The Spy James Fenimore Cooper 9781494336318 Books
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One of the best books of all time, James Fenimore Cooper's The Spy. If you haven't read this classic already, then you're missing out - read The Spy by James Fenimore Cooper today!
The Spy James Fenimore Cooper 9781494336318 Books
First ran across this book in a college course many years ago. Skimmed it at the time, but revisited it a decade or so later and really enjoyed it. I now read it at least every two years. The Spy is a very significant book in that it was, arguably, the first well-received novel about America written by an American author. The florid prose can be tedious, although the reading gets easier with time. For example, it takes Cooper the first page and one-half to basically state "it was a dark and stormy night," but the observations and descriptions make it very interesting, if somewhat laborious. Over all, the book is a great read, and it offers a snapshot of life in the Revolutionary War period that history books just can't. To begin his own literary "revolution," Cooper, in an effort to attract female readers, takes great pains to describe clothing and furnishings in minute detail. This doesn't serve to advance the plot much, but it does provide a vivid picture of the times. Another new feature is the realistic treatment of the dialogue of the beloved black slave, Caesar. Over one hundred years before Jack Benny's "Rochester," we have Cooper's Caesar providing comic relief with his mispronunciations and equally entertaining colloquialisms. To my knowledge, slaves in novels by earlier authors either spoke with a Harvard accent or not at all.To wrap this all up, the plot is slow to develop and many of the characters are cliched and predictable. Despite this, the book succeeds in providing an entertaining and even educational read. The actual spy - Harvey Birch - is a complex character who hides behind his simplicity, depending on the situation. Also, Cooper's treatment of George Washington really brings the man to life, and it depicts the man, more than the general. The treatment of American patriotism in general is well-done, from multiple standpoints. All-in-all, this book is worth the effort.
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The Spy James Fenimore Cooper 9781494336318 Books Reviews
Excellent novel of the revolutionary times as experienced in the Hudson Valley. Sympathetic to the adherents of both sides among the colonists, although the British do not come off too well. Despite being written in the elaborate style of the times, and despite some of the characters being a bit too noble for my taste, I found this to be a involving and fascinating book. There are plenty of characters with selfish or mixed motives to balance out the noble ones.
It might be helpful to read a history of the revolution or the Hudson Valley beforehand, as I did, to get a better sense of the background. This edition has a useful introduction, but it is necessarily focused on Cooper and the writing of this book.
This isn't Cooper's best, but it is very good. Harvey Birch, the spy of the title, actually receives less attention in this novel than a few other characters. I wondered at times while reading this why the book was given this title. All in all though, the book is well written and kept my interest to the very end. This book is also worth reading for glimpses of the mood of the colonies during the War of Independence - not everybody was gung-ho for revolution against Britain. There were also low-life parasitic gangs of men nicknamed 'The Skinners' prowling the land stealing and murdering.
The last time I read a novel by Cooper was as an English major in college when "The Pioneers" was required reading in American novel class. I never thought I'd read another Cooper novel, but after recently reading in a John Jay biography that "The Spy" was based on the true story of a Revolutionary War double-agent spy, I was intrigued enough to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. Cooper's style is well-known to be bombastic, but we must keep in mind that he was one of the first genuine American novelists, so I don't think we should be too critical. Actually, at times, Cooper does a wonderful job at descriptive narrative. He has moments when he definitely achieves success in bringing into the mind's eye the vivid natural beauty of the Hudson highlands.The story line was exciting enough that I wanted to find out what happened to the characters, especially to Harvey Birch, the spy. Overall, I liked "The Spy" and I'm glad that I took the time to read it.
Considered the first American novel, The Spy tis set during the Revolutionary War in New York State north of the city with skirmishing and forays by the Continentals and British closely following the attempted betrayal of West Point by Benedict Arnold. The Continental Army is taking strict and swift precautions against suspected British spies caught behind their lines.
The main story centers around a British officer, Henry Wharton, from a Tory family in Westchester who visits his family dressed in a civilian disguise. Because of bad weather, he is forced to delay his return to British held territory, is caught, and is held for trial and execution as a spy.
There are also a number of other characters, including the Wharton family, the Peddler, a group of marauders terrorizing the area, and the actual Continental army deployed in this area.
E story held my interest, up until the end I wasn't sure who the actual spy was - it could have been any one of 3 or more characters.
In the end , it turns out to be the most obvious of the characters who, today, we would call a double agent.
First ran across this book in a college course many years ago. Skimmed it at the time, but revisited it a decade or so later and really enjoyed it. I now read it at least every two years. The Spy is a very significant book in that it was, arguably, the first well-received novel about America written by an American author. The florid prose can be tedious, although the reading gets easier with time. For example, it takes Cooper the first page and one-half to basically state "it was a dark and stormy night," but the observations and descriptions make it very interesting, if somewhat laborious. Over all, the book is a great read, and it offers a snapshot of life in the Revolutionary War period that history books just can't. To begin his own literary "revolution," Cooper, in an effort to attract female readers, takes great pains to describe clothing and furnishings in minute detail. This doesn't serve to advance the plot much, but it does provide a vivid picture of the times. Another new feature is the realistic treatment of the dialogue of the beloved black slave, Caesar. Over one hundred years before Jack Benny's "Rochester," we have Cooper's Caesar providing comic relief with his mispronunciations and equally entertaining colloquialisms. To my knowledge, slaves in novels by earlier authors either spoke with a Harvard accent or not at all.
To wrap this all up, the plot is slow to develop and many of the characters are cliched and predictable. Despite this, the book succeeds in providing an entertaining and even educational read. The actual spy - Harvey Birch - is a complex character who hides behind his simplicity, depending on the situation. Also, Cooper's treatment of George Washington really brings the man to life, and it depicts the man, more than the general. The treatment of American patriotism in general is well-done, from multiple standpoints. All-in-all, this book is worth the effort.
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