Jack Tier or, the Florida Reef

James Fenimore Cooper's 1848 novel JACK TIER OR THE FLORIDA REEF is not for everyone. It is one long, slow sea-adventure tale of the genre invented by Cooper. It is full of technical terminology about sailing vessels. ***** On the other hand, there are elements within JACK TIER which must strongly appeal to specialized segments of the American reading publics of 2010: -- (1) The subtitle showcases THE FLORIDA REEF. This unique, hundreds of miles long coral formation is lovingly described in all its moods, calm and stormy, live-giving and life-taking, with sharks, sea-turtles, shell fish and on an on. An ecological magnet. -- (2) There is a dying gasp of the literary Gothic, in which Cooper had cut his teeth, in the wake of his model, Sir Walter Scott. Who is this mystery sailor man Jack Tier? What is his tie to the shady Sea Captain Stephen Spike ? I thought I had figured this out, but was wrong. One of the most surprising of surprise endings! --(3) 1846- 1848 Mexico war with USA. The American naval blockade. A courtly Mexican patriot buys gunpowder from an American traitor. With rendezvous at a light house in the Dry Tortugas islands and final scenes in early Key West, Florida. ***** I hope that what I have written is enough of a teaser to help you make up your mind whether you want to read JACK TIER. I for one enjoyed it, especially the "surprise ending." -OOO-