Satanstoe Author:James Fennimore Cooper "The best picture of old New York in American literature." Published in 1845 & set in 1751-8 New York state. A good manners adventure novel about the background to the "anti-rent war" revolt of 1839-1846 against the descendants of early Dutch setters who were trying to collect rent. — Cooper defended the property rights of those whom he saw as tr... more »uly elite. This is a romance/adventure love story of the original Dutch owners of much of New York. Colonial manners are well depicted, but social ideas are poorly integrated within the romance. Cooper relies on his youthful memories to depict Puritans, Blacks, Southerners, Dutchmen, Englishmen, etc. For example, Cooper depicts New Englanders as puritanical,materialistic,conniving,equalitarian hypocrites.« less