A ship's mutiny forces a young noble English couple out onto the African coast, and their child is born in the wild. When they die a short time lat...
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Feb 12, 2009
Whitaker
rated it: 
Pulp fiction at its best.
I went in with low expectations and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It's pulp fiction, but it's good pulp: a fun romp and so very very silly. Burroughs buys into all the prejudices of his time, but it's tough to blame him for being merely mortal. Ignore it. He's no worse than JM Barrie or Kipling.
I've shelved it under Fantasy, and that's what it is. There may be no Middle Earth or magic, but a novel where a child brought up among apes le More...
I went in with low expectations and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It's pulp fiction, but it's good pulp: a fun romp and so very very silly. Burroughs buys into all the prejudices of his time, but it's tough to blame him for being merely mortal. Ignore it. He's no worse than JM Barrie or Kipling.
I've shelved it under Fantasy, and that's what it is. There may be no Middle Earth or magic, but a novel where a child brought up among apes le More...
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Feb 13, 2009
Jason
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(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)
The CCLaP 100: In which I read for the first time a hundred "classic" books, then write essays on whether or not they still deserve the label
Book #25: Tarzan of the Apes, by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1914)
The story in a nutshell:
Set in the last great da More...
The CCLaP 100: In which I read for the first time a hundred "classic" books, then write essays on whether or not they still deserve the label
Book #25: Tarzan of the Apes, by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1914)
The story in a nutshell:
Set in the last great da More...
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Aug 18, 2010
Keely
rated it: 
I must say, I was expecting more from this book. It takes inspiration from a wide array of very good adventure novels, but manages to be more bigoted than the colonial literature that inspired it and less factual and forward-looking than books written thirty years before.
One of the major inspirations is H. Rider Haggard's early pulp adventure stories, including the tales of Allan Quatermain. Like Tarzan, these stories take place in the depths of colonial Africa, but the attitudes and More...
One of the major inspirations is H. Rider Haggard's early pulp adventure stories, including the tales of Allan Quatermain. Like Tarzan, these stories take place in the depths of colonial Africa, but the attitudes and More...
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May 08, 2008
Keri
rated it: 
I read this book because my sister recommended it. I thought, what's the big deal? It's Tarzan. I continued to feel this way throughout the first 50 or 60 pages, but then I couldn't put it down! I loved this adventure story, especially because it's so different from all the movies that have been made from it. I also adore the author's writing style. I guess I'm just a lover of classic literature - the formal and kind of stuffy voice is highly entertaining to me. I absolutely recommend this to ev
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Oct 24, 2011
Mike
rated it: 
The first thing that caught my eye about this book was the gorgeous Neil Adams cover. The next was the realization that I have never actually read the book! Another “it’s about time? moment! Although quite familiar with the legend and history of Tarzan, that knowledge had not come from the actual book. Instead, like many, it came from the movies, television serials, and comics.[return][return]What really struck me about the novel was how well it read. Given that it was written almost 100 ye
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Oct 26, 2008
bup
rated it:
Amid a charmingly terrible understanding of his chosen setting (example - Burroughs seems to believe that 'ape' is a species, as distinct from gorilla, chimpanzee, etc), Burroughs constructs an absurd, laughably unbelievable tale.
Then, the last two chapters blew me away. They kicked my ass and called me Nancy. I had no idea Burroughs had it in him - it was like it was ghost-written by Hemingway or something. Seriously - if you can make it through the first twenty-six, the last two ma More...
Then, the last two chapters blew me away. They kicked my ass and called me Nancy. I had no idea Burroughs had it in him - it was like it was ghost-written by Hemingway or something. Seriously - if you can make it through the first twenty-six, the last two ma More...
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Feb 23, 2008
John
rated it:
Ah, how to begin... Tarzan raised me from a little boy and helped me become a man. After the Bobsey Twins, Hardy Boys, and, yes, Nancy Drew, I admit, came Tarzan, Return of Tarzan, Beasts of Tarzan, Son of Tarzan, Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar,... yes 24 in all, and then the Mars series, and Moon, and Venus, and Pellucidar, I own over 65 Edgar Rice Burroughs books, but Tarzan was an inspriation to me, so I have to give the credit to this book, despite its flaws, for many happy hours of reading.
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Aug 27, 2007
Joanie
rated it:
I listened to an old unabridged audio cassette of this first Tarzan novel after having plunged through a later one that I discovered hiding in a 25 cent book bargin bin at a library. And what a treasure did I find! Burroughs has the amazingly uncanny ability to describe all the senses in panoramic detail. I feel like I'm there with Tarzan and his friends (and enemies) in the jungle.
You gotta keep in mind how dated this is but wow! He was such a talented writer for his time. It makes More...
You gotta keep in mind how dated this is but wow! He was such a talented writer for his time. It makes More...
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Dec 02, 2009
Monk
rated it:
I probably picked this up initially because I enjoyed the Ron Ely TV series on Saturday mornings as a kid. Had no idea what I was getting into.
"Tarzan" evokes many well-deserved images of cheesiness. The Burroughs series itself after the first couple of books becomes pretty bad pulp fiction, with weird tie-ins to his Center of the Earth series, Tarzan's son going through exactly the same experience as his dad, etc.
But this first book is something very different. Not just More...
"Tarzan" evokes many well-deserved images of cheesiness. The Burroughs series itself after the first couple of books becomes pretty bad pulp fiction, with weird tie-ins to his Center of the Earth series, Tarzan's son going through exactly the same experience as his dad, etc.
But this first book is something very different. Not just More...
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Feb 21, 2011
David
rated it:
Things I love:
1. Tarzan has so far put a lion and a gorilla in a full-nelson.
2. Tarzan taught himself to read. From a dictionary.
3. He dug up pirates' treasure even though he didn't see any purpose for it, just because he didn't like them.
4. Tarzan learned French in about two weeks from a wounded French soldier.
Things I don't love:
1. Tarzan grew up shaving with a knife. Even though he had never seen a human until grown, he knew it was unseemly to More...
1. Tarzan has so far put a lion and a gorilla in a full-nelson.
2. Tarzan taught himself to read. From a dictionary.
3. He dug up pirates' treasure even though he didn't see any purpose for it, just because he didn't like them.
4. Tarzan learned French in about two weeks from a wounded French soldier.
Things I don't love:
1. Tarzan grew up shaving with a knife. Even though he had never seen a human until grown, he knew it was unseemly to More...
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Apr 21, 2009
Chris
rated it:
I think most people have at least a vague concept of the Tarzan story and its characters. There have been many official Tarzan movies over the years and many stories and other movies that refer to or borrow from the Tarzan mythos. To a large extent, I went into this first Tarzan book (there were over 20 books written) with a pretty good feel for what to expect from the storyline. Despite that, I found some unique elements that I didn't expect.
The adventure story within the book is More...
The adventure story within the book is More...
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Nov 13, 2008
Dorothy
rated it:
As a teenager reading the Tarzan books back in the '60s, I wanted to be Jane and go live in the jungle with the strong, silent Tarzan. Tarzan was an adventure that took me completely out of my time and place and set my imagination free. It was a hoot!
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Dec 05, 2008
J
rated it:
I've been on a quest for several years now to read old fiction books, particularly (but not exclusively) American and British novels, that have been around for so long and are so famous that no one reads them anymore, because they've been made into movies or TV mini-series (often many times over), or because they've entered into our pop culture references so frequently that people *think* they know them without having to actually read them. They don't have to be great novels -- just really, real
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Nov 16, 2011
Rhys
rated it:
A fast exciting read. I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I enjoyed *At the Earth's Core* a few years ago (the only ERB book I had read until now) but *Tarzan of the Apes* still has many strengths. ERB's main quality as a writer is his momentum: he creates a real sense of urgency in the reader to keep turning the pages.
This novel is very much a hymn to the concept of the 'noble savage'. But is it also an attack on 'civilisation'? That's a more difficult issue... Tarzan is a mortal m More...
This novel is very much a hymn to the concept of the 'noble savage'. But is it also an attack on 'civilisation'? That's a more difficult issue... Tarzan is a mortal m More...
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Jun 16, 2009
Werner
rated it:
This is the one Burroughs book virtually everyone in the world has heard of, and it embodies many of the characteristics (positive and negative) of his style. Like the (sometimes almost interchangeable) heroes of his science fiction novels, the title character here --a scion of the English aristocracy born to parents marooned in coastal Africa, orphaned as an infant and then raised by apes-- is strong, tough, and brave, instinctively honorable and moral, and exemplifies the theme of feralism or
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Jan 17, 2008
Kirt
rated it:
So, I finished reading the original Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I won't even begin to talk about what a hash the movie and TV versions, especially the Disney version, made of an excellent story.
I expected not to enjoy this book very much. I never found Tarzan to be a very compelling character, in any of the incarnations I was familiar with. I expected to enjoy the Barsoom stuff much more, as the Science Fantasy trappings attracted me much more.
But I found, More...
I expected not to enjoy this book very much. I never found Tarzan to be a very compelling character, in any of the incarnations I was familiar with. I expected to enjoy the Barsoom stuff much more, as the Science Fantasy trappings attracted me much more.
But I found, More...
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Oct 22, 2007
Erika
rated it:
i don't care how geeky it makes me, i LOVED this book. i only happened upon it because it was the first ebook offered on my iPhone ebook reader, but i fell in love in the first chapter. i'm only sad that "Return of Tarzan" isn't available as an iPhone ebook, so now i have to get it from the library (the old-fashioned way). the first book ends when tarzan just makes it to the US and meets up with jane, so now i have to read the 2nd to find out about his adventures in civilization. tru
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Apr 01, 2011
I haven't actually seen the Disney Tarzan or George of the Jungle, so I can't tell you how accurate it is. In fact, I don't even know if Jane and Tarzan end up in the movie or not (I do in the book though, now!!). The story is basically the same though (from what I know): Boy grows up in a jungle!
That's what the book is pretty much about, Tarzan being raised by apes and slowly learning to be a human. I really liked reading this because I could mark Tarzan's learning to be a man p More...
That's what the book is pretty much about, Tarzan being raised by apes and slowly learning to be a human. I really liked reading this because I could mark Tarzan's learning to be a man p More...
Feb 24, 2009
James
rated it:
It occurred to me that I had never read any of the Burroughs Tarzan books. When I was in Junior High, I had read all of his "John Carter of Mars" series and really enjoyed them. About 10 years ago, I tried re-reading the first of that series, "A Princess of Mars" and found it to be completely juvenile. I gave up at about 20 pages in and never looked back. For some odd reason though, when I was at the library last week, I decided to give the first book in the Tarzan series a w
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Feb 10, 2012
Andy
rated it:
I came to this with no real expectations (certainly not high ones anyway) yet found myself pleasantly surprised. Tarzan is an enjoyable read and made a nice corollary to The Jungle Books. More violent and pulpy than the rather eloquently and intellectually depicted world of Mowgli we're instead rewarded with a great period adventure story; a proper boys' own romance with a surprisingly downbeat ending.
Tarzan is wonderfully perfect in everything he does, naturally good at what ever More...
Tarzan is wonderfully perfect in everything he does, naturally good at what ever More...
Jan 30, 2012
Stephanie "Jedigal"
rated it:
A good adventure story, I understand the first of a long series. The ending point definitely occurs at a place where you will still want to know what happens next.
The author's supposition that a youngster without human contact and with only picture books, a dictionary, and other selections of written language could learn our WRITTEN language, seems to be quite a far stretch. Just the idea that writing would be recognized as language by such a child seems a leap to me.
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The author's supposition that a youngster without human contact and with only picture books, a dictionary, and other selections of written language could learn our WRITTEN language, seems to be quite a far stretch. Just the idea that writing would be recognized as language by such a child seems a leap to me.
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Jan 05, 2012
Devon
rated it:
Wow, that is all you can say about this book. and its not the usual type of WOW, but more that exasperated sort of wow, the one where you are just floored at the insanity you are commenting on, and this book is insane.
I really like the style, burroughs is always a fun read, but sometimes with books of this age you come across something that just makes you flinch, that goes across the grain of your modern sensibilities. Having your main character be a white man in the jungle whos pref More...
I really like the style, burroughs is always a fun read, but sometimes with books of this age you come across something that just makes you flinch, that goes across the grain of your modern sensibilities. Having your main character be a white man in the jungle whos pref More...
Oct 29, 2011
Ana
rated it:
The story itself is not bad, but the ethics behind it, the thought processes required to accept the story, are really not my cup of tea. This book is definitely a product of its time, and Tarzan reminds me quite a bit of Ayla from Clan of the Cave Bear, wherein the innate superiority of the main character allows them to retain the best aspects of their adopted tribe but to have the best characteristics of their heritage/breeding shine through as well. Of course, that's a nature vs. nurture debat
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Jun 30, 2011
Mike
rated it:
The first thing that caught my eye about this book was the gorgeous Neil Adams cover. The next was the realization that I have never actually read the book! Another “it’s about time� moment! Although quite familiar with the legend and history of Tarzan, that knowledge had not come from the actual book. Instead, like many, it came from the movies, television serials, and comics.
What really struck me about the novel was how well it read. Given that it was written almost 100 years ago (!) it w More...
What really struck me about the novel was how well it read. Given that it was written almost 100 years ago (!) it w More...
Mar 30, 2011
Stephen
rated it:
With so many books in the public domain available for ereaders, I thought I'd try a classic I'd never read before.
"Tarzan of the Apes" - By Edgar Rice Burroughs
Since its original publication in 1912, Tarzan remained a cultural phenomenon and iconic hero for the duration of the 20th century.
When I was a kid in the late 70's, I remember watching all the old b/w movies with Johnny Weissmuller on the UHF stations every Sunday morning on "Tarzan T More...
"Tarzan of the Apes" - By Edgar Rice Burroughs
Since its original publication in 1912, Tarzan remained a cultural phenomenon and iconic hero for the duration of the 20th century.
When I was a kid in the late 70's, I remember watching all the old b/w movies with Johnny Weissmuller on the UHF stations every Sunday morning on "Tarzan T More...
Jan 15, 2011
Michael
rated it:
Life is hard when you are different from the rest of your tribe, even hated by many of them. There are many disadvantages placed on your shoulders: you are smaller than the rest of your tribe (even the females), instead of sharp fangs you have flat wide teeth, many things you do are thought weird, and the list goes on…
Yet you are not overcome by these minor set backs because where you are smaller you are faster, more agile; sharp teeth are not necessary when you have a sharp knife, a More...
Yet you are not overcome by these minor set backs because where you are smaller you are faster, more agile; sharp teeth are not necessary when you have a sharp knife, a More...
Oct 06, 2010
Eric
rated it:
So, I remember reading this when I was younger, and I had come across an indictment of ERBurroughs as being a bit of a misogynist at the end of the story, so I decided to sit down and re-read this book with adult eyes.
Burroughs is clearly a product of his time. His writing, very much in the Victorian tone, but I have to agree with the feminist reading, because Jane is really poorly written at the very end of the book. I suspect it might be because ERB was setting the book up for a More...
Burroughs is clearly a product of his time. His writing, very much in the Victorian tone, but I have to agree with the feminist reading, because Jane is really poorly written at the very end of the book. I suspect it might be because ERB was setting the book up for a More...
Aug 01, 2010
Joselito
rated it:
If you've never heard of Tarzan, who was raised by apes, then better not read this review because it contains a lot of spoilers in the form of trivia. Like that this novel is probably the only one, among the 1001 books You Must Read Before You Die, which ends with a footnote. It reads:
"The further adventures of Tarzan, and what came of his noble act of self-renunciation, will be told in the next book of Tarzan."
The "act of self-renunciation" was Tarzan More...
"The further adventures of Tarzan, and what came of his noble act of self-renunciation, will be told in the next book of Tarzan."
The "act of self-renunciation" was Tarzan More...
Jun 13, 2010
Tracy
rated it:
I've have had a crush on Tarzan since I was a little girl (something about a man in a loin cloth--what can I say,) but I'd never actually read any of the books until recently (shame on me.)
Written before I was born, and I'm getting up there, I initially found Burrough's prose to be a bit stuffy. But once I got past Tarzan's parents dying (finally,) I was swept into the beauty of the language and the wonder of the story itself. The action scenes were exciting, especially when Tarzan More...
Written before I was born, and I'm getting up there, I initially found Burrough's prose to be a bit stuffy. But once I got past Tarzan's parents dying (finally,) I was swept into the beauty of the language and the wonder of the story itself. The action scenes were exciting, especially when Tarzan More...
Feb 27, 2010
Mike
rated it:
I had a memory of having enjoyed a series of Tarzan books in junior high, but when I recently looked to see if I had read the originals, it seemed improbable that as a young teenager I had really enjoyed books written in 1912. I decided to check Tarzan of the Apes out of the library to see if it stirred any memories, and -- to my surprise -- it did. Perhaps to my greater surprise, I actually really enjoyed it. Mr. Burroughs may not have been a master novelist, but he certainly did construct a st
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