Autobiography of a Pocket-Handkerchief

1843 novel by James Fenimore Cooper

Autobiography of a Pocket Handkerchief is a serial novel by James Fenimore Cooper first published by Graham's Magazine in 1843.[1] The novel explores the upper crust of New York Society from the perspective of a woman's handkerchief.[2]

After the initial publication in Graham's Magazine the novel was published by several other magazines, including Brother Jonathan.[1] The novel was published in whole in 1843 by Cooper's London publisher Richard Bentley under a separate title, The French Governess; or, The Embroidered Handkerchief.[1] In 1845 a German publisher also published the work in full.[1]

Themes

Critic Thomas Bender describes the whole novel as devoted "to the subject of the evils of selfishly attempting to achieve higher place".[3] The city of New York, in this context, represent the evils of "struggle for social status" and this becomes the model for the woes and disorder caused by this struggle.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d MacDougall, Hugh C. "Transcriber's Preface to Autobiography of a Handkerchief" – via James Fenimore Cooper Society.
  2. ^ Axelrad, Allen M. (July 1995). Hugh C. MacDougall (ed.). "Aristocracy forsooth!...the Blackguard is the Aristocrat": James Fenimore Cooper on Congress and Capitalism. 10th Cooper Seminar, James Fenimore Cooper: His Country and His Art. State University of New York College at Oneonta. pp. 7–16.
  3. ^ a b Bender, Thomas (April 1970). "James Fenimore Cooper and the City". New York History. LI (3): 287–305 – via James Fenimore Cooper Society.

External links

  • Autobiography of a Pocket-Handkerchief public domain audiobook at LibriVox
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Works by James Fenimore Cooper
Leatherstocking Tales novels
Other novels
  • Afloat and Ashore
  • Autobiography of a Pocket-Handkerchief
  • The Bravo
  • The Chainbearer
  • The Crater
  • The Headsman: The Abbaye des Vignerons
  • The Heidenmauer
  • Homeward Bound
  • Home as Found
  • Jack Tier, or the Florida Reef
  • Lionel Lincoln
  • Mercedes of Castile
  • Miles Wallingford
  • The Monikins
  • The Oak Openings
  • The Pilot: A Tale of the Sea
  • Precaution
  • The Red Rover
  • The Redskins
  • Satanstoe
  • The Sea Lions
  • The Spy: A Tale of the Neutral Ground
  • The Two Admirals
  • The Water-Witch
  • The Ways of the Hour
  • The Wept of Wish-ton-Wish
  • The Wing-and-Wing
  • Wyandotté
Short stories and plays
Non-fiction
  • The Chronicles of Cooperstown
  • The Eclipse
  • The History of the Navy of the United States of America
  • Lives of Distinguished American Naval Officers
  • Ned Myers
  • New York: or The Towns of Manhattan
  • Notions of the Americans
  • Old Ironsides
  • Proceedings of the Naval Court-Martial in the Case of Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, &c.
Political writings
Travel writings
  • Gleanings in Europe: Switzerland
  • Gleanings in Europe: The Rhine
  • A Residence in France
  • Gleanings in Europe: France
  • Gleanings in Europe: England
  • Gleanings in Europe: Italy
  • Commons
  • Wikiquote
  • Wikisource texts


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