Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #84221 in Books
• Published on: 1994-03-31
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Synopsis
Cooper's most enduringly popular novel combines heroism and romance with powerful criticism of the destruction of nature and tradition. Set against the French and Indian siege of Fort William Henry in 1757, "The Last of the Mohicans" recounts the story of two sisters, Cora and Alice Munro, daughters of the English commander, who are struggling to be reunited with their father. They are aided in their perilous journey by Hawk-eye, a frontier scout and his companions Chingachgook and Uncas, the only two survivors of the Mohican tribe. But their lives are endangered by the Mangua, the savage Indian traitor who captures the sisters, wanting Cora to be his squaw. In setting Indian against Indian and the brutal society of the white man against the civilization of the Mohican, Cooper, more than any author before or since, shaped the American sense of itself as a nation.

Customer Reviews

Heavy going
A classic adventure involving escape from the bad guys, rescue by some brooding hero(s), more escapes, unpleasant deaths for some of the good guys and most of the bad guys, and a happy ending for the survivors. This is a recommended classic, an interesting story and on the list for those who want to improve their mind.

However, I found the language very flowery and such heavy going that I eventually gave up, which I don't do easily. It's an exciting story and well worth hearing, but if you don't want to wade through a book full of artistic prose then go see the film instead, it's very good.

One of those books perhaps better seen on film
This is one of those books where the film adaptation actually does it credit rather than a disservice. It is fairly long winded in novel form with many digressions, which the film, thankfully cuts out! It's a bit like Lord of the Rings without the dreary poetry.
Here, the action centres around the protagonist, Natty Bumpo and his adventures with the native Americans and has lots of fighting in it! It is all about bravery, nobility, the true mettle of a man etc. It has all the themes you look for in a great American novel, man finding his true self by carving a path through the wilderness and coming into his own.
This is all well and good, but doesn't particularly appeal to me, as I find it a bit preachy and long winded. The actual story with its bare bones is pacy and exciting, squeaky heroines, gruff manly heroes, lots of action and derring do, but it is a tad too formulaic for my liking.

worth it
As a fair few reviews have stated, the language used in this book can be somewhat of a barrier. I was 16 when I read this book, and only thought of reading it after seeing the film. The film touched me a great deal and so I was interested in seeing how the read would compare.
As mentioned, I was 16, and managed to understand the book through till end, and found that gradually the old slang, or language, easier to read.
If you enjoy reading, and are willing to put in the time to read slowly and understand the words in this great novel, then it really is worth the read. It's a story of great morals, love and loss and I really would reccomend it.
Few books manage to bring tears to my eyes, but this book did and has definately brought alot of insight into the fabulous world of native indian culture.