Leatherstocking Tales: Complete Western Series (Illustrated) (ePub)

James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) was a preeminent American writer of the early 19th century. His historical romances of frontier and Native American life in the early American days created a unique form of American literature. Born in Burlington, New Jersey, Cooper grew up in Cooperstown, New York, a town founded by his father. He attended Yale University but was expelled for a prank before he could graduate. Initially following a career in the navy, he turned to writing following a wager with his wife, leading to his first novel, 'Precaution' in 1820. However, it was his 1826 novel 'The Last of the Mohicans', part of the Leatherstocking Tales series, which solidified his fame. The series also includes 'The Pioneers', 'The Prairie', 'The Pathfinder', and 'The Deerslayer'. Cooper's portrayal of natural wilderness and his insight into the portrayal of Native American characters were distinctive elements of his work. His literary style combined action, adventure, and moral lessons, reflecting the values and spirit of the young American nation. His work has evoked both admiration for its romantic depiction of the frontier and criticism for its portrayal of Native Americans. Nonetheless, Cooper's influence on American literature is undisputed, situating him among the canon of great American writers and a forebear of the Western literary genre.