In recent years, beginning with the 1998 republication of "Rural Hours", Cooper has begun to achieve recognition as a significant writer in her own right. "Rural Hours" in particular has been called the "first major work of environmental literary nonfiction by an American woman writer, both a source and a rival of Thoreau's "Walden"." This book went through six editions and the last one was published in 1887; it was formed through a daily diary kept by Cooper and included lengthy discussions of nature, drawings of birds native to her dwelling area as well as flowers and other plants. Both Susan and her works were unique for their time; this book was nearly scientific with its descriptive details of the specimens she studied, both visually and lingually. She had a basic knowledge of botany and spent a significant amount of her life in charitable pursuits.