Pathfinder; or, the inland sea

By James Fenimore Cooper

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"Pathfinder; or, the inland sea" by James Fenimore Cooper is set during the French and Indian War. The novel centers around Natty, who is a hunter, tracker and guide and his courtship of a young woman.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trajectory, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781632096289

James Fenimore Cooper

James Fenimore Cooper was a nineteenth-century American author and political critic. Esteemed by many for his Romantic style, Cooper became popular for his depiction of Native Americans in fiction. Before Cooper considered himself a writer, he was expelled from Yale University, served as a midshipman for the United States Navy, and became a gentleman farmer. Cooper wrote many notable works including The Pioneers, The Last of the Mohicans, and The Red Rover, which was adapted and performed on stage in 1828. Cooper passed away in 1851 at the age of 61.

Reviews for Pathfinder; or, the inland sea

[schmerguls · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the third sequentially of the Cooper's Leatherstocking saga. I read the first two (The Deerslayer and The Last of the Mohicans) in November and December 1967 and decided now I better read the other three volumes or I wouldn't get them read in my lifetime. This is an exciting book, at times, and while it does not require a detective to know how it will turn out--and who will get the girl--it was fun to read and to see how Cooper works the story out. A bit sententious towards the end especially, but not offensively so.

[lukerik-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A nice edition, with few typos and excellent critical apparatus. You don't, strictly speaking, need the notes (unless you must know the meaning of every nautical term), but you'll come to appreciate them for providing welcome breaks in the text of what must surely be one of the worst novels ever written; and I say this as someone who has read the Lensman series.Much of the problem stems from Cooper's inability to shut up. Take this from chapter III (page 36 in this edition). The paragraph beginning “The Oswego...”. He expands on his subject for 159 words (it wouldn't be so bad but it's not even beautiful language) before summarising those words by saying “In short...” That sentence itself is 43 words long. Except he still cannot shut up and he then continues for a further 142 words. What a waste of my time.Or take this cracker from chapter XVII (page 250): “…the indefinable and controlling sense of womanly diffidence, made her suppress her womanly curiosity.” Now, if womanly diffidence is two things, and one of them is controlling, it must be possible to define the other thing. It's lazy writing and this is not the only time when I wondered if what we had here was a first draft. Particularly telling is Cooper's comment in his introduction that Mabel was first named Agnes, but that he changed it during the writing. Apparently the first edition called her by Agnes until the fifth or sixth chapter. Why was he submitting a half revised manuscript for publication and why did he not bother to proofread the text?I found myself asking not only why I was reading the book, but why it was written. What is it about? There seems to be a theme of trust and betrayal, and this is reflected in several sub-plots, or perhaps more accurately plot fragments, but I am forced to conclude, with astonishment, that this is the story of how Mabel got married. Why is this story about getting married been set against a background of nautical adventure and why is Natty Bumppo in it at all? Why is the heroine so boring? Why is Cooper's attitude to women so creepy? Why why why?

[jennannej_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An excellent book! I quite enjoyed this story of the American frontier on the Great Lakes. Natty Bumppo (called Pathfinder in this book) falls in love. Can such a thing succeed when he is such a wild man? A great story, though sometimes the dialogue gets a bit wordy. Descriptions are lovely. I look forward to readin gmore of Cooper.

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

One has to be in the proper mood to enjoy these books. A bit of romance, a bit of adventure, quite a bit of moralizing. I enjoyed them when I read them, but have no desire to read them again. I've since read enough history to realize just how fictional these are. If you read them for the adventure and the descriptions of the Northeastern woodlands, I don't think you will be disappointed. Sadly, the plot of each has sort of blended together and I can't remember the details of any.