The spy
Subtitle: a tale of the neutral ground
By: James Fenimore Cooper ; introduction and notes by Wayne Franklin.
Contributors: Franklin, Wayne.
Series: Penguin classics
Publisher: Penguin Books
Published: 1997
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 412
Subjects: New York (State) -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction
Description: Inspired by accusations of venality leveled at the men who captured Major Andre (Benedict Arnold's co-conspirator, executed for espionage in 1780), Cooper's novel centers on Harry Birch, a common man wrongly suspected by well-born Patriots of being a spy for the British.

Even George Washington, who supports Birch, misreads the man, and when Washington offers him payment for information vital to the Patriot's cause, Birch scorns the money and asserts that his action were motivated not by financial reward, but by his devotion to the fight for independence.

A historical adventure tale reminiscent of Sir Walter Scott's Waverley novels, The Spy is also a parable of the American experience, a reminder that the nation's survival, like its Revolution, depends on judging people by their actions, not their class or reputations.
Notes: Includes bibliograhical references (p. [xxxi]-xxxii).