Product Description
The classic tale of Hawkeye-Natty Bumppo-the frontier scout who turned his back on "civilization," and his friendship with a Mohican warrior as they escort two sisters through the dangerous wilderness of Indian country in frontier America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Tai's QuickViews: Four Stars
The Old English takes some getting used to. I see why Cooper quotes Shakespeare so often, as the Mohicans ends like Romeo and Juliet: a tragic loss on both houses.

Exciting!
James Fennimore Cooper's five books known as "The Leatherstocking Tales" ( the Last of the Mohicans is the 2nd in the series) are some of the most exciting books I've ever read.I highly recommend

Christianity in The Last of The Mohicans
Widely known as a classic literary tale of adventure, The Last of the Mohicans is a story that contains strong Christian models of men and women that have since been long abandoned in today's western culture and even addresses the issue of the salvation of man as an underlying theme.The heroes and heroines are characters that reflect the image of what God intended men and women to be.The heroes are brave, selfless, and untamed while the heroines are gentle yet strong and possess a depth of beauty that dwells far beneath the surface of their skin.The author, James F. Cooper, inserts a popular Christian argument that continues to this day, "Will God save a good if he has not heard and accepted the Gospel?"

The heroes of Cooper's tale are the embodiment of courage, bravery, and selfless masculinity.The three leading men of this story are developed into heroes from the very beginning as they happen to come across a unit of British soldiers under attack, accompanied by the two beautiful daughters of a British Colonel.These three men, Chingachgook (the father), Uncas (the son), and Nathaniel (the scout), selflessly come to the aid of the travelers and without hesitation, risking life and limb for total strangers.The Mohicans and their companion are compelled by their nature to ensure the safety of the survivors of the attack by escorting them to their destination.The adventures that follow all provide a series of opportunities for the men to make decisions in which they must either preserve themselves, or risk their comfort and safety for the well-being of others.The Mohicans being considered outsiders to those they have aided, a strange friendship and understanding is formed between two very different cultures through the trials they willfully share with each other.

The daughters of Colonel Munro, Cora and Alice, are presented with a strong and noble femininity that is not in the least bit demeaning.They possess a soft and delicate nature that is captivating yet respected.This does not mean that they are by any means portrayed as being weak either, as is seen in the courage with which they endure their captivity under Magua, the villainous Huron chief.On more than one occasion Cora stands up to Magua in defiance of his vengeful nature and cruel actions.This is quite a feat considering that Magua is a warrior of great prowess who also commandshis own following of Huron warriors.They follow the paths of the men with strength and resolve, seldom complaining and often times strengthening the resolve of their protectors by their mere presence.They endure one hardship after another, trusting in the knowledge, experience, and courage of their deliverers without losing the beauty of theirinherent feminine nature.

The subtle argument over man's salvation in the eyes of God does not take up many pages, but is a powerful theme throughout the book when considering the accounts around which the argument is based.The argument takes place in the form of an interesting dialogue between Nathaniel, the scout, and a traveling minister who happened to be with the British caravan that was rescued.Nathaniel's side of the argument is that people such as the Mohicans, will be looked upon favorably by God for their selfless and noble actions.The minister, on the other hand, argues that if they do not hear and accept the Gospel, God will not save them regardless of their selfless nature and actions.The conversation is heated at times, but never disrespectful.Valid claims of truth are presented in such a way that both characters, as well as the reader, must agree upon.While neither characters come to an agreement on the matter as a whole, they share a humble respect for one another's beliefs.

Cooper's tale has provided readers with an excellent story that reflects the finer qualities of it's characters under adverse circumstances.While not necessarily intended, Cooper has provided and adventure of hardship and sacrifice that serves as a backdrop for the development of characters that possess God given qualities that we often read about in Scripture.Both the men and women are very different, yet each possess qualities that complement each other in a way that creates a beautiful story of Godly compassion.The truth on either side of the argument of who God's salvation is for is an argument that will continue beyond the pages of the book, but it presents some valid truths that are quite thought provoking, to say the least.

The most exciting and fast-paced of the Leatherstocking Tales
Set during the French and Indian War, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS follows Cooper's renowned hero Natty Bumpo (known here at "Hawkeye" or "the scout") on an adventure to rescue a couple of well-bred daughters of America from a hostile Indian tribe and their treacherous leader Magua (or Renard Subtil).Compared to Cooper's other work, this one is a non-stop thrill ride, with plenty of intense and fast-paced action mingled in with his usual overly-verbose descriptive style.Because of that, this is my favorite of James Fenimore Cooper's novels, and I'd recommend it for any reader.

As a piece of historical fiction, this one again stands out as being superior to his other works.With the focal point of the setting being around the armies and officers of the French and British empires right smack in the middle of the French and Indian War (or Seven Years War if you're not from America), this story is grounded in a well-known historical perspective.Some of the events related in this novel also have strong backing in historical facts.From the individual battles described to the extremely messy and downright horrifying massacre after the surrender of General Munro to the French, Cooper's tale is based on real life occurrences.

Refreshingly, Cooper doesn't shy from portraying the Native Americans in THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS in a less than flattering manner.While described as complex and admirable in some instances, in others the Indians here are brutal, crazy, and downright savage.Even the "good Indians" here, in Chingachkook and Uncas, don't fail to retrieve the occasionally scalp when the opportunity presents itself.The strangeness and brutal-seeming practices of many Native American tribes are well-known historical facts, and it is nice to read a book that doesn't sugar-coat or justify Indian practices for the sake of political correctness.

While its not the easiest book in the world, this one should be enjoyable for nearly every type of reader.Highly recommended.

Still a classic
I bought this for my 12-year old granddaughter; it was good to see that a classic is still a classic. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a piece of history
I thought that this was an excellent study of the European-Indian relationships and intertribal relationships among the Americam Indians. There are some gruesome scenes; I feel it is probably a fairly accurate account of practices at that time amongst those tribes. At times the narrative gets wordy because of the details of the history and traditions. I can't believe this book was taught in the 5-8 grades in this country 30 years ago. I don't think the majority of 12th graders could read this book with ease. ... Read more

Product Description
Cooper's epic of the western course of the American frontier follows the exploits of Nattyfrom the French and Indian Wars to the early nineteenth century. The five novels are presented in their order of composition. Volume 1: The Pioneers, The Last of the Mohicans, The Prairie. Volume 2: The Pathfinder, The Deerslayer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

What a Great Title!!
The American frontier comes alive with Natty Bumpo and the Leatherstocking series. And, the Library of America does it right. The Library has broken the five tales down into two parts and wowee for them.

Great series that EVERY American should read...

A Tryst in an Enchanted Forest
The Deerslayer:
It took me most of my life to finally read the Leatherstocking novels.Cooper's tale of love, war, beauty, strength and human frailties introduces us to the world of the early Eastern American frontier, and to a unique individual named Nathaniel Bumppo, who was so unshakable in his integrity that we suspect Cooper had subliminally drawn a portrait of the man he himself would liked to have been, had all things been perfect.

Rather than merely a tale of adventure, or of the wars between the tribes of Delawares and Hurons, who both in turn are determined to keep the white usurpers at bay, it is an unlikely romance, whose undercurrent runs as deep as the waters of the beautiful, remote lake upon which the story unfolds for the first time, "the Glimmerwater".

The main characters are 'Floating Tom' who has constructed what he believes is a floating fortress far out into the middle of the lake, protected from attack on all sides by the water, anchored by pilings driven into the lake bottom.This is the abode of Old Tom, who is of uncertain background, and of his two daughters, one strikingly beautiful in the outward sense of female loveliness, Judith; and one who has been graced by an inner serenity that touches all who know her eventually; she is Hetty, mildly retarded, whose mind is simple and untouched by worldly concerns, yet able to function in a far more practical way than can first be imagined.The character of Hetty is one that grows on the reader; at first she is discounted, then slowly, she begins to emerge as the rock on which a good measure of their strength depends.

The girl Judith, has had a past which by the standards of the day is questionable.Her reputation is cleverly revealed to Deerslayer (Natty Bumppo)by his friend, "Hurry Harry" - another woodsman, who in subtle jealousy endeavors to drive away any competition by uncouth words and suggestions.He is the opposite of Deerslayer; and in Deerslayer Judith knows she has never seen a man quite like him, nor does she want to let him leave the secluded woodland without her.He is attracted to her beauty; but he is a spirit of the forest, and that, even more than the wariness he holds against her, keeps him at arms length.

Many events unfold; the Deerslayer is scheduled to meet his Delaware warrior friend on the shores of the lake which is the reason for him being there to begin with; his is a rendezvous to aid in a revenge-taking.The betrothed maid of the Delaware boy has been kidnapped by the Hurons, and he has pledged to find and rescue her. There are scenes of danger and of skirmishes; the descriptive passages that skillfully paint a mental image of the tranquil, isolated lake and it's forest boundaries are truly splendid.We are reluctant witnesses to two new burials on the lake where two of the people we have come to know reunite with the mother who has passed long before; it is a scene apart from any I have read before or since.

The Pathfinder:
This story is reminiscent of the one the movie "The Last of the Mohicans" was patterned after to a degree.In it, the Deerslayer, still in possession of the rifle "Kildeer" that was given him in gratitude long before by the beautiful free spirit, Judith of the Glimmerwater, is older now, and his natural talent as a woodsman has been fine tuned to an uncanny degree.He again keeps a rendezvous in the forest, this time to meet and deliver safely the daughter (Mabel Dunham) of a military officer to a remote fort where her father is stationed.

The adventure along the river is taut with suspense; they are tracked by a war party determined to slay all of them before they reach their destination.The trip along the river rather than over the trails where ambush awaits, is the cautious game plan of the Deerslayer and his Delaware companion, who at one point, as the enemy is closing in, secure their canoes and charges beneath a bank overhung with foliage, and cleverly place cut branches to perfect the hiding place till the danger is past.

They arrive at their destination; but safety is never to be counted on in such a wilderness, and the Fort is but a clearing to be defended if they can, rather than a safe haven to take refuge in for long. The girl, Mabel, is instantly taken notice of by almost every male within it's walls, as might be imagined; but Sargeant Dunham is keenly impressed with the depth of character he knows to be lying beneath the buckskin raiment's of Deerslayer, and wishes him to become the husband of his daughter - that he might know she is well taken care of by a competent man who is also remarkably unlike most of his peers.

The author, James Fenimore Cooper, indeed is possessed of a sensuous side mingling with wild and the wooly. It is a vividly evident element in both of these wild, free tales of the native land, of the people who live together there under an uneasy truce - where a truce is present at all; and the perils of the secretive forest trails come alive under his pen.

His prose was often difficult to read, in keeping with many of the authors of his time, but the enjoyment was surely there, and so was his talent as a storyteller.The imagination is meant to be absorbed slowly, if one is to take full measure of what he is all about.He gave us his innermost clue as he said it best himself in his "preface" remarks:"There is a separate class of readers - which are addicted to taking things as they are offered, and of understanding them as they are meant. Should any of them reach the end of the book and fancy the time spent not entirely thrown away, the circumstance will afford its author sincere gratification."I count myself among those.

FWIW, the Library of America has done a splendid job in gathering together the James Fennimore Cooper frontier epics.These Classics have endured through the ages for some very good reasons.So if you have a romantic soul mingling with a quest for woodsland adventure from the safety of your favorite chair, these old books may do it for you.

Cooper: Vol. ll Leatherstocking Talews
This is the first of James Fenimore Cooper's books that I have read and I had a hard time putting it down. His writing is not only exciting, but is also historically correct. Wish I would have been introduced to him a long time ago. I'm looking for
Vol. l published by the Library of America. I look forward to reading more of Cooper. I highly recommend to anyone who doesn't like to waste time and at the same time "learning" something.

Leatherstocking Tales stagger to a close
Omnibus volume 2 of 2 in the Library of America edition of the "Leatherstocking tales"

JFC disinters and resurrects his hero Natty Bumpo nearly 15 years after sending him off into eternity from "The Prairie", the third installment of the Leatherstocking tales."The Pathfinder" picks up the tale as a sequel to "The Last of the Mohicans", and the first quarter of the new tale is a virtual repeat of the earlier plot.Leatherstocking, now called The Pathfinder almost exclusively in this tale, guides the daughter of a British officer and her companion through the wilderness of upstate New York to a British fort.

The variations on the theme in this installment arise from placing most of the action on Lake Ontario and its islands, and giving The Pathfinder an active romantic interest in the female lead (while the movie version of "The Last of the Mohicans" made much of the love interest, the original story did not).This takes The Pathfinder out of his natural element and gives Cooper new opportunities for farce and romance.While these scenes sometimes seem quaint or stilted today, the story holds together, and Cooper's handling of chase and battle scenes still holds up well today.

Not so for the finale."The Deerslayer" is the worst by far of the series, Cooper over-indulging in his tendency for repetitive, wordy asides with no editor willing or able to trim the mess down to readability.Very little action takes place on this account of Leatherstocking's first time on the "warpath."Your best bet is to skip it, unless you are determined, as I was, to complete the series.

Better idea:Go back and re-read the stories in James Fenimore Cooper : The Leatherstocking Tales I: The Pioneers, The Last of the Mohicans, The Prairie (Library of America).

James Fenimore Cooper: The Leatherstocking Tales II
Excellent, high-quality binding, paper and typeface make this volume a joy to handle and read.The classic Leatherstocking Tales have never looked better.The time line and notes help place the readings in historical perspective. ... Read more

Product Description
The second of Cooper's five Leatherstocking Tales, this is the one which has consistently captured the imagination of generations since it was first published in 1826. It's success lies partly in the historical role Cooper gives to his Indian characters, against the grain of accumulated racial hostility, and partly in his evocation of the wild beautiful landscapes of North America which the French and the British fought to control throughout the eighteenth century. At the center of the novel is the celebrated `Massacre' of British troops and their families by Indian allies of the French at Fort William Henry in 1757. Around this historical event, Cooper built a romantic fiction of captivity, sexuality, and heroism, in which the destiny of the Mohicans Chingachgook and his son Uncas is inseparable from the lives of Alice and Cora Munro and of Hawkeye the frontier scout. The controlled, elaborate writing gives natural pace to the violence of the novel's action: like the nature whose plundering Copper laments, the books placid surfaces conceal inexplicable and deathly forces. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

The Deerslayer
This was a very tedious read.While I normally like older books, something about Cooper's writing style just didn't grab me.

The Deerslayer is mainly a story about a man named Nathaniel Bumppus, or as he is better known by in this novel, Deerslayer.He is headed with a friend commonly referred to as "Hurry" to a lake where he will later meet another friend of his, a Delaware Indian he calls the "Sarpent" to rescue the Sarpent's betrothed from a group of Hurons.When they reach their destination they meet a man and his two daughters who live on an island in the lake.

The older daughter Judith, is quite taken with the Deerslayer and the younger, who is described as feeble-minded is as sweet a person as could be met.Their father is a bit rougher than them and after the death of his wife has been raising them himself.

When Hurry and Thomas Hutter (the father) decide to go scalping Indians for fun and profit, Deerslayer doesn't go.Then when they are kidnapped, it is up to Deerslayer and the girls to ransom them and bring them home safely.Unfortunately, as soon as the men are returned home, Deerslayer is captured in the rescue of the Sarpent's betrothed.The rest of the novel deals with his capture.

The characters in this story were hard for me to like.Hurry is a racist, which during the times, a little could be expected, but he regards anyone of skin other than white as no more than animals.Judith, while the author tries to paint her as vain, never appears that way in the novel to me, in fact, she seems very down to earth.The younger daughter, Hetty, is said to be feeble minded but I also didn't get that impression from the book.She seemed to be more just naive.Lastly, our main character, the Deerslayer, while he is supposed to be a wonderful man, not boastful, but not handsome either, is annoying.He continually goes on about "white-man's gifts" and "red-man's gifts" and repeats himself.He also is self described to go on long soliloquies which it seems as if he just likes to hear himself talk and somewhat pretentiously at that.

The writing style is very tedious.There is a lot of conversation, which normally wouldn't be so bad, but Cooper seems to have them have different variations of the same conversation over and over.There is always mentions of red-man's ways and white-man's ways and the beauty of Judith in almost every conversation.I just wasn't as impressed with this as much as I am with some of the classics.While I know the book is very popular and has been around a long time, I guess I just don't think that's enough to make it outstanding to me.I probably won't pursue the rest of the books of "the Leatherstocking Tales" that this novel begins.

The language is very authentic for the time and I do give Cooper credit for that.It was easy to imagine these characers talking with the dialect they were written in.Drawn out vowels and backwoods names for things are tastefully used for some of the characters and other characters to show a difference in upbringing and education have a more refined speech.It was well done.

It was a nice tale, but just stretched out far too much with Cooper's stylistic writing.

The Deerslayer
Copyright 1841
548 pages

There is also a bunch of prefaces that accompany the novel as well.

Colonial
This is a decent read about Deerslayer, a colonial American. Cooper is author of the much more famous Last of the Mohicans. Althogh it has elements of romance and action adventure, I thought it dealt a lot with racism. The lead character Deerslayer is a fine role model for those reading this book in connection with a nun-type congregation member of church. The racism spoils a decent read.

Why clasics are clasics!
Deerslayer!The first to read when reading the Leather Stocking tales by James F. Cooper, if you wish to read of Hawkey from a youth and as he progress through old age.I recently read Last of the Mohicans because of the recent showing of the movie and it peaked my curiosity of the other tales.I think Deerslayer, for now, since I have only read the two of the five tales is much superior to "Mohicans".Wonder why they didn't make a movie of this, as much more exciting and morally educational.It's probably best because Wow, how they massacred the true story in "Mohicans" in the Daniel Day Lewis version.

A well written and beatifully descriptive story
This was the first book that I have read of James Fennimore Cooper and it was a much different, but this 19th century book was an equally rewarding experience to reading any of the great novels of the 20th century. Cooper's long sentences and descriptions paint rich pictures that we are rarely treated to in newer books.

The Deerslayer is the first book chronologically in the Leatherstocking Tales although it was the last one written. It tells the story of Natty Bumpo (Deerslayer) who meets with his Indian friend Chigachgook to rescue his friend the rival Iroquois tribe. Deerslayer quickly becomes involved with a trapper, his friend and his friends two daughters who live in a house on a lake in the Mohawk Stream in New York. The story takes places at the start of the French-Indian War (7-Years War) and the story tells the battle of wits and arms that take place between this group and the Iroquois that have surrounded the lake. While the story has richly described action sequences it also involves intense dialogue between the groups.

All of the characters are extremely well developed. They embody various stereotypes of the early American frontier. Deerslayer can be a little idealistic at times but is made to embody the ideal of the noble American frontiersman who respects the Native Americans and their way of life in the spirit that we wish all Americans had.

The book can be a struggle to get into with its style of long sentences and descriptions, but it is well worth the effort. It is a wonderfully told story and leaves me looking forward to the rest of the Cooper's works.

Important foundation novel in the evolution of American literature
Set in upstate New York in the 1740s, James Fenimore Cooper's classic novel The Deerslayer is the first of five books concerning Natty Bumppo, the titular character. Cooper wrote the novels out of sequence, but when assembled they recount various stages of Natty's life from this, his first warpath at the age of nineteen, all the way to his death as an octogenarian out on the prairies fleeing the onslaught of the pioneers. In The Deerslayer, Natty and his closest friend and ally, a Delaware named Chingachgook, have embarked on a journey to free Chingachgook's love Hist from the clutches of the Mingos. Interestingly, essentially all of the characters and tribes in the book bear multiple names: Natty himself is also called the Deerslayer, gains the name Hawkeye during the story, and has had several other monikers in his youth. This would be confusing except the cast is fairly small and the book is on the long side, meaning there is plenty of time to get accustomed to Cooper's writing and naming conventions.

The principal action of the tale revolves around a small scale week-long conflict that erupts as Natty, along with Chingachgook, white hunter "Hurry Harry," and the Hutters, a settler family, come into conflict with the tribe that has kidnapped Hist. The setting is powerfully evocative, and Cooper conjures an air of a mythic America that probably never exactly existed in the form depicted but that is nonetheless alluring. Pristine lakes, endless forests, and ancient mountains fill out the background while Cooper painstakingly elaborates on the Hutter family's castle built in the lake and the ark in which they travel. The setting itself was the strongest element of the book.

More challenging is the long-winded manner in which the characters discourse on any imaginable subject, at what feels the greatest of possible lengths. For a nineteen-year-old woodsman with little formal education, Natty is certainly quite voluble with his opinions and does not hesitate to reveal them whether solicited or not. Cooper seems more interested in dialogue than action. There are some tense moments that underscore the desperate situation the characters are in, but the amount of dialogue is often burdensome and diminishes the impact when the story actually moves forward. The characters do raise some intriguing topics, such as Natty's obsession with gifts and identity and many of the discussions of relative morality concerning subjects such as scalping or relationships, but at times reading the dialogue is a pure chore. There are also some marked tonal shifts where a character speaks with a voice and construction not entirely consistent with what was presented before.

The edition I read is the Barnes and Noble Classics release, which includes an interesting introduction to both the novel and generally to Cooper, as well as the infamous Mark Twain essay in which he dissects and discards Cooper's works. My take nets somewhere in the middle of Cooper's supporters and detractors. I found the Deerslayer to be a solid but long-winded adventure/romance, but it is certainly worth reading as an important step in the development of American literature.
... Read more

Product Description
The most popular and memorable of the "Leatherstocking Tales": set in the rugged wilderness of upper New York State during the brutal French and Indian War, it tells the story of the Munro sisters, daughters of a commander in the British army.

THIS ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES:

• A concise introduction that gives the reader important background information
• A chronology of the author's life and work
• A timeline of significant events that provides the book's historical context
• An outline of key themes and plot points to guide the reader's own interpretations
• Detailed explanatory notes
• Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work
• Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction
• A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience

Product Description
Kindle Edition of James Fenimore Cooper's classic series featuring Natty Bumppo. This edition includes an active table of contents to make finding each work easy.

The books in this collection are in order chronologically (not by publication date) based on when the action in the story happened. The works included in this large collection follow below:

The Deerslayer: The First War Path
The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757
The Pathfinder: The Inland Sea
The Pioneers: The Sources of the Susquehanna; A Descriptive Tale
The Prairie: A Tale
... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: New York (State); United States; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Suspense and Adventure in the American Revolution
THE SPY appeared in December of 1821, 189 years ago as I write this.Why in the world would anyone want to read a novel written nearly two centuries ago?First of all, I submit that the age of a book is pretty much immaterial.Until one has read it, a book is always new to each of its readers.Secondly, THE SPY is very simply an intriguing story, which brings us to one of the two reasons that I thoroughly enjoy it:

The story line of the book is as interesting as that of any modern spy novel, probably better in fact.Take this mysterious peddler, Harvey Birch.He is widely believed to be a spy for the British, but where do his loyalties truly lie?What real identity underlies Harper, the stranger driven to the Whartons' home by the storm?Beyond the mysteries lie other fascinating plot threads, for even in the midst of war love exists, both true as in the case of Major Dunwoodie and false as in the person of the British Colonel Wellmere.

Beyond its gripping story line, I also found THE SPY most enjoyable reading for what I'll call its educational aspects.Although it is a novel and therefore fictional, I believe it does rather accurately bring out aspects of the American Revolution that are often ignored in American history classes.As happened again eighty-four years later in the War Between the States, the Revolution saw many families whose members were divided in their loyalties.Not all of the colonists were in favor of American independence by any means.Many remained loyal to King George, while many others strove to maintain neutrality in the hope of preserving their property from confiscation or destruction by either side.All of these sundry positions find expression through various characters in THE SPY.

Another aspect of the Revolution of which I was hitherto unaware was the existence of irregular armed groups that roamed the countryside amidst the lawlessness of war, ostensibly supporting one side or the other but often more self-serving than anything else.Neither the Skinners (supposedly supporters of the revolutionaries) nor the Cowboys and Refugees (supporters of British loyalists) were particularly trustworthy or observant of any "rules of war," pillaging and burning at their own whims.As with probably any war, things were not quite as neat and orderly as history textbooks make them appear.Bits of historical reality such as this leave the reader not only entertained but also a little bit wiser of our nation's beginnings.

To balance the review, I must add a couple of characteristics of Cooper's writing that were a bitdistracting, although neither can be called a weakness given the stylistic and social conventions of the time.Early 19th Century writers were not as direct and concise as are modern authors, and the use of rather stilted phrases in lieu of precise nouns was an expected norm.Hence, instead of the single word "doctor," we find "disciple of Aesculapius" and such like.More distracting, though quite explicable in light of evolving social norms, are the descriptions and actions of the female characters, who exemplify the now-outmoded traits of the "weakness of their sex" and are controlled by conventions of "propriety" that the contemporary reader now finds ludicrous.I mention these not to dissuade anyone from reading THE SPY but merely to prepare one to encounter them.

All in all, the novel remains as intriguing and captivating as at any time in its 189 year existence, and I heartily recommend it to any reader interested in a fresh, and probably very realistic, view of the American Revolution as well as anyone who just enjoys a good, adventurous mystery story.

Where my ancestors lived
Some of my ancestors lived in the area that this book describes.They defended their property and fought against the British army and cattle thieves ("cowboys").Reading this book helped me picture how it must have been for them at that delicate time in our country's history.The story is entertaining even if the plot is somewhat straightforward.

The Spy: The 1821 novel by James Fenimore Cooper celebrates patriotism in the American Revolutionary War
James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) has been called the American Sir Walter Scott. Like Scott he wrote of his native land. In his great Leatherstocking Tales and in this early novel he explores life in the early American nation.
The Spy deals with the exciting and sad life of Harvey Birch a pedlar living in Westchester County New York during the Revolutionary War. This was a neutral area in which a civil war was in progress between Loyalists favoring Great Britain and the colonists fighting to create the United States of America. Harvey was a spy for Washington though he was widely thought to be a Loyalist agent spying on Washington's beleagured army. There are several times in the novel when the reader believes Birch will be hanged. Due to his skill in disguise and quick talking he always escapes.
The major focus is on the Wharton family. The father favors the English remaining loyal to George III. His oldest daughter Sarah falls in love with an bigamy minded British officer named Wellmere. It is discovered that he has a wife and family back home in England. Sarah becomes mentally ill when she learns this shattering news on the eve of her wedding. Wharton's youngest daughter Frances is in love with Colonel Dunwoodie an officer in the American army Henry Wharton the only son is a British officer who is saved from being hanged as a spy by the exertions of Henry Birch. The book is filled with disguises as spying goes on in this battleground of blood and death. Cooper includes a few battle scenes. The book ends with Harvey Birch being shot to death during the battle of Lundy Lane in the War of 1812. Until a note from George Washington is discovered on Birch's body he had been thought to be a British agent. Instead, Cooper celebrates the patriotism of Birch. The best scene occurs when Birch refuses to accept money for his efforts from the hand of George Washington. Washington appears in the novel as "Harper" who visits the Wharton family as the novel begins with his exciting flight for freedom from the British finding safe haven in the comfortable home of the Wharton family.
Cooper is much mailnged for his ridiculous plotting, fabulous escapes and stilted sytle. Despite these faults this is a good book worthy of being read and enjoyed. Cooper was our first great American novelist who is deserving of being read. His romance novels of a distant time and place are part of our American literary tradition.

"Harvey Birch ... a faithful and unrequited servant of his country."
THE SPY, America's first historical novel, is set in late 1780. It plays out in New York's Westchester County, "the neutral ground" between the British forces occupying Manhattan and the American rebels further up the Hudson River. It is not long after the capture and execution under order of General George Washington of out-of-uniform British officer Major John Andre. It is a tough time to be a spy -- for either side.

The novel has twoprincipal characters: an American double-agent and his handler.

The former is Harvey Birch, a wandering peddler, suspected far and wide of being a British agent.He lives in Westchester County with his ancient father, John Birch, and their housekeeper. American forces have arrested him more than once, but he has escaped, perhaps under command influence. He is under a death warrant, if caught by the Americans.

The latter lead character calls himself Mr. Harper. He is tall and has the upper classes about him though he does not wear a wig. Harper looks about fifty.

We meet Harper in THE SPY'S first sentence: "It was near the close of the year 1780, that a solitary traveller was seen pursuing his way through one of the numerous little valleys of West-Chester."He is dressed as a civilian and sits astride on a mighty horse. He takes shelter from a raging storm in "The Locusts," country home of Mr. Wharton, a man somewhat older than Harper. Wharton is wealthy, pro-British, but a political trimmer who hopes (for the sake of not losing his extensive holdings) to seem at least politically neutral to the Americans, in case they ultimately win.

There are also two Wharton daughters on hand that evening. A son, Henry, a British officer based in Manhattan, visits his family in disguise carrying a forged pass from George Washington. The peddler Harvey Birch arrives with goods to tempt the ladies. One of the daughters is pro-American and is in love with handsome Major Dunwoodieof the Virginia forces. The older girl loves a rascally British Colonel, whom she does not know to be an intending bigamist.

All the elements of the novel are in place that evening. The characters go on with their lives, harried by two irregular armed forces: pro-British Cow-Boys and pro-American Skinners.

The story is about the American revolutionary patriotism of Birch and Harper. Over time we learn Harper's real identity and see his national reputation grow until by the time of the War of 1812 when he is dead and gone, he almost equals the gods. Harvey Birch is equally the American patriot but is, by contrast with Harper, condemned forever to hide his true identity as a loyal American who only betrayed to the British what Harper ordered him to reveal.

When the ancient Harvey Birch falls after being drawn into a fight against the British near Niagara Falls on July 25, 1814, he had just made the acquaintance of two young American officers. One is Captain Wharton Dunwoodie, son of the pro-American Wharton daughter of 1780. Harvey recalls her to her son as "an angel." Harvey's corpse is found after the fight by Captain Dunwoodie. A bullet had pierceda tin container under Birch's clothing en route to his heart. In the case is an aging testament from none less than George Washington to "Harvey Birch ... for many years a faithful and unrequited servant of his country. Though man does not, may God reward him for his conduct!" (Ch. xxxv)

There is a view among scholars that celibate or childless heroes of Fenimore Cooper stand outside, even above time. They beget no sons to bind their generation to the next. George Washington and Harvey Birch were two such men. History, however goes forward dialectically through the marriage of the slave-holding Virginian Dunwoodie to the daughter of a wavering New York Tory. Their son, Captain Wharton Dunwoodie, representing, America's unique future, is the first to learn the patriotic truth about a master spy who had long before done much to make his parents' wedding possible.

This review offers a little bit about THE SPY's beginning and end. There is much, much more in between, including other characters, black and white, whom you will enjoy meeting. And you may also find yourself asking more than once: "Just who is this mysterious Mr. Harper?" -OOO-

Major John Andréwas recently hung for spying
The is here adventure enough and romance for all.
A visit home to see the family turns bad
for a British Captain of Infantry.
A peddler ans a gentleman stranger are what the plot turns on.
Here are "Cowboys" as mounted British soldiers before the modern
cowboy was thought of.
Here are spies and daring escapes in the middle of raging war.
All this takes in rural 1780's New York.
It isn't as good or as bad as some of Cooper's writing,
but it is well told with some surprises along the way. ... Read more

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The Two Admirals is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by James Fenimore Cooper is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of James Fenimore Cooper then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

"'Kiss me, Oakes,' murmured the (dying) Rear-Admiral"
On any thinking man's short list of great male bonding novels there has to stand THE TWO ADMIRALS: A TALE OF THE SEA.

It plays out mainly on land in or at sea near Devon during the exciting British summer of 1745, though not written and published until 1842. You will not be wrong it you read THE TWO ADMIRALS for its young romance, clouded ancestries, its political intrigue and intricacies of ship building and seamanship, naval warfare, tactics and strategy -- all served up complete with the attitudes and superstitions of seaman and their leaders. But you would miss the forest for the trees if you did not see that this is the story of the warm love that two heroic men bear down the decades one for the other.

Both men, Richard Bluewater and Gervaise Oakes, would have been born into wealth in England around 1690. Fresh from school at ages 12 or 13, they entered the lowermost rung of the Royal Navy, not long after independent Scotland and England had been -- on paper at least -- submerged in a new country, The United Kingdom. From their first meeting until death parted them after a great jointly won sea victory over the French in 1745, the two friends were inseparable, though of notably different physiques, temperaments and, over time, political loyalties.

As young officers their sea colleagues styled them Pylades and Orestes. As they rose steadily through the ranks they became "the Twin Admirals." In youth the two lifelong bachelors had both loved the same woman, who, long dead, now casts her shadow between them in 1745. Possibly because he ardently supports the imported German House that succeeded the native Stuart monarchs, Vice Admiral Sir Gervaise Oakes now outranks Rear Admiral Richard Bluewater (or "Blue" as his men affenctionately style him). For in the court of King George II, Bluewater, although discreetly silent, is suspected, rightly, of wishing the Stuarts back on the throne of the U. K.

In July 1745 the Young Pretender, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, landed in Scotland and soon raised many highland clans in support of the claims of his father, the Old Pretender, James Edward, son ofdeposed King James II. Not many days later a fleet of 16 British warships led by the two admirals had dropped anchors in an obscure port on the southern coast of Devon. Its leader, Vice Admiral Sir Gervaise Oakes, in possession of intelligence that the French might soon attempt some mischief in Scotland, had anticipated orders and sailed back from six months patrolling the Bay of Biscay.

Almost immediately word comes that Bonnie Prince Charlie is afoot in Scotland, and a beautiful decades long friendship is sorely strained. Rear Admiral Bluewater refuses to accept an honor offered by George II, the Knighthood of the Garter. Only from England's legitimate King, James Edward, could he accept such preferment. Indeed, the junior admiral is all for resigning his commission and racing north to join Bonnie Prince Charles!

Meanwhile Vice Admiral Oakes with half his ships sails out just before a serious storm to confront a superior French fleet. He trusts that his friend Richard's brain will prevail over his political emotions and will fight the French even if the wrong king is on the throne in London. But a wily Jacobite supporter of the Stuarts persuades Admiral Blue that the French are sailing to prevent King George II's son from returning from warring in the continent, and bringing German mercenaries with him to fight the Stuart rising. Blue feels that the coming civil war should involve only Britons. Hence he is tempted not to follow orders at a critical time in the battle, unless his friend Gervaise's ships should bite off more than they can chew -- as they do.

At the last possible moment, Blue throws his ship between his apparently doomed friend and the French flagship. In person, muttering about wiping out personal dishonor, Blue leads boarders onto the French vessel and captures it. He is then mortally wounded by a spiteful throwaway shot from a French marine, whose life he then saves from irate British sailors. Carried back to shore and the cliffs of Devon, the Rear Admiral lingers near death for days. Meanwhile, contrary to law and custom, and never again repeated in British maritime history, the flags of both admirals fly over Bluewater's ship, the Caesar.

On land, the dying hero takes leave of friends, of a just discovered niece whom he causes to be wed beside his deathbed, of the captains of the fleet and, finally, of his oldest and dearest friend, Sir Gervaise Oakes. Over days they had reminisced together over early amours and careers. Galleygo, the Vice Admiral's steward, who has known and loved both admirals since they were boys, retells to the dying Bluewater details of their last joint victory over the French.

The personal religion of both heroes had been shaped by the direct impact of God on them made visible in the power and majesty of the sea. Neither was a great churchman or inclined to spend time puzzling over dogmas. Both accepted, however, Sir Gervaise's view: "'Friends must meet again, hereafter, Bluewater; it is irrational to suppose that they who have loved each other so well in this state of being, are to be forever separated in the other." The Vice Admiral then "turned aside and wept."The dying man made one last request of his old friend: "'Kiss me, Oakes,' murmured the Rear-Admiral" (Ch. 30) And Gervaise bestowed a kiss on his friend's cheek.

The next and final chapter of THE TWO ADMIRALS takes place in Westminster Abbey in London. Octogenarian Admiral Oakes, long retired and his mind and memory nearly gone, is led by a young protege and by the faithful steward Galleygo, both of whom had participated in the great sea victory of 1745, to the tomb of Rear Admiral Bluewater. Other players from the summer of Bonnie Prince Charlie, by coincidence, are also present. Along with the feeble old Admiral, all fell on their knees to pray. The old man's heart then stopped. "He had lived his time, and supplied an instance of the insufficiency of worldly success to complete the destiny of man ... (Ch. 31).

There is much more to this grand tale than a simple retelling of David and Jonathan, of Pylades and Orestes and of Richard and Gervaise. But this dimension: the thoroughly masculine love of the twin admirals, may be more than enough to persuade you to read THE TWO ADMIRALS: A TALE OF THE SEA.

-OOO- ... Read more

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Now have we been cheating ourselves with the belief that we had thrown these Tetons from our trail, while here is proof enough that they not only know where we lie, but that they intend to smoke us out, like so many skulking beasts of prey. See; they have lighted the fire around the whole bottom at the same moment, and we are as completely hemmed in by the devils as an island by its waters. ... Read more

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Hundreds of stories and novels from the American Romanticism period make up this huge collection with an active table of contents.

Authors and works include:
James Fenimore Cooper:
The Deerslayer
The Last of the Mohicans
The Pathfinder
The Pioneers
The Prairie

Nathaniel Hawthorne:
The House of Seven Gables
The Scarlet Letter
Twice Told Tales

Washington Irving:
The Adventures of Captain Bonneville
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Herman Melville:
Moby Dick; Or the Whale

The Complete Stories of Edgar Allan Poe ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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A massacre at a colonial garrison, the kidnapping of two pioneer sisters by Iroquois tribesmen, the treachery of a renegade brave, and the ambush of innocent settlers create an unforgettable picture of American frontier life in this imaginative, innovative, and classic eighteenth-century adventure--the most popular of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales.
... Read more

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James Fenimore Cooper was a 19th century writer known for his historical romances and stories of the sea. His Leatherstocking tales including the novel The Last of the Mohicans are his best-known works. The Crater: Or, Vulcan's Peak, a Tale of the Pacific was first published in 1847. A summary from Wikipedia reads. "From merely surviving the loss of his shipmates and the embayment of his ship within The Reef, protagonist and role-model Mark Woolston goes on to thrive by his own industry. Following a regional volcanic upheaval which raises new land, he founds a similarly industrious and thriving colony after escaping from, then returning to, The Reef. The outnumbered colonists must defend their new homes and possessions against natives who covet the new land."

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The Lake Gun is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by James Fenimore Cooper is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of James Fenimore Cooper then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

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This is an electronic edition of the complete book complemented by author biography. This book features the table of contents linked to every chapter, illustration and footnote. The book was designed for optimal navigation on the Kindle, PDA, Smartphone, and other electronic readers. It is formatted to display on all electronic devices including the Kindle, Smartphones and other Mobile Devices with a small display.

Customer Reviews (105)

My favorite
This is my most beloved adventure/romance; however, it took me about the first 50 pages to "catch the groove" of Fenimore Cooper's writing style. In that way, the writing style is much like Henry James. If you can "acclimate" to the style, you're in for a treat.

Clunky
Mark Twain famously wrote a scathing critique of Cooper's whole body of work; this critique, "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses", is widely available on the Internet and speaks to the flaws in this book far better than any review written since.

The Last of the Mohicans is probably the best of Cooper's novels, and true devotees of historical adventure may be able to see past its numerous flaws. But compared to many of its contemporaries, it falls completely flat. The prose isn't nearly as lively as that of "The Three Musketeers", the story not nearly as exciting, the protagonists not nearly as richly or fully drawn, the antagonist merely a lurking evil presence, rather than a developed individual.

For those looking for historical adventure, you're better served by Dumas, Sabatini, or a bevy of modern authors.

The Last of the Mohicans is an early masterpiece by Leatherstocking chronicler James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) is sometimes called the "American Scott". Like Sir Walter Scott who romanticized the Scottish past, Cooper focused readers attentions to the the American frontier. His most famous works are the Leatherstocking tales featuring Natty Bumpo. The novels in the series include: The Deerslayer; "The Pathfinder"; "The Last of the Mohicans"; "The Pioneers" and "The Prarie." The most famous of these novels is "The Last of the Mohicans" set during the French and Indian War in North America. Natty Bumpo the hero of the tale is said to be 40 years old; he is an experienced woodsman knowledgable in fieldcraft; Indian fighting and how to survive in a brutal frontier setting in upstate New York.
The novel includes exciting fights with Indians; escapes from Indian captivity; word paintings of nature; a love story and a tale lamenting the passing of the last of the Mohicans.
The characters are:
Natty Bumpo-the intrepid scout for the British who rescues damsels in distress while escaping Indian capture. He is the hero of the novel and the Leatherstocking series.
Duncan Heyward-A brave but inexperienced British major who is love with the inspidly portrayed Alice Murno. Alice is a stick figure with no depth or character development.
Cora Munro is the sister of Alice. Both of these siblings are the daughters of British soldier Munro who is the commander at Fort William H enry. The fort is captured by the French and their Indian allies. Alice and Cora are captured and taken to an Indian village.
Chingachgook and his son Uncas. Good friends of Hawk-eye (a nickname for Natty Bumpo). Uncas is the last of the Mohicans. He is love with the dark skinned Cora.
Mauga. The evil Indian who is the major foe of the English and the friends of Hawkeye.
The novel is written in an old fashioned literary style which lends itself to slow reading for moderns. The language does not, however, get in the way of the nonstop action. The book is one of the first novels written by an American author assisting at the birth of our literary heritage. Cooper's views on Indians is not politically correct. It is worth your time and effort to become acquainted with this literary milestone.

Great Adventure Tale
I liked the book, Last of the Mohicans.I notice that many reviewers who gave it one or two stars are kids who had to read the book for an advanced English class or who saw the movie and decided to read the book.It is NOT an easy read (which is probably why many kids did not like the book), but I thought it was worth the effort.It was a little difficult keeping the characters straight at first because Cooper has several names for the key characters and switches between them freely.

My favorite character was actually one that I would guess is an outlier - David Gamut.His manhood is often insulted by Hawkeye, (Hawkeye calls David's pitch pipe his "tooting weapon" and he pokes fun of his useless profession of psalmody) yet David's bravery is no less than the heroes of the tale.Sure he can't shoot a gun (it would be against his principles anyway), but he sticks with the sisters when they are kidnapped by Magua and is able to come and go freely among the Indians as he is viewed by them as not having all of his mental faculties.He saves Uncas' life by secretly switching places with him and tells Hawkeye not to avenge his death should he die for the ruse.His moral character is higher, I believe, than the vengeful Indians and Hawkeye.While Hawkeye tolerates or even disdains David at the beginning of the book, I think he grows to like and even admire David by the end.

The plot was interesting to me and sure some of the language is convoluted and Cooper's vocabulary is admittedly far superior to mine. However, if you keep a dictionary nearby, you'll learn several new words and enjoy an exciting tale.

The Noble Savage
"The Last of the Mohicans" is a novel for the ages and its hero Hawkeye is a man who teaches life lessons with each page you turn. Many people believe that this novel has outlived its worthiness but once turn of the pages will reveal to the reader a world that is both savage and young, characters that are both civilized and savage, and a story that harkens back to the beginnings of the new world. Cooper's language is hard to swallow sometimes, and the movie is easier to watch, but the reader who settles into the pages of Hawkeye's life and world is rewarded with lessons about friendship, love, survival and the rite of passage that all people go through. It is a definite must read for both English and History classes as it explores the beginnings of this great country in which we live. ... Read more

Product Description
This Elibron Classics book is a reprint of a 1864 edition by Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, London. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Spy
This book is the sorriest piece of bookmaking I've seen in a long time.It is so cheaply made that the covers curled upon unwrapping it from the box. The typeset and proofreading of the text were awful. This is a very important book in the history of the United States and it's careless presentation is a shame. I won't be purchaing any other volumes from this publisher but Cooper's book should be read. ... Read more