The Pioneers

by James Fenimore Cooper

Overview

In this classic novel, James Fenimore Cooper portrays life in a new settlement on New York's Lake Otsego in the closing years of the eighteenth century. He describes the year's cycle: the turkey shoot at Christmas, the tapping of maple trees, fishing for bass in the evening, the marshalling of the militia. But Cooper is also concerned with exploring the development of the cultural and philosophical underpinnings of the American experience. He writes of the conflicts within the settlement itself, focusing primarily on the contrast between the natural codes of the hunter and woodsman Natty Bumppo and his Indian friend John Mohegan and the more rigid structure of law needed by a more complex society. Quite possibly America's first best-seller (more than three thousand copies were sold within hours of publication), The Pioneers today evokes a vibrant and authentic picture of the American pioneering experience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781985620148
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	02/28/2018
Pages:	434
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

James Fenimore Cooper (September 15, 1789 - September 14, 1851) was a prolific and popular American writer of the first half of the 19th century. His historical romances of frontier and Native American life in the early American days created a unique form of American literature. He lived most of his life in Cooperstown, New York, which was founded by his father William on property that he owned. Cooper was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church and, in his later years, contributed generously to it.

Date of Birth:

September 15, 1789

Date of Death:

September 14, 1851

Place of Birth:

Burlington, New Jersey

Place of Death:

Cooperstown, New York

Education:

Yale University (expelled in 1805)

Table of Contents

	A Note on the Text	vi
	Introduction	vii
	Suggestions for Further Reading	xxiii
	Preface to the First Edition (1823)	3
	Introduction to the 1832 Edition	6
	Introduction to the Putnam Edition (1851)	11
	The Pioneers	15
	Notes	457

Editorial Reviews

"Another fine book in this excellent series. These books are attractive, durable, reasonably priced, and impeccably edited."—Richard A. Hook, Denison University

"A well-produced edition."—Jeff Cupp, Troy State University

"A very handsome edition."—E. N. Feltskog, University of Wisconsin

"It's great to have available these well-designed and edited editions of past literature in a comparatively inexpensive paperback."—Arlie E. Herron, University of Tenn.-Chattanooga

From the Publisher