Taking place just a few years after the Louisiana Purchase, The
Prairie follows Ishmael and Esther Bush as they travel west from the
Mississippi River with their fourteen children, Ellen Wade, a doctor,
and Esther's brother. While searching for a place to camp, the group
meets Natty Bumppo, a legendary man now in his late eighties. Referred
to as "the trapper" Natty helps the family settle somewhere safe. Later,
as he roams through the forest, he stumbles upon Ellen, Esther Bush's
niece, in a secret rendezvous with her lover. Though Ishmael intends to
marry Ellen to his oldest son, Ellen has fallen in love with Paul Hover,
a wandering beehunter. Before she can explain, the three are kidnapped
by the Sioux Native American tribe. Though they manage to pull off a
narrow escape, the capture is only the beginning of Natty and the Bush's
problems. After their camp is raided and their horses are stolen, the
Bush's are left stranded. Always willing to help those in need, Natty
guides the group to a naturally fortified hill. As they settle, one of
Natty's old acquaintances arrive with shocking news. Struggling to
survive kidnappings, torture, murder, fires, and betrayal, the Bush's
and Natty fight to protect their loved ones and make the prairie their
home.
With scandalous love affairs, thrilling near death experiences, and
shocking betrayals, The Prairie depicts an enthralling journey of
early Americans. As the last installment of James Fenimore Cooper's
esteemed series, Leatherstocking Tales, The Prairie depicts its
courageous and kind protagonist, Natty Bumppo, as he experiences the
final years of his life. Matching the exciting adventures previously
depicted in the series, The Prairie bids farewell to Natty Bumppo
paying homage to his past while indulging in the emotional journey of an
aging man. With the portrayal of memorable characters and a vivid,
undomesticated setting, Cooper's novel examines how civilization changes
nature, and the cruel damage humankind inflict on each other.
This edition of James Fenimore Cooper's The Prairie features a
striking new cover design and is reprinted in a readable and appealing
font, encouraging modern readers to experience the emotional and vivid
portrayal of the pioneers living in a young, developing nation.
