The Pioneers, or The Sources of the Susquehanna


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.6 stars; 76 reviews)

The Pioneers: The Sources of the Susquehanna; a Descriptive Tale is one of the Leatherstocking Tales, a series of five novels by American writer James Fenimore Cooper. The Pioneers was first of these books to be published (1823), but the period of time covered by the book (principally 1793) makes it the fourth chronologically. (The others are The Deerslayer, The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, and The Prairie.)

The story takes place on the rapidly advancing frontier of New York State and features a middle-aged Leatherstocking (Natty Bumppo), Judge Marmaduke Temple of Templeton, whose life parallels that of the author's father Judge William Cooper, and Elizabeth (the author Susan Cooper), of Cooperstown. The story begins with an argument between the Judge and the Leatherstocking over who killed a buck, and as Cooper reviews many of the changes to his fictional Lake Otsego, questions of environmental stewardship, conservation, and use prevail. The plot develops as the Leatherstocking and Chingachgook begin to compete with the Temples for the loyalties of a young visitor, Oliver Effingham. For all its strange twists and turns, 'The Pioneers' may be considered one of the first ecological novels in the United States. (Summary from Wikipedia)

Dedicated Proof-Listeners: Annise, Mickey Reno (18 hr 37 min)

Chapters

00 - Introduction 15:01 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
01 - Chapter 01 42:29 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
02 - Chapter 02 23:46 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
03 - Chapter 03 24:08 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
04 - Chapter 04 30:25 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
05 - Chapter 05 36:39 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
06 - Chapter 06 34:22 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
07 - Chapter 07 37:47 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
08 - Chapter 08 25:04 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
09 - Chapter 09 22:06 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
10 - Chapter 10 22:15 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
11 - Chapter 11 23:03 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
12 - Chapter 12 38:08 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
13 - Chapter 13 32:24 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
14 - Chapter 14 31:25 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
15 - Chapter 15 27:07 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
16 - Chapter 16 26:07 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
17 - Chapter 17 30:46 Read by Gary W. Sherwin
18 - Chapter 18 19:48 Read by Bill Boerst
19 - Chapter 19 19:47 Read by Bill Boerst
20 - Chapter 20 30:35 Read by Bill Boerst
21 - Chapter 21 25:46 Read by Bill Boerst
22 - Chapter 22 21:24 Read by Bill Boerst
23 - Chapter 23 24:59 Read by Bill Boerst
24 - Chapter 24 30:46 Read by Bill Boerst
25 - Chapter 25 21:32 Read by Bill Boerst
26 - Chapter 26 25:19 Read by Bill Boerst
27 - Chapter 27 13:22 Read by Bill Boerst
28 - Chapter 28 30:13 Read by Bill Boerst
29 - Chapter 29 23:00 Read by Bill Boerst
30 - Chapter 30 29:34 Read by Bill Boerst
31 - Chapter 31 19:07 Read by Bill Boerst
32 - Chapter 32 26:08 Read by Bill Boerst
33 - Chapter 33 34:16 Read by Bill Boerst
34 - Chapter 34 19:13 Read by Bill Boerst
35 - Chapter 35 31:54 Read by Bill Boerst
36 - Chapter 36 21:51 Read by Bill Boerst
37 - Chapter 37 21:36 Read by Bill Boerst
38 - Chapter 38 27:04 Read by Bill Boerst
39 - Chapter 39 28:25 Read by Bill Boerst
40 - Chapter 40 23:16 Read by Bill Boerst
41 - Chapter 41 25:53 Read by Bill Boerst

Reviews


(5 stars)

I just can't say enough about this series of books... just amazing James fenimore Cooper is one of my favorite authors...


(5 stars)

good reading and i'm glad it is all one reader. this is one of my favorite series of books


(4.5 stars)

well read, glad I found it. I probably. would never have finished the book without it.


(5 stars)

Being honest, I would never read this entire series so I am grateful to the volunteers who have devoted many hours to make the series a must listen. The books are full of wisdom and humanity...and adventure.


(3 stars)

I listened to all 5 of the Leatherstocking Tales as wonderfully read, and I thank the readers for giving me so much pleasure. I read the books in chronological order of Natty Bumppo’s life, making this the 4th in the series, although published first. Of the 5, unfortunately I found this the worst and the most difficult to get through, a problem I did not have with the other four. Cooper is very loquacious and this book has the least of Natty, and you can only wish for more.


(4.5 stars)

excellent story sufficient narration though I add it is a damn same to have such narrative clouded with the addition to such goofy voices such added. but the story is worth the aggravation of listening to said goofy sound effects of narrators choice in voicing..STORY ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ narration minus 0.5. Thank you for reading story anyhow and as always thank you Libervox🤫✌🏼