James Fenimore Cooper

James Fenimore Cooper was an American writer of the first half of the 19th century. His most famous work is the historical novel The Last of the Mohicans, published in February 1826 (200th anniversary this year). It is part of the Leatherstocking Tales, a 5-novel series, which also includes The Pioneers (1823), The Prairie (1827), The Pathfinder (1840), and The Deerslayer (1841).

g

• Lifetime: 15 September 1789 • 14 September 1851
• Main genre: Historical fiction
• Literary movement: Romanticism
• Works: A very prolific writer - more than 30 novels, about 5 short stories, a play, about 20 non-fiction books
• Mid-2026 popularity rank: --

j

What to expect if you want to read his works:

• Adventure in historical fiction depicting the Frontier period
• Wilderness and rugged landscapes; the tension between untamed nature and expanding society, a subtheme of the universal nature vs. civilisation theme
• Early American identity, as it emerges from the colonial period and British rule, and Native American relations, both themes exploring cultural conflict

l

"History, like love, is so apt to surround her heroes with an atmosphere of imaginary brightness."