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The Prairie (The Leatherstocking Tales #5)
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. Natty Bumppo, a man now in the autumn of his days, is the spokesman for the conservation of the natural environment...more
Paperback
Published
February 24th 2000
by Oxford University Press, USA
(first published 1825)
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This book is simply awful. It was written in the 1820's about the far west of which the author knew nothing. Of course he was writing for an audience that also knew nothing of the far west.
The book starts with the characters camped on the west bank of the Missouri River and the next day they reach the Rocky Mountains pulling their wagon by hand. The quality of the prose is childish and the story line is absurd.
This book came out shortly after "The Last of the Mohicans" which I read as a child 6...more
The book starts with the characters camped on the west bank of the Missouri River and the next day they reach the Rocky Mountains pulling their wagon by hand. The quality of the prose is childish and the story line is absurd.
This book came out shortly after "The Last of the Mohicans" which I read as a child 6...more
Analyze the shit outta any of these classics and you are bound to discover the golden nugget that someone somewhere once found and classified as such. Not the case with this, the last of the Leatherstocking tales, one not for modern readers. At all.
Campfire philosophy is perhaps the least interesting aspect of this tale (the opposite case of, say, the superlative "Lonesome Dove") which is about 200 years old… and by setting all players on leveled, even ground (Shakespeare’s plays are often quote...more
Campfire philosophy is perhaps the least interesting aspect of this tale (the opposite case of, say, the superlative "Lonesome Dove") which is about 200 years old… and by setting all players on leveled, even ground (Shakespeare’s plays are often quote...more
If one can read books promiscuously, as I was reassured in graduate school that one could, I read all five of the books in this series like a complete whore, giving myself entirely over to the story - loved all five. A word of caution, however: They were written in a different order than the chronology of the narrative. Imagine my disappointment at the Deerslayer's death at the end of the third book out of five.
The order that the author produced them:
The Pioneers
Last of the Mohicans
The Prairie
T...more
The order that the author produced them:
The Pioneers
Last of the Mohicans
The Prairie
T...more
I read most of this book for a class earlier in the semester, but I didn't have a chance to finish it until today. Yes, Cooper can be longwinded, but for the most part I found the descriptions beautiful, and I was surprised by how involved I became in the plot. Also, since this is the final book in the Leatherstocking series, Natty's character is quite old, which makes him more humble and less obnoxious than he is in the Deerslayer (at least from what Brian has told me). Overall, a thoroughly en...more
2.5 I'm done! Cooper is long winded. He's a better storyteller than Brockton Brown, but holy cow, get to the point. It didn't help that I was behind the reading schedule for class and was constantly trying to catch up.
Influential contribution to American literature, but it in no way compels me to read more of Cooper. Good discussions in class about it.
I did like the portrayal of Ishmael and Mahtoree.
Influential contribution to American literature, but it in no way compels me to read more of Cooper. Good discussions in class about it.
I did like the portrayal of Ishmael and Mahtoree.
Another book club pick. Almost exactly what I expected. Quite lovely in parts, unbearably tedious in others, with dialogue that makes you want to tear your hair out (if real frontiers-people were this long-winded, they all would have been dead before finishing a sentence). Still, entertaining to a certain degree.
Apr 10, 2007
Shannon Moore
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Long-winded Men
Is it worth the reams of boring and roundabout discussions to get to the epic battle between the good settlers, the bad settlers, the good Indians, and the bad Indians? Yes. Yes it is. I suppose you could just cut to that part but you would have no idea who anyone is and would not hate Ishmael the way you should. You would also miss out on some cool historical references about the white settlement of the American West. And you would miss the flotsam and jetsom of people as they hide from each ot...more
Aug 05, 2011
Gena Lott
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-literature
The first book I read by Cooper and I certainly took things out of order. It took a while for me to get into Cooper's stride. But the book is deep and rich, though parts are haunting. I must read some of his other books. I consider his work some that any "well read" person should have purused!
There's a reason James Fenimore Cooper is no longer read and it almost all has to do with the fact that he takes 500 pages to tell you a story he could have told in 150. It was good to get at least one of his books under my belt because he was a big deal in 19th century America.
Though Cooper has been blamed for creating the concept of the Noble Red Man. I liked his books because I could lose myself in his descriptions of his characters and scenes.
I was pretty bored with this book and attempted to read it several times over two years and never made it. One day I might try again.
I enjoy this author but not as much this book. There was one character that I found particularly obnoxious!
I don't love historical novels much so not one of my personal favorites. I had to read it to graduate, so glad I did it!
Good read for anyone who enjoyed Last of the Mohicans, old fashioned
Being as JFC's mother is a blood relative I am more than obligated to read his books.
Uhh!!! I love coopers writings, but this book was a difficult read.
After reading this book you can summarize the entire plot in about ten sentences; very wordy. There are some nice moments, however.
Disgusting. Really Disgusting.
What?!?
Hawkeye rules forever! Cooper is once again the master of action, with some soliloquy that rivals the bard. You can find a wide range of truths in this novel, with some wise comment on human nature and the environment. It's worth wading through the prose of the time to get a darn good story, and realize that logical thinking has always given good answers on a lot of subjects. A little slow to get into it, but I couldn't put it down by the end.
I didn't love it, even after talking about it in my English class. The characters were flat. The action scenes not exciting enough. There is some value, but I don't think it is Cooper's best work. Plus, it needed a good editor. It is a good example of early American literature.
Another great story by Mr. Cooper.
Aug 28, 2008
Melodee
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who enjoys reading adventures
Shelves:
misc
This book continued the Leatherstocking Tales series. It tells the story of a man who loves the wilderness, and fights against the progress of "civilization." He befriends certain Indians, and fights with others, then goes his own way. I won't spoil the ending for anyone who wishes to read it, but it is sad. I enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading the next installment.
American Romance at its most unabashed. It is pretty unbelievable that anyone, at any time, was ever able to think seriously of a hero named 'Natty Bumppo,' but heck, if it works it works, I guess.
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This is the last in the series of the Leatherstocking tales. This is by far one of the best series I've ever read.
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James Fenimore Cooper was a popular and prolific American writer. He is best known for his historical novel The Last of the Mohicans, one of the Leatherstocking Tales stories, and he also wrote political fiction, maritime fiction, travelogues, and essays on the American politics of the time. His daughter Susan Fenimore Cooper was also a writer.
Series:
* The Leatherstocking Tales
* The Littlepage Man...more
More about James Fenimore Cooper...
Series:
* The Leatherstocking Tales
* The Littlepage Man...more
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