The Last of the Mohicans (Bantam Classics)

Book Description

The wild rush of action in this classic frontier adventure story has made The Last of the Mohicans the most popular of James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales. Deep in the forests of upper New York State, the brave woodsman Hawkeye (Natty Bumppo) and his loyal Mohican fiends Cingachgook and Uncas become embroiled in the bloody battles of the French and Indian War. The abduction of the beautiful Munro sisters by hostile savages, the treachery of the renegade brave Magua, the ambush of innocent settlers, and the thrilling events that lead to the final tragic confrontation between rival war parties create an unforgettable, spine-tingling picture of life on the frontier. And as the idyllic wilderness gives way to the forces of civilization, the novel presents a moving portrayal of a vanishing race and the end of its way of life in the great American forests.

Download Description

At the centre 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 Mohican Chingachgook and his son Uncas is inseparable from the lives of Alice and Cora Munro and of Hawkeye the frontier scout.

Customer Reviews:

The Noble Savage.......2007-09-28

"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.

"We Were Here".......2007-07-19

Since there are already over 100 reviews of this book and probably thousands have been written over the years, I'll do this one without benefit of book in hand, from memory and without a lot of details. It took me many years to get over the antiquated language barrier and to finally read the book. The classics are always harder to read than contemporary fiction, but sometimes it's worth the effort.

What tipped the scales for me and piqued my curiosity was watching the recent movie with Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means, and Eric Schweig, and realizing that this was a good story. Also, I'm very familiar with the setting in upstate NY: Lake George, Balston Spa, Glenns Falls, Scroon Lake, and surrounding area--at least as it is now, and it was fun imagining what it would have been like in those days, when the land was virgin, settlers could lose their scalps if they weren't careful, and the France contested with Britain for supremacy of the land.

The book wasn't a romance--at least not in the modern sense of the word--with love scenes and the like. But it was a romance in the old sense in that the three main characters; Hawk-eye, and the two Mohicans, were larger than life heroes; in the moral, physical, and spiritual meanings of the term. The elder sister Cora was also a well developed, strong willed and heroic character, which surprised me a little considering the age in which the book was written.

For me the most interesting character of the novel was Chingachgook's son, Uncas, who was the "last of the Mohicans," a noble race of American Indians, which formerly occupied the lands by the "salt lake," (i.e., the Atlantic Ocean), and were dispossessed and robbed of their lands and heritage by the original Dutch settlers and others. Uncas was a tracker extraordinaire, even better than the indomitable Hawk-eye in this respect. But he was young, inexperienced, and impetuous, which was eventually his undoing when he came up against the evil, and formidable Magua. But before he died, he was recognized as a king or great chief of his people, an heir apparent. So decreed the venerable Tamenund, a 100 year old patriarch and judge of the Delaware peoples, a related tribe to the Mohicans. This episode would have been difficult to write into an action movie, but it would have been great if it had been.

Another interesting character completely eliminated from both the 1934 and 1992 movies was David Gamut, a preacher psalmist, whose moral presence and as a comic relief, was an integral part of the novel.

All in all, this is still a book worth reading, if only to get a glimse of the way things were then and might be again.

the last of the mohicans.......2007-07-12

it is a very good book but the english that it is written in is different from the way we speak today. I enjoy the book and will recommend it to everyone looking for something that is good to read and to all children for their classes that require reading books.

Natty Bumppo: The American Tarzan.......2007-06-11

Nathanial Bumppo, otherwise known as Leatherstocking, Deerslayer, and Long Rifle, is without a doubt the quintessential American version of Edgar Rice Burrough's Tarzan. To be sure, Cooper's frontier character saw print long before Burrough's creation did in 1912. This in no way invalidates the creation of ERB, but it does give more literary impact to a wholly American character who appears in what can only be defined, if one is truthful, as wholly flawed novels.

The five novels which feature Bumppo were written by Cooper out of sequence. This doesn't necessarily impair the fictive underpinnings of the stories themselves, but it does give rise to certain elements which writhe like a murky thread throughout the main arc.

We will, as expected, consider the best known, at least as far as the general public goes, work of Cooper, that being "The Last of the Mohicans" and examine just what makes this novel tick, and why you should read it.

Cooper believed that Indian culture must needs be crushed by the Anglo Saxon wheels of religion and technology. He saw no other way around this inevitability. Though he wasn't himself racist by the definitions which we adhere to today, he did have certain beliefs of superiority of his own culture which "dark-skinned" individuals had to bow down to. "Mohicans", with its poignant idea that there will come a time the "last" of this noble race will pass from the ken of men (that is to say the ken of White Men), has through this very self-same literary device carved for itself a spot of prominence withing American literature.

Not everyone liked Cooper's work. He was always viewed much more favorably in Europe than by home-grown American authors. Mark Twain famously savaged Cooper's work and the savagery resonates even to this day. Yet, something about the novels, especially "Mohicans" endures. Perhaps it is the idea of a race of men passing, the thread of virgin forests and pure lakes, the savagery of life on the frontier, the fog of war, the blood-curdling violence. Whatever the reason for its longevity, and Twain notwithstanding, this book endures. Thank God.

As one might expect there is very little of this book that is recognizable in the 1992 film remake of the same name. In fact, the film stole much of the story line which was rewritten in the 1920 silent film. In the modern film Hawk-eye, at the height of his powers, is taciturn to a fault but still capable of a normal sexual relationship. In the novel Natty Bumppo is not only naive sexually, he won't shut up, period. He discourses on everything, even to the halt of the action being described around him. Leaning on his rifle he has no problem detailing, to exhaustion, his opinion on events around him.

Another big difference, aside from the often awkward descriptions, stereotypes of women and just plain ignorance of Native American ethnicities, is the fact a major character dies in the novel yet is allowed to survive in film. I suppose this would come as a shock to someone who saw the movie first, but there it is. Cooper has no problem dispatching that which, if allowed to live, would intercede in the future life of Hawk-eye. Natty Bumppo must remain pure. He must be allowed to view and accept nature as a powerful motivation than the love of another human being. It is his past, it is his destiny. He is akin to the figure of Greek tragedy in this way. He has a duty to perform and he will accomplish it, but he himself cannot lose the connection he has to the pristine land he loves and calls home.

I highly recommend this book, though the new reader must approach it with a few caveats and not a little caution. Cooper is simply not that great a writer. I am not the first to say that nor will I be the last. Many of the passages go on far too long and the long-winded philosophies of Bumppo grate. Nevertheless, there is power here, along with pathos, grandeur, and yes, love -- though it's love on Bumppo's, and Cooper's, own terms.

Despite its many flaws this is a major American novel by any definition. If you like adventure, and don't mind a little (okay, a lot) lagging, I think you will enjoy reading "The Last of the Mohicans."

Last of Mohicans.......2007-03-15

Very different from the movies, but very good in its own right

James Fenimore Cooper : The Leatherstocking Tales I: The Pioneers, The Last of the Mohicans, The Prairie (Library of America)

Average customer rating:

The Pioneers
volume 2 is 5 stars!
THE WORLD OF ADVENTURE
Rediscovered treasure

James Fenimore Cooper : The Leatherstocking Tales I: The Pioneers, The Last of the Mohicans, The Prairie (Library of America)
James Fenimore Cooper
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0940450208

Customer Reviews:

The Pioneers.......2003-03-20

In The Pioneers (1823) James Fenimore Cooper, who created the forerunner of backwoods heroes, depicts the clash between individualistic and communal impulses of people in the early development of a frontier settlement in upstate New York. The founder of the settlement, Judge Temple, is the personification of a bourgeois planned and stable society. He believes that laws imposed on individuals separate people from savages and are prerequisites for a civilized society. By trying to educate his settlers in practical approaches to farming and building and conservation of natural resources for practical use, he wishes to establish social and economic relations which are essential for a firmly structured society. Richard Jones, business assistant to Judge Temple and, later, the Sheriff of the county, is an egotistical jack-of-all-trades and represents a spirit of restless competition by which one pursues riches in order to climb the ladder of success. In contrast, the old hunter, Natty Bumppo, the solitary individual who lives in harmony with nature, is a frontier individualist who has a vision of a frontier society coexisting with nature. He craves traditional attitudes while fearing and despising civilization and its wasteful ways. His individualism is considered as a threat to Templeton and his natural laws eventually bring him into conflict with the "civilized" Judge and the people who are destroying the wilderness, a conflict that ultimately makes him escape the encroaching civilization and the lawless settlers.

volume 2 is 5 stars!.......2002-11-06

I give this 3 stars, because LotM is included here, but the other 2 novels are slow, tedious and well, I've never finished them. Volume 2 of these nice volumes includes The Deerslayer and the Pathfinder, two exciting novels that I recommend, perhaps even before LotM. My favorite is the Pathfinder. Natty Bumpo is awesome in that adventure!

THE WORLD OF ADVENTURE.......2002-09-17

I strongly believe that James Fenimore Cooper belongs to the American and the world history. I learned the history reading his books. I have all of them and I still open them once in a while even now, forty years later.

Rediscovered treasure.......1999-07-05

Cooper's works are wonderful blends of action and character development, evoking every emotion from the reader. "Last of the Mohicans" may be his best known novel in the Leatherstocking series (story line order: Deerslayer, Last of Mohicans, Pathfinder, Pioneer, and Prairie), but all five are really great frontier adventures for the outdoor woods lovers.

The Last of the Mohicans (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

Average customer rating:

Best book I've read in many moons
At Last A Truthful View!
Incredible!
All right story, BUT...
Great American Classic

The Last of the Mohicans (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)
James Fenimore Cooper
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1593080654

Book Description

During the fierce French and Indian wars, an adroit scout named Hawkeye and his companion Chingachgook weave through the spectacular and dangerous wilderness of upstate New York, fighting to save the beautiful Munro sisters from the Huron renegade Magua.

The Last of the Mohicans is the most popular of James Fenimore Cooper’s five Leatherstocking Tales. With its death-defying chases and teeth-clenching suspense, this American classic established many archetypes of American frontier fiction.

An engrossing “Western” by America’s first great novelist, The Last of the Mohicans is a story of survival and treachery, love and deliverance.

Customer Reviews:

Best book I've read in many moons.......2007-09-08

This book has lost none of its flavor. The writing is wonderfully lyrical, and the plot is set at a breathless pace. It may be old, but it still reads as well as ever. It deserves the place history has given it.

At Last A Truthful View!.......2006-09-22

I grew up reading the Longstockings Saga. As an African American mixed with Native American, there was much pain in my reading. I thought that this was a true image of the Native American, whites, and the few Negroes who were mentioned. Although Chingachgook and his son, Uncas are depicted as proud and pure, they never seemed to be equal to Deerslayer.
I also bought the DVD with Daniel Day-Lewis, in which Uncas dies and there is a painful speech given at the end which offers no hope for the Native American. Then I read the introduction of Stephen Railton. What a revelation tnat was! How much research did John Fenimore Cooper do on the Native American tribes he describes as being so terrible in his writing? I can remember trembling as a young student reading of his Mingo
warriors! Mr. Railton sheds much light and truth on the subject... Yes, the Last of the Mohicans is an exciting story, but it would have been better well research, with honest views of that period.

Incredible!.......2006-05-20

This book is a very well-written and amazing book. To be honest, it was hard to start out (because I didn't get used to Cooper's method of writing), but once I was a chapter or two into it, it was quite excellent. The portrayal and story and characters were all admirably well designed and I am glad I bought it.

All right story, BUT..........2005-03-18

If you've seen the 1992 movie "Last of the Mohicans" with Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. The movie is an almost completely different story from the book, and if you ask me, the movie is a much better adaptation. The movie will ruin the book for you.

In the book, the characters are prety one dimentional, with Hawkeye doing nothing but bragging how many Hurons he killed with his rifle, Cora doing nothing but being a damsel in distress in one scene after another, Major Hayward doing nothing but showing how incompetant he is in the woods, and all of them speaking in the exact same confusing monotone as every other character does. It's as if Cooper didn't think to actually create any distinctive personalities for his characters. Compare that to the movie, which has the grizzled woodsman who resists anything remotely resembling authority, the sheltered girl who eventually opens her eyes to the brutal realities of the frontier, and the stuffy army officer whose manhood is being threatened by a rival. I didn't mention any names, but you already knew exactly which character was which.

Even Cooper's own literary peers comment how banal this work is. In the back of the book, Mark Twain comments how, whenever the characters are required to remain silent in a scene, someone is bound to step on a dry twig and have everyone within two hundred yards hear it and come running.

It's not a horrible read, mind you, but after seeing the movie this book does little more than make you wonder what all the hype is about over this book. It may have been great for readers back in Cooper's day but I'd be amazed if this would ever get published today.

Great American Classic.......2005-01-12

The Last of the Mohicans was the first successful American novel and Cooper the first major american novelist. His desriptions of the New York wilderness and the Indian tribes that inhabit them are beautiful. They also are for the most part accurate. There are romantic themes running thorough the story. The reader feels the loss of a dying people and a dying way of life. The settlement of indian territories by colonists and native American tribal warfare are also rendered in deft prose.

This certainly is not an easy read, but one that is well worth the effort.

New Essays on The Last of the Mohicans (The American Novel)

Average customer rating:

New Essays on The Last of the Mohicans (The American Novel)

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0521374146

Book Description

The Last of the Mohicans is the most widely-read and internationally acclaimed of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking tales, and has traditionally been regarded as an exciting and well-made adventure story. In recent years, however, critics have found in this classic tale of colonial warfare deeper levels of meaning. In the introduction to this volume, H. Daniel Peck studies these developments by tracking critical responses to the novel from the time of its publication in 1826 to the present day. The essays that follow present contemporary reassessments of The Last of the Mohicans from a variety of critical perspectives.

The Last of the Mohicans (Great Illustrated Classics)

Average customer rating:

An all time great classic book!
great Americana literature
The Best!!!!!!!!!

The Last of the Mohicans (Great Illustrated Classics)
James Fenimore Cooper , and Eliza Gatewood Warren
Manufacturer: Playmore Inc. Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0866119752

Customer Reviews:

An all time great classic book!.......2005-05-21

This book is one of the greatest books that I have ever read. The reason for saying this is that the book's genre, adventure, is one of my personal favorites, plus James Fennimore Cooper is my second favorite author. The book is loaded with imagery. It sparks your imagination into picturing just exactly where you are at and who is involved in the story that could possibly be around you.
When you first start reading you get caught in the elaborate setting. You are given a straight out setting of a hot summer day in July 1757. Immediately you're imagination is caught in the building of the stories plot.
I would strongly recommend this book to all ages. This book gives you some history and a lot of rising-falling action to keep you reading. There is no strong language but there is some death. It can be overcome, to read a great book. You will more than likely be stunned by the ending, because ... you'll have to read it to find out.
Once you pick up this book you won't be able to put it down. There are so many twists, surprises, and exciting spots in the book that you will want to read the rest of what is happening. Before you know what has happened you are lurched into another portion of the exciting plot. It is well written with several leads to each part of the book. You will end up wanting to read the story again to see what you missed the first time through.

great Americana literature.......2004-08-14

Last of the Mohicans is one of the more accessible Deerslayer novels, I'll grant. But to call it unreadable and boring because no one can understand it is just plain unfair. I suggest if you find this book difficult then try acclimating yourself to more modern uses of the language at first. T.H. White is a wonderful place to start, then maybe some Patrick O'Brian, on to Dickens, maybe the Morte D'Arthur, etc... The main thing here is, of course, to get used to reading different (older) forms of the English language. Once you get into it, it's really a great experience. There's such a wealth of imagery and culture and history in this book that it'd be a shame to ignorantly toss it off as elitist or unnecessary. Just the opposite: it's mind expanding and greatly insightful. And a whole lot of fun!

The Best!!!!!!!!!.......2003-06-10

The Last of the Mohicans is a great book. I read it 3 months ago. I saw the movie and that's cool too.
It's about two ladies and a guy are going to their father. Onthe way there attacked. Then Hawkeye and two other indians save them. They take them to their father,but are attacked many mor times on the way.
It's full of action and fighting. It's awsome.
You shoud read it. It's great!

Average customer rating:

Revisiting a classic

The Last of the Mohicans
James Fenimore Cooper
Manufacturer: Ann Arbor Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 1587263955

Customer Reviews:

Revisiting a classic.......2007-07-26

This book is a classic which I read as a child.I have seen at least two movie versions of the story, neither of which caught the real spirit. Re-reading the book was an rewarding experience which has provided much fodder for thought. The style of writing is typical of the time in which it was written. This makes for laborious reading until, unexpectedly, I was so "into" it that it was hard to put it down. It was well worth the slow reading at the start to experience a period in history which most history books ignore.

The Leatherstocking saga: being those parts of The Deerslayer, The last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, The pioneers, and The prairie which specially ... prairies in Jefferson's administration

Average customer rating:

The Leatherstocking saga: being those parts of The Deerslayer, The last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, The pioneers, and The prairie which specially ... prairies in Jefferson's administration
James Fenimore Cooper
Manufacturer: Pantheon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

The Last of the Mohicans (LAKE ENGLISH CLASSICS)

Average customer rating:

The Last of the Mohicans (LAKE ENGLISH CLASSICS)

Manufacturer: SCOTT, FORESMAN & CO.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000E397HK

Product Description

REVISED EDITION WITH HELPS TO STUDY THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS; A NARRATIVE STUDY OF 1757

Average customer rating:

Nice!
Helpful, But Shallow
A bit too formulaic, but helpfull
The book that most caught my attention!

The Last of the Mohicans (Cliffs Notes)
Thomas J. Roundtree
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Notes | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books

Study Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books

Literary Criticism & Collections | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Study Guides | Reference | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Reference | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Cliffs Notes | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Children's Books | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0822007177

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

CliffsNotes on The Last of the Mohicans is a fanciful and romantic tale of the Mohicans, a disappearing tribe of Native Americans in the frontier. The action centers on a frontier scout during the French and Indian Wars, who plays a part in the wresting of a continent from nature and the original inhabitants.

With expert commentaries and critical analyses, this study guide helps you explore the American Frontier in the mid-eighteenth century and how conflicting forces meet head-on – with tragic results. You'll also gain insight into the man behind this American classic, James Fenimore Cooper. Other features that help you study include

Character analyses of major players
Critical essays on the plot, setting, and themes
A review section that tests your knowledge
Glossary of key words and terms

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Customer Reviews:

Nice!.......2006-11-13

This is how the book should have been written (provided you are aware of the events taking place during this period piece). Granted, The Last of the Mohicans was the first venture by any author into American Fiction, but I view it as severely outdated, and a bothersome (at best) read. Cooper has such a rambling, round-about style that it is often difficult to discern the purpose of a section of text. I find the summaries and commentary provided in these notes most helpful.

Helpful, But Shallow.......2006-07-18

I read the Cliff Notes on "The Last Of The Mohicans" just to provide supplemental understanding of my pleasure reading, This was the first time that I had used them in some years. I found that it helped remind me of things I may have missed and clarified some things which seemed confused as I read the book. I found the list of characters to be helpful because Cooper sometimes uses first and last names interchangeably, making it harder to keep track of who is who. Likewise, the glossary helped fit some of the Indian tribes into their historical context. Although the Notes contain several pages of critical analysis, I was somewhat disappointed with its lack depth. I felt that the Notes enhanced my understanding to some degree, but I doubt that it would be of much help in an academic situation.

A bit too formulaic, but helpfull.......2001-11-06

I bought the notes to aid me decipher a bit of Cooper's long-winded style. It did so, but it lacked a bit in how it covered the background for the book and the native American tribes of the NE. I would have liked to have also seen a glossary of some of the terms (even Cooper gave his own glossary points throughout his own book)

The book that most caught my attention!.......1999-04-14

I loved reading this book. I know that at first I was reluctant to read it because it was long and complicated, but when I actually read it it captivated me and I fell in love with the plot. Cooper is one of the best writers of all time. I like the way he writes because he shows true romance. His long sentences show what real writing is all about. You just can't find a book like his because now, everyone's always rushing; never having time for anything. This book defines mastermind. I would like to thank the person who encouraged me to read it.

The Last of the Mohicans (Dover Thrift Editions)

Average customer rating:

The Last of the Mohicans (Dover Thrift Editions)
James Fenimore Cooper
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0486426785

Book Description

A massacre at a colonial garrison, the kidnapping of 2 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 18th-century adventure — the most popular of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books