Letters from an American farmer

By J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur

Subjects: Farmers, Whaling, Farm life, Slavery, Mœurs et coutumes, Manners and customs, St. john de crevecoeur, j. hector, 1735-1813, Early works to 1800, Agriculture, united states, États-Unis, United states, description and travel, early works to 1800, Social life and customs, Descriptions et voyages, Nantucket (Mass.), United states, social life and customs, Description and travel

Description: Written by an emigrant French aristocrat turned farmer, the Letters from an American Farmer (1782) posed the famous question: "What, then, is the American, this new man?," as a new nation took shape before the eyes of the world. Addressing some of American literature's most pressing concerns and identity issues, these Letters celebrate personal determination, freedom from institutional oppression, and the largeness and fertility of the land. They also address darker and more symbolic elements, particularly slavery. This book is the only critical edition available of what is seen by many as the first-ever work of American literature.