Tarzan Forever : The Life of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Creator of Tarzan

He didn't begin writing fiction until he was almost 36 years old, with a mediocre track record in school, the army, and business. But once Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) found his calling, it took him barely six months to produce one of the most enduring characters in popular culture. Tarzan of the Apes was a smash hit all around--in the pulp magazine where he first appeared, in book form, and eventually in a series of movies. As in his previous book about "America's Cowboy Artist" Charles M. Russell, Texas-based journalist Taliaferro displays a healthy appreciation for the work of a mass entertainer without making exaggerated claims for its artistic merits. The biographer also knowledgeably describes the publishing environment in which Burroughs operated, showing how the managerial skills the author acquired in a long string of boring jobs helped him squeeze every nickel out of his literary creations. This all-American moxie linked Chicago-born Burroughs to his readers, who also shared his fascination with exotic places (from Africa to Mars), heroes distinguished by brawn and brains, and heroines as scantily clad as possible. While the text capably chronicles Burroughs's personal affairs, Taliaferro sensibly keeps his focus on the fascinating role the Tarzan creator played in our collective fantasy life and in the development of commercial culture. --Wendy Smith