The Leatherstocking Tales II: The Pathfinder/The Deerslayer

The Deerslayer: It took me most of my life to finally read the Leatherstocking novels. Cooper's tale of love, war, beauty, strength and human frailties introduces us to the world of the early Eastern American frontier, and to a unique individual named Nathaniel Bumppo, who was so unshakable in his integrity that we suspect Cooper had subliminally drawn a portrait of the man he himself would liked to have been, had all things been perfect. Rather than merely a tale of adventure, or of the wars between the tribes of Delawares and Hurons, who both in turn are determined to keep the white usurpers at bay, it is an unlikely romance, whose undercurrent runs as deep as the waters of the beautiful, remote lake upon which the story unfolds for the first time, "the Glimmerwater". The main characters are 'Floating Tom' who has constructed what he believes is a floating fortress far out into the middle of the lake, protected from attack on all sides by the water, anchored by pilings driven into the lake bottom. This is the abode of Old Tom, who is of uncertain background, and of his two daughters, one strikingly beautiful in the outward sense of female loveliness, Judith; and one who has been graced by an inner serenity that touches all who know her eventually; she is Hetty, mildly retarded, whose mind is simple and untouched by worldly concerns, yet able to function in a far more practical way than can first be imagined. The character of Hetty is one that grows on the reader; at first she is discounted, then slowly, she begins to emerge as the rock on which a good measure of their strength depends. The girl Judith, has had a past which by the standards of the day is questionable. Her reputation is cleverly revealed to Deerslayer (Natty Bumppo)by his friend, "Hurry Harry" - another woodsman, who in subtle jealousy endeavors to drive away any competition by uncouth words and suggestions. He is the opposite of Deerslayer; and in Deerslayer Judith knows she has never seen a man quite like him, nor does she want to let him leave the secluded woodland without her. He is attracted to her beauty; but he is a spirit of the forest, and that, even more than the wariness he holds against her, keeps him at arms length. Many events unfold; the Deerslayer is scheduled to meet his Delaware warrior friend on the shores of the lake which is the reason for him being there to begin with; his is a rendezvous to aid in a revenge-taking. The betrothed maid of the Delaware boy has been kidnapped by the Hurons, and he has pledged to find and rescue her. There are scenes of danger and of skirmishes; the descriptive passages that skillfully paint a mental image of the tranquil, isolated lake and it's forest boundaries are truly splendid. We are reluctant witnesses to two new burials on the lake where two of the people we have come to know reunite with the mother who has passed long before; it is a scene apart from any I have read before or since. The Pathfinder: This

Excellent, high-quality binding, paper and typeface make this volume a joy to handle and read. The classic Leatherstocking Tales have never looked better. The time line and notes help place the readings in historical perspective.

The Pathfinder and The Deerslayer are great stories well told. Natty Bumppo (a.k.a. Pathfinder, Deerslayer and Hawkeye) is the archtypical American hero. He is brave, honest and selfless, yet still humble. He is a model for us all. Young people in particular should read about him as an antidote to the rampant braggadocio that too many modern "heros" exhibit.

Cooper is too good to be true! I love reading his books because he creates such beautiful pictures while he binds you to an imaginative story line. His stories bring you to the battlefront and into the very mind of the hero. This book has a beautiful format. It is very useful. I do recommend hardback editions thus allowing you to pass on your treasures to further generations. James Fenimore Cooper demands immense reverance from attentive readers. No library should be without this book.