Publisher's Synopsis
The Water Witch is a 1830 novel by James Fenimore Cooper. Set in 17th century New York, and the surrounding sea, the novel depicts the abduction of a woman, Alida de Barberie, by the pirate captain of the brigantine, Water Witch, and the subsequent pursuit of that elusive ship by her suitor, Captain Ludlow.Cooper wrote the novel, while on a extended tour of Europe, during his stay in the villa Palazzu detta del Tasso near Naples. [1] Cooper tried to print the novel while he was in Italy in 1829 but Papal censors forbade its publication in Italy.[1] Cooper was then able to print the novel in Dresden, before also sending copies to his publishers in the US and England.Critic Allan Axelrod describes the novel as heavily influenced by the Italian context of its writing, noting that it even compares the landscapes of New York with that of Italy. James Fenimore Cooper (September 15, 1789 - September 15, 1851) was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. His historical romances of frontier and Indian life in the early American days created a unique form of American literature. He lived most of his life in Cooperstown, New York, which was founded by his father William on property that he owned. Cooper was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church and, in his later years, contributed generously to it.He attended Yale University for three years, where he was a member of the Linonian Society, but was expelled for misbehavior... Susan Augusta Fenimore Cooper (April 17, 1813 - December 31, 1894) was an American writer and amateur naturalist. She founded an orphanage in Cooperstown, New York and made it a successful charity. The daughter of writer James Fenimore Cooper, she served as his secretary and amanuensis late in his life."
