About the Book

"When newlyweds Gilbert and Lana Martin settle in the Mohawk Valley in 1776, they work tirelessly against the elements to build a new life. But even as they clear land and till soil to establish their farm, the shots of the Revolutionary War become a rallying cry for both the loyalists and the patriots. Soon, Gil and Lana see their neighbors choose sides against each other--as British and Iroquois forces storm the valley, targeting anyone who supports the revolution. Originally published in 1936, this classic novel was a bestseller for two years--second only to Gone with the Wind--and was adapted into a motion picture in 1939. Now, some three-quarters of a century later, Drums Along the Mohawk stands as a brilliant account of the majesty of the New York frontier, the timeless rhythms that shape a marriage, and the battles of a revolution that would change the world. Foreword by Diana Gabaldon"--

Book Synopsis

The bestselling novel behind John Ford's acclaimed film starring Claudette Colbert, Henry Fonda, and Edna May Oliver.

When newlyweds Gilbert and Lana Martin settle in the Mohawk Valley in 1776, they work tirelessly against the elements to build a new life. But even as they clear land and till soil to establish their farm, the shots of the Revolutionary War become a rallying cry for both the loyalists and the patriots. Soon, Gil and Lana see their neighbors choose sides against each other--as British and Iroquois forces storm the valley, targeting anyone who supports the revolution.
Originally published in 1936, this classic novel was a bestseller for two years--second only to Gone with the Wind--and was adapted into a motion picture in 1939. Now, some three-quarters of a century later, Drums Along the Mohawk stands as a brilliant account of the majesty of the New York frontier, the timeless rhythms that shape a marriage, and the battles of a revolution that would change the world.

Foreword by Diana Gabaldon

Vintage Movie Classics spotlights classic films that have stood the test of time, now rediscovered through the publication of the novels on which they were based.

From the Back Cover

Here is the story of the forgotten pioneers of the Mohawk Valley during the Revolutionary War. Here Gilbert Martin and his young wife struggled and lived and hoped. Combating hardships almost too great to endure, they helped give to America a legend which still stirs the heart. In the midst of love and hate, life and death, danger and disaster, they stuck to the acres which were theirs, and fought a war without ever quite understanding it. Drums Along the Mohawk has been an American classic since its original publication in 1936. This Syracuse University Press edition reprints the book in its entirety.

Review Quotes

"The best work of its kind. Throbs with life upon a hostile frontier . . . touched with local color, lively with dialogue, bright with suspense."
--The New York Times

"Lana, the eighteen-year-old bride, and Gil had to fumble and struggle and reach their way to each other through misunderstandings and inharmonies of personality as all living husbands and wives must do. Her personal, intimate relations with her husband are not taken for granted, as in most books about 'history people.' And Mrs. McKlennar, the Trojan, the Amazon, the trump, is a marvelous character worth reading the book to know."
--Dorothy Canfield, Book-of-the-Month Club News

About the Author

Walter D. Edmonds was born in 1903 in New York state. His 1936 novel, Drums Along the Mohawk, was a bestseller for two years. His later works received major literary awards, including the National Book Award and the Newbery Medal. He died in 1998.

Diana Gabaldon is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular Outlander novels, as well as the related Lord John Grey books; The Outlandish Companion; and the Outlander graphic novel The Exile. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband.