James Fenimore Cooper

Definition

James Fenimore Cooper was an early American writer whose historical novels depict frontier life; he's best known for his five "Leatherstocking Tales," including "The Last of the Mohicans."

Analogy

Think of James Fenimore Cooper as a movie director who specializes in historical dramas. Just like such a director brings history to life on screen, Cooper brought American frontier life alive through his novels.

Related terms

American Romanticism: A literary movement that took place in the late 18th and early 19th centuries which emphasized emotion, imagination, and individualism over rationality and science.

Historical Fiction: A genre of literature that takes place in the past and is characterized by an elaborate setting described with great detail, often using real-world events or people as basis for narrative.

"The Last of the Mohicans": One of Cooper's most famous works, this novel is set during the French and Indian War and follows a woodsman named Natty Bumppo.