Encountering Edgar Rice Burroughs in a Box of Old Books
It seems the time I spent in Cincinnati going through old boxes has put me in somewhat of a studious and reflective mood, good to get me back on track for working on my dissertation, bad for blogging. Or maybe it’s just that I’ve blogged so much for the past nine months that I need take a break from such writing.
It was weird going through my boxes, finding that while my path has meandered through a number of fields of endeavor, my interests have remained pretty constant over time. In those boxes, I found many works on mythology, history, politics and philosophy as well as the classics of many literatures–and a good deal of science fiction/fantasy, even one out-of-print fantasy book I had not yet read.
I began it upon my return. It suffers from the problems of much contemporary fantasy, too much magic and names which are pretty lame. Not just that, unlike the masters of fantasy fiction, the author hasn’t really worked out the history and mythology of her imaginary realm. Still, so far it’s a pretty good read with clear, if pedestrian prose.
And I discovered my complete set of the Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ Mars series. How I loved those books when I first discovered them in my early adolescence! But, in the years since those books had been boxed up, I didn’t think much about them. Indeed, I don’t think I can remember a plot from a single book.
I thought I’d ship them back her and keep the books. Yet, as I remembered my youthful enthusiasm for them, how I had to save up to buy each one, I decided to give them away, hoping they’d find their way into some used bookstore where another kid, with passions similar to my own, could get them on the cheap. For the cost of a week’s allowance perhaps, he could enjoy an idle afternoon, traveling to a faraway land and letting his imagination run wild . . .
5 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Hmmm…John Carter of Mars. As I remember he didn’t wear much more than a jeweled-loincloth, tall boots and a sword.
Comment by Ted B. (Charging Rhino) — December 5, 2008 @ 4:23 pm - December 5, 2008
Burroughs is often underrated. His Tarzan books are masterpieces of racial acceptance - remarkable considering they were written in 1910’s.
They are also bitterly funny - great reads and definitely he was one of our great writers.
And today’s left is trying to bury him with allegations of racism - unfounded. They cite a white man taking over and ruling africa as a crime against the natives - obviously they have not read one word of the stories. Tarzan eschewed rule, and befreinded a great many natives. He himself was born in Africa.
As much fun as John Carter was, Carson Napier of Venus was a little hipper, and his 6 adventures are very strange.
THansk for sharing ERB with some lucky kid…
Comment by ted — December 5, 2008 @ 9:12 pm - December 5, 2008
Good choice to pass on the joy of literary escape. Bravo.
Comment by MikeInSedona — December 6, 2008 @ 2:41 pm - December 6, 2008
I remember all of them with pleasure and joy. Wish Pulp was a bit more en vogue.
Comment by The_Livewire — December 6, 2008 @ 6:08 pm - December 6, 2008
I’m working my way through the series right now- on book 4. For pure enjoyment, they are the best- now days, everything has to have some sort of message (usually liberal), but these books are just about fun. If you haven’t read Princess of Mars, pick it up and give it a read- you won’t regret it.
Comment by A Conservative Teacher — December 7, 2008 @ 8:51 am - December 7, 2008