Ape-Man (Guide to 100 Years of “Tarzan”)

In October 1912, readers of The All-Story magazine were enthralled by Edgar Rice Burroughs’ tale of John Clayton, an orphaned English lord given a simian upbringing in the African jungle who went on to reclaim his birth-right in civilisation while maintaining one foot in the savage land he had conquered. The character went on to appear in more than two dozen sequels by Burroughs as well as many adaptations.

This book traces Tarzan’s history in prose, film, comic strips, comic books, radio, stage, television, computer games and merchandise, charting the rise of one of the most popular and iconic characters in fiction. Included is the last ever interview with Danton Burroughs (grandson of Edgar Rice Burroughs), plus exclusive comments from Michael Moorcock, Hugh Hudson, R A Salvatore and the oldest surviving screen Tarzan, Denny Miller, amongst many more. The book also examines the massive changes in public attitudes towards Africa, race, hereditary peers and wildlife conservation that may finally deal Tarzan the fatal blow that any number of sinister safaris and high priests of mysterious lost cities failed to.

A comprehensive exploration of one of the most famous icons of the last hundred years.

‘A winning mixture of affection, cattiness and awe-inspiring erudition’ Starburst magazine

‘Well written, entertaining and tells an interesting story of the golden era of the Hollywood Studios’ SciFi Online

‘I always like these “unofficial and unauthorized” guides produced by Telos, but this has to be my favourite to date … Like all the Telos books, this one is a gem of social history, charting the very different ways the ape-man has been served up over the years, chopped and shaped to cater for changing public tastes. It depicts the world in which he was created and whether he faces an uncertain future, when you think of what he stood for, and altering attitudes to Africa, wildlife, and race relations. There are interviews with Burroughs’ grandson, with the oldest surviving screen Tarzan, and with various fantasy and SF writers to add even more color to the richly realized tapestry that is the Tarzan oeuvre … Essential reading for any Tarzan fans.’ Rachel A Hyde – myshelf.com

299pp. A5 paperback book.
ISBN 978-1-84583-067-0 (pb)
Published 31 August 2012

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Londoner Sean Egan has contributed to, amongst others, Billboard, Book Collector, Classic Rock, Record Collector, Tennis World, Total Film, Uncut and RollingStone.com. He has written or edited 18 books, including works on the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Coronation Street and Manchester United. His critically acclaimed novel Sick of Being Me was published in 2003, while Don’t Mess with the Best, his 2008 collection of short stories, carried cover endorsements from Booker Prize winners Stanley Middleton and David Storey.