Edgar Burroughs: biography, creativity, best books and reviews

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Edgar Burroughs is an outstanding American writer, recognized as one of the best writers of the 20th century. The author's most famous cycles are the series about Tarzan and John Carter. In addition to these works, Burroughs wrote many more fantasy and detective novels. Critics speak of his work with a share of irony, although they undoubtedly recognize his literary talent.

Birth

Edgar Rice Burroughs was born on September 1, 1875. His father was a veteran of the civil war and participated in the battles on the side of the army of the Northern Union. After the war, he was able to become a businessman. In the Burroughs family, Edgar became the fourth child. When the time came, the boy was sent to study at Brown School. However, during the diphtheria epidemic, the school was closed for quarantine, so young Edgar was sent to Maplehurst School, which was intended only for girls. Burroughs was then transferred to Harvard Andover School, from which he successfully completed.

Edgar decided to connect his future with a military career, so he decided to enter the Michigan Military Academy. As the years passed, the author recalled with irony that in allin schools he was taught Latin and Greek with fanaticism, but nowhere was there even a small course dedicated to English.

Military service

Edgar Burroughs graduated from the academy in 1895, where he said he learned to ride admirably. The next goal was to enter West Point, the top military academy in the United States. To do this, with the help of his father, he enlisted the support of one of the Chicago congressmen, who wrote a letter of recommendation for the young man.

Burroughs overestimated the recommendation he received and did not prepare well enough, so he could not pass the entrance exams.

Due to the failure, he had to go to the service. It turned out to be the 7th US Cavalry Army, located in Arizona in those years. Here Burroughs served only two years: from 1896 to 1897.

Then Burroughs was a reserve cop in Illinois.

Family life

Edgar Burroughs after the end of his military career in 1898 settled in Idaho. Here he became the owner of a shop specializing in the sale of paper for printing equipment.

And in 1900 he married Emma Hulberti. Their marriage was long, but not particularly happy. Husband and wife divorced in the 1940s. During their life together, they had two sons and a daughter.

For the first 10 years of marriage, the family lived in poverty. Burroughs first contacted a mining company, but the deal was not successful. Therefore, in 1904, the writer was forced to go to the policeon the railroad in Utah. In 1906, he left this post and became the manager of one of the departments of a large Chicago company. However, this place of work did not bring the necessary income, so in 1908 Burroughs went to an advertising agency. But a year later he leaves him, becoming a manager in the office. A year later, he changes jobs again and becomes one of the sales partners of the firm. Until 1913, the future writer changed three more jobs.

The turning point in Burroughs' failed career was when he began writing for newspapers and magazines. He then turned 35 years old. At that moment, the writer realized that he could write both low-quality literature and serious works that would be published in magazines and published.

First novel

Edgar Burroughs, despite the fact that he came very late to understanding his literary talent, began to write as early as 1912. He then completed his first novel, Under the Moons of Mars. One of the most famous heroes of Burroughs, John Carter, appears in this work. The novel tells how he first gets to Mars.

However, this story was not published for the first time, but "The Daughter of a Thousand Jeddak", which appeared on the pages of the All-Story magazine in 1912.

Tarzan Appears

Despite the constant search for work and changing professions, Edgar Rice Burroughs did not leave literature. The writer's books appeared with incredible speed. Also in 1912, the first Tarzan novel was published. This is one of the biggestcycles of the writer, consisting of 25 books.

The story of John Cleton, Lord Gray, an aristocrat who, as a child, ended up on the coast of Africa with his parents, won many hearts. The cycle itself gave rise not only to many films and cartoons based on the famous work, but also to a number of computer games. Which suggests that after 100 years, Tarzan has retained his appeal to readers and viewers.

Martian cycle

This series is also called Barsoomskaya. This is the most popular (after Tarzan, of course) cycle that Edgar Burroughs wrote. John Carter (all books in the series confirm this) is the most charming character, the best of all created by the author. His story is very unusual: he is magically transported to the world of the Martians, called Barsoom. The first book in the series, called The Princess of Mars, was published in 1912. The series includes 11 books in total.

Many readers believe that this cycle is the best that Edgar Burroughs wrote. John Carter became a childhood hero for many and, to some extent, a role model. Others note that their acquaintance with science fiction began with these works.

Literature and life

In 1919, bought for himself and his family a large ranch, which was located in the San Fernando Valley, Edgar Burroughs. Books during this period for the writer became the main way to earn money. The fact is that Burroughs was accustomed to a luxurious life, and it required considerable expenses. To nothingnot deny himself, the writer had to write three novels a year.

Cinema also began to bring in a certain income. The first Jungle Boy film was released in 1918, but did not bring the popularity that Burroughs expected. The pictures that began to appear after 1930 were indeed a resounding success. The main role in them was played by Johnny Weissmuller, an Olympic swimming champion. Largely due to his participation, films have become popular.

Death of a writer

Was quite a famous man of his time, Edgar Rice Burroughs. Books are not the only thing that made him famous. So, in 1933, he became mayor of California Beach.

As noted above, the writer divorced in 1934, and remarried already in 1935. Florence Derhold became his chosen one. However, this marriage did not last particularly long. The couple divorced in 1942.

During World War II, the writer worked as a war correspondent. At that time he was already over 60 years old. However, the dangers did not particularly frighten him, and the military service affected the strength of the nerves of the elderly writer.

Burroughs died in 1950, March 19th. The official cause of death is heart failure.

Readers' interest in books after the death of the author fell sharply. Burroughs himself, as if foreseeing this, shared with a reporter in an interview that he does not consider his books to be literature and does not mislead himself. However, in 1960, the Edgar Rice Burroughs Corporation, founded by the writer, was able not only tobe revived, but also to arouse readers' interest in the works of the author. Moreover, Burroughs' work has even become the subject of a number of academic studies.

The best books that Edgar Burroughs wrote

The Martian Chronicles and the Tarzan series are recognized as the writer's best books by both readers and critics. Particularly distinguished are the first novels of both cycles, as well as the works "John Carter - a Martian", "Gods of Mars". In addition, a book stands out that is not included in any of these series - "The Earth Forgotten by Time." Readers note the novelty of the plot, the unusual world order and memorable characters.

Reviews

What is the reader's opinion now about the novels that Edgar Burroughs wrote? John Carter (all books in the cycle dedicated to him) is still the most popular hero. Many readers talk about this series with love and gratitude, because the books came to them as a child and inspired them to do science, showed that there are no limits to dreams and imagination.

The Tarzan series also has a lot of positive feedback. Basically, of course, they also met him in childhood, for some he even became the first book he read on his own. However, many readers note that the author's language lacks artistry, and the plot lacks variety.