Edgar Rice Burroughs: Life and Legacy of a Literary Icon
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author who is best known for creating the character of Tarzan, the hero of a series of jungle adventure novels, as well as the Barsoom series, which features the hero John Carter and is set on the planet Mars. His lesser-known works are some of my favorites, such as the Caspak Trilogy and the Pellucidar series. Burroughs wrote more than 70 novels and was one of the most popular authors of the early 20th century.
ERB is one of my favorite Pulp writes for the style he uses and the "lost world" type of worlds he created. These books came from simpler times where there was a clear line between good and evil, where there was a hero and a damsel in distress., where the goal was to defeat the bad guy and get the girl. Simple. Due to my enjoyment of ERB's works, I thought I needed to write a little blog article about him. Maybe this will expose a new generation to the wonderful world of Pulp.
Early Life and Career
Burroughs was born on September 1, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the fourth of six children, and his parents were George Tyler Burroughs, a businessman, and Mary Evaline Burroughs. Burroughs attended a number of schools as a child, but he struggled academically and eventually dropped out of Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, in his senior year.
After leaving school, Burroughs worked a number of different jobs, including as a railroad policeman and a gold miner. He eventually found work in the business world, and in 1911, he began writing stories in his spare time. His first story, "Under the Moons of Mars," was published in the magazine All-Story in 1912. This story, which later became the novel A Princess of Mars, introduced the character of John Carter and launched Burroughs' career as a writer.
Success as a Writer
Over the next several years, Burroughs wrote a number of novels, including The Beasts of Tarzan, The Son of Tarzan, and Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar. The Tarzan series, which began with Tarzan of the Apes in 1914, was an immediate success, and Burroughs became one of the most popular authors of the time. He continued to write Tarzan novels throughout his career, and the character became a cultural icon.
Burroughs also continued to write the Barsoom series, which includes such novels as The Gods of Mars, The Warlord of Mars, and Thuvia, Maid of Mars. The Barsoom series is set on the planet Mars and features John Carter, a Civil War veteran who finds himself transported to the red planet and embroiled in a series of adventures.
In between writing these series, ERB would write the Caspak trilogy and Pellucidar novels. Both series of books involve explorers finding lost worlds full of primitive tribes, prehistoric creatures, and terrible horrors unknown. Of course, I was drawn to these immediately in my youthful browsing of Barnes and Noble. Unfortunately, the bookstores no longer seem to carry any books like these, probably due to some dumb argument about colonialism or something else irrelevant.
Later Life and Legacy
Burroughs continued to write throughout his life, and he also became involved in a number of business ventures. He founded his own publishing company, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., in 1923, and he also invested in a number of real estate projects. I feel like people accomplished more constructive tasks prior to the internet and the demon vices of TikTok and the like.
Burroughs died on March 19, 1950, in Encino, California. He was survived by his wife, Emma, and their two children. Burroughs' legacy lives on through his novels, which continue to be popular with readers of all ages. His influence can also be seen in popular culture, including in films, television shows, and comic books. Most notable among these are the Tarzan films, Disney's box office flop, John Carter of Mars (I found this movie entertaining) and the Land that Time Forgot with Doug McClure (cheesy but a good B movie).
Edgar Rice Burroughs was a prolific writer who created some of the most iconic characters in American literature. His Tarzan and Barsoom series continue to captivate readers, and his influence can be seen in the work of many contemporary writers. Burroughs' legacy is a testament to the power of imagination and the enduring appeal of adventure stories. I whole heartedly recommend reading the works of ERB if you want to escape the woke messaging agendas so commonly proliferated in modern books and if you want a good old fashioned adventure story with clear good and bad guys.
For more Pulp and Pulp related joy, hit up my own stories HERE and HERE and checkout my modern pulp recommendations HERE!
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