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The Pioneers (Leatherstocking Tales, #4)

James Fenimore Cooper,

James D. Wallace (Editor)

Start date: November 1, 2016

Finish date: November 20, 2016

Discussion leader: Rosemarie

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Jul 18, 2021 John rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Natty Bumppo, Leatherstocking or Hawkeye is one of the key characters in this the fourth in the Leatherstocking series. Set in the 1790s in New York state and based on Cooperstown it tells the story of progress versus the past. On one side is Judge Marmaduke Temper representing progress and capitalism versus Bumppo the individual who takes only what he needs from the environment.

The first half of the novel is very descriptive of the town of Templetion, the characters and surrounding forest. We ...more

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Nov 20, 2016 Tracey rated it really liked it

I read a review of the book and it stated that this book is based very much on Cooper's own experiences. For the character of the Judge he used his father. Cooper was concerned at how quickly the area he grew up in was being changed and wondered if it was all good. Chopping down trees that may have taken a generation to grow was a concern, also killing more game than a man could want was another abuse that was occurring.
Because this book is based on reminiscences this made it a pleasure for him I read a review of the book and it stated that this book is based very much on Cooper's own experiences. For the character of the Judge he used his father. Cooper was concerned at how quickly the area he grew up in was being changed and wondered if it was all good. Chopping down trees that may have taken a generation to grow was a concern, also killing more game than a man could want was another abuse that was occurring.
Because this book is based on reminiscences this made it a pleasure for him to write and was a big success.

The main theme was who owns the land and resources and how they should be used. This was written in 1823 and is a debate that continues to today because humanity doesn't change much. Right now there is a major debate/disagreement as to who owns the Artic now oil has been found there. Canada (who had it previously because the Inuit live there an no one else wanted it), the US or Russia?
Cooper's description of the mountain fire had a note at the bottom in my addition in which he stated that he believed such fires could occur because of the way man left behind debris from chopping down the trees. The recent fires in North America prove his prophetic words. Just this year a whole town was nearly totally destroyed here in Alberta (Fort Macmurray) by the forests around being consumed by a raging fire. I think just for it's environmental warnings alone this book should be more read in schools and discussed.

I found Cooper was best at writing about nature and scenery than about people's actions and motives; there seemed to be a lot of quick changes in behaviour: one moment a person was against hunting/killing game and the next wrapped up in it as if they had forgotten their own principles. Elizabeth is a principle character, the daughter of the judge, and she especially was described as having very changeable behaviour that wasn't realistic. But apart from this I loved his writing.
I felt Chingachgook's view of heaven was a Christian view even though Cooper stated that Christian readers would not see it that way, but then he could not have possibly imagined a Christian English woman reading the book 200 years later.

Definitely telling of the time it was written is that Elizabeth and Oliver would not have married if Oliver had 'biological' Indian blood rather than spiritually adopted blood. Other female characters were not as well drawn and Elizabeth's friend, Louisa was a pale character compared to her; I would like to have seen her character better developed.

Maybe if one was to write a sequel I would write about the Grant's move to Canada and there they meet up with Leatherstocking again. Louisa this time does find love and the man is of Indian heritage and a true worthy noble and husband.

Overall a book worthy of reading again.
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Dec 31, 2014 Tom rated it really liked it

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