The Last of the Mohicans (Penguin Classics)

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Summary: Great Illustrations
Review: Any book illustrated by N.C. Wyeth is worth having. I have 6 classics illustrated by this great painter, and I find all of them a letdown if I read them after looking at the illustrations. The stories never live up to this master, and Cooper's classic is no exception.

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Summary: The Last of the Mohicans
Review: There are a vast amount of differences among the cultures and societies of different races. But what of the differences among peoples of the same race? Take for example the peoples of the United States. What are the differences between a person from California and a person from Louisiana? When looked at under a microscope, there are a great many comparisons to be made about a person from the south and a person from the west-coast. James Fenimore Cooper makes a like comparison in his classic The Last of the Mohicans. Cooper looks at the differences between white Europeans (primarily British and French) and two tribes of North American Indians: the Mohicans and the Hurons. Cooper compares the two tribes of Indians as well. Cooper sets his novel in eastern North America during the French and Indian War. His characters are of two different races: white Europeans, British and French; and North American Indians, the Mohicans and the Hurons. Cooper's description of the characters, the scenery, the sounds, the ways of the Indians-this author gives such vivid descriptions of everything that the reader gets a very clear picture of it all; almost like a movie playing inside the mind. Packed with some kind of action or adventure in every chapter, The Last of the Mohicans is a classic piece of literature that is recommended to anyone. The plot begins with the two daughters of a British general attempting to travel from the military station they are at presently to the station of their father. Accompanied by attendants and an Indian guide, they set out on the journey to their father. Not long after the party commenced travelling, they are met by three people; two Mohicans and a white scout, who is friend to the Mohicans and is well-accustomed to the ways of Indians and the wilderness. The British party's Indian guide leaves them, and they turn to the scout and the Mohicans for help. The scout and his friends agree to help them get to the station. Much action and adventure begins at this point in the novel, and continues to the very last page. The Last of the Mohicans is not only interesting to read because the plot flows and moves smoothly, but it provides historical insight as well. Cooper's look at two different tribes of Indians makes comparisons the reader may not have seen before. The author may even change the reader's mind about the opinions he may have had about Indians based on what he knew about them prior to reading the novel. The Last of the Mohicans is not exactly a short book; it has thirty-three chapters. And the action does not begin on page one, but the plot does flow smoothly and logically into it. Once action appears for the first time, it does elevate and decline throughout the novel, but not in a way that seems jumpy. The increase and decrease of action flows logically, as the plot moves from event to event. And as Cooper gives a multitude of details and description, one may find a particular chapter difficult to get through; but even so, the reader always has a mental picture of everything he is reading. The parts that one may find difficult aren't too hard, and it is well worth it when one comes to the last page. Cooper tells the story eloquently and smoothly, and in a way that the reader does not lose interest. His use of description and imagery make the plot clear and easy to follow. The plot in itself is intriguing and keeps the reader interested from the first chapter all the way through chapter thirty-three.

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Summary: Dated, does not translate well into the 21st century
Review: I expected more from a classic of American literature. In contrast to some of the other reviewers, I thought that the Indian characters were stereotyped as either "noble savages" or bloodthirsty brutes. The actions of the English characters are sometimes incomprehensible and the females are of course particularly helpless. Somehow when I read other period literature I can relate a woman's actions to the society of her time, but I couldn't do that here. The Hawkeye character was interesting, but often came off as eccentric rather than heroic and I'm not sure that was the intent. Well, I can say I read it. My copy is going to the used book store.

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Summary: One of the Most Underrated Classics, a MUST-READ
Review: It's hard to imagine that this novel was written over a hundred years ago, because its daring message of anti-imperialism and its detailed and sensitive study of the Native American culture. Apparently, a hundred years later, the interracial romance was still too taboo for Hollywood, so this theme was white-washed. The movie also reduced the complex Indian characters to cardboard cartoons. Read the original literary masterpiece when your brain is active, and watch the movie when your brain is near-dead.

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Summary: Still one of the Classics
Review: Set in upstate New York in colonial times, Cooper here tells the tale of the stolid colonial scout Hawkeye, nee Natty Bumppo (don't ask), who, with his two Indian companions Chingachgook (the Big Snake) and his son Uncas (apparently newly come to manhood), stumble on a party of British soldiers conducting two fair maidens to their father, the commander of British Fort William Henry during the French and Indian War. Under the watchful eyes of the young British officer who has the girls in his charge and led by a Huron scout, Magua, the party appears, to the indomitable Hawkeye, to be at greater risk than they realize as they trek through the wilderness toward the safety of the girls' father's garrison. And, indeed, Hawkeye's judgement is soon proved right as the scout Magua treacherously betrays the hapless girls in repayment, it seems, for a stint of corporal punishment inflicted on him previously by their absent parent. Since the Hurons, Magua's native tribe, are culturally akin to the Iroquois who are the herditary enemies of the Algonquin Delawares, from whom Chingachgook and his son hail and among whom Hawkeye has made his home and friendships, a natural antagonism arises almost at once between Hawkeye's party and the Huron and this proves salutary, when danger finally strikes. The tale quickly becomes a matter of flight and pursuit through thickly overgrown primeval forests, over rough mountains and across broad open lakes as the beleagured travelers first elude and then flee the dreaded Iroquois (allies of the French) who have joined the renegade Huron in an effort to seize the two girls. After a brief respite within the safety of William Henry however, the tables are once again turned as Magua's perfidy puts the girls once more at risk. And now the story shifts to a manic pursuit of the fleeing Magua who means to carry off his human prey in order to finally have his revenge on the girls' father, on the British and on the Europeans, generally, whose presence in his native country he blames (not altogether unjustifiably) for his myriad travails. Written in the fine tradition of the 19th century romance (which, of course, is what this book is), Cooper picked up where Sir Walter Scott (the venerable founder of this novelistic tradition) left off, creating a rich historical tale of adventure, nobility and marvelously sketched characters set against a brilliantly detailed natural landscape. If his characters are less keenly drawn than Scott's they are no less memorable for, in the quiet nobility of the scout Hawkeye lies the strong, silent hero of the wilderness which has become the archetypical protagonist in our own American westerns. And the Indians, Chingachgook and Uncas, are the very prototypes of the noble savage, so much used, and over-used, today. This is a tale of action first and foremost without much plot but so well told that you barely notice, as our heroes flee and pursue their enemies in turn -- until the very quickness of the prose seems to mirror and embody the speed of the action. Nor is this book only to be read for its rapid-fire rendition of flight and pursuit, for it touches the reader on another level as well, as the bold young Uncas moves out ahead of his comrades to place himself at risk for the others and the woman he loves. Although we never see Uncas at anything but a distance and never get to know the man he is supposed to be, he is yet a symbol of that people of whom he is the last chiefly descendant, the Delaware Mohicans. Nobly born into the finest of Mohican bloodlines, Uncas faces his final trial with heroic energy and resolve in order to defeat the nefarious and twisted Magua. Yet this struggle is also the final footnote in the story of a people, marking the closing chapter for all those Indians who, with the Mohicans, have, in Cooper's own words, seen the morning of their nation and the inevitable nightfall which must follow. If you give this book a chance and bear with some of the heavy nineteenth century prose, it will prove out in the end. An exciting and worthwhile read.

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Summary: The story continues...
Review: Some of you readers of "Last of the Mohicans" might be interestested in knowing a juicy little tidbit. I just happened to be browsing through books in the library and came across a book by Sara Donati entitled "Into the Wilderness". What caught my attention was a review by my absolutely all time favorite author, Diana Gabaldon. She has a review on the cover of this book that states "One of those rare stories that let you breathe the air of another time, and leave your footprints on the snow of a wild, strange place". So I checked it out figuring if Diana Gabaldon endorses this book I have to read it. And as I begin this book, imagine my surprise as I'm introduced to the stories characters... a much older Hawkeye and his very elderly adoptive father...Chingachgook! This story, "Into the wilderness" is the sequel to last of the Mohicans and is the story of Hawkeye's and Cora's son Nathaniel. I'm only a quarter of the way through it and enjoying it very much. I can not compare to the book "last of the Mohicans" because I only saw the movie but in my opinion, Sara is a good writer and I am enjoying the continuation of a great story and interesting characters. I understand Nathaniel's and Elizabeth's story continues in a third book entitled "Dawn on a distant shore" coming out in March of 2000. Just thought some of you might be interested. Also if any of you are interested in the best series of books of all time...read Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager and The Drums of Autumn. I can promise one and all, You WILL NOT be dissappointed. I couldn't put them down and eagerly await the 5th book in the series.

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Summary: Can it get any better than this?
Review: I disagree with anybody who found this book boring or tedious reading. At the tender age of 13 I picked up this book. Of course, at that age I would have had a right to dislike it ,but it turned out to be the highlight of my reading life. Ever since then I have compare every book to this one ,and in my mind's eye all have taken a backseat. I've read the whole series of Leatherstocking tales since then ,and they now hold the best seat in my library. Besides the Bible, I surely do consider the Leatherstocking tales my favorite books. In this fast paced world I can understand how people can grow weary of this book. It's much more than Indians and Pale faces running through the forest though. The reader must put as much thought and emotion into it as the author has done to develop his characters. As in the words of my English teacher ,"Cooper reads like a smooth glass of lemonade--let him sit on your tongue for a moment."

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Summary: UGH!!
Review: What the hell, this book is BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've always wanted to read this book, for some reason thinking dat it must be good, but the only thing this book did to me was make me loose points in my English class!! Ugh!!!!! I should've chosen the Time Machine instead! This book is just a bucket of senseless violence, pointless romance, totally unconvincing motives, and stereotyped characters. How could a novel be worse????

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Summary: BORING????
Review: I hear the word boring used often when reviewing a book. In an age where we are bombarded with so much sensory stimulation of all kinds, reading classic literature can seem rather dull. The key is to put the book in the context in which it was written and avoid critiquing it to death. Read this book with an open mind.

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Summary: An almost complete waste of paper
Review: This book not only made me groan every time I picked it up, but discouraged me from reading other books by the same author. For anybody reading this and saying that I am wrong, I disagree. The Last of the Mohicans was not a book I would recommend, especially because of all the confusing characters , sights, and places. This book was something I might read again, but definately not until I can understand it better. James Fenimore Cooper, I give you credit, but I still did not enjoy reading you're book. I guess it's just not my style.