San Antonio College Library

James Fenimore Cooper - American Writers 48 was first published in 1965. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions.

With biographical and historical information kept to a minimum, full attention is given to interpretation of the individual tales.

Lawrence asserted that 'the proper function of a critic is to save the tale from the artist who created it'. In these highly individual, penetrating essays he has exposed 'the American whole soul' within some of that continent's major works of literature. In seeking to establish the status of writings by such authors as Poe, Melville, Fenimore Cooper and Whitman, Lawrence himself has created a classic work. Studies in Classic American Literature is...

Tom Paine and republican religion -- Landscape as religion: Irving, Bryant, Cooper -- Transcendentalism and Emerson -- The cosmic optimism of Walt Whitman -- The pessimism of Mark Twain -- The cosmic loneliness of Robert Frost.