James Fenimore Cooper

About the Author

James Fenimore Cooper (1789–1851) was an American writer best known for writing historical romances set in the early 18th century. Early in his career, Cooper was influenced by Jane Austen’s approach to fiction, but subsequently pivoted to writing the thrillers, historical romances, and American folklore that he is best known for. His novels, though outdated in their terminology, often highlight the plight of Native Americans, and the ways in which European colonialism ravaged Indigenous lands and communities.