environment, for the proper use rather than abuse of nature. However, his physical prowess is waning and he is ultimately unable to thwart the despoilers. In this, the last in the series of five Leatherstocking Tales, Cooper brings to a resolution the issues of The Pioneers and The Last of the Mohicans , but at the same time he suggests that humility, self-control, reverence for God, and respect for nature are tragically lost on the prairie. This book is intended for general readers, and students of American literature at 6th form, undergraduate and postgraduate level.
"The Pathfinder" (1840), the fourth of Cooper's five "Leather-Stocking Tales", is a naval story set on the Great Lakes of the 1750s. Based upon his own experience as midshipman on Lake Ontario in 1808-9, the novel revives Natty Bumppo - who had died in "The Prairie" - and casts him, with his friend, the Mohican chief Chingachgook, among Tuscarora and Iroquois Indians, and into conflicts over land and love. Natty's courtship of Mabel Denham aligns Cooper's interest in American history with his concern for social development. An account of Europeans, Indians and colonials on the American frontier, the novel is also a critique of Jacksonian democracy and a meditation on the course of American civilization. Together with "The Deerslayer" (1841), this novel summarizes Cooper's evolving view of his culture. The text of this edition is that established by Richard Dilworth Rust, and this annotated volume includes both a critical introduction and an historical essay by Marybeth McMahon which places the novel in the context of the French and Indian War.
Engrossing biography of Ned Myers, a sailor and Cooper's companion at sea. The authentic details shed light not only on Myer's life but also on the political, economic and social scenario of that time. This nautical novel also satisfies the reader with its intricate blend of suspense, excitement and adventure. A pure reading pleasure!
