Foreword: THE REAL TARZAN
Who is the real Tarzan of the Apes?
Everyone generally agrees that he’s the strong man that lives in the jungle and can talk with his animal friends. But from there on, the definitions will vary. Some will swear that he lives in a tree house and is usually saying, “Me Tarzan, you Jane,” while others will tell you that he has a son named Boy and a monkey called Cheetah.
In spite of what you may suppose, this is not a valid answer to the question. Tarzan does not live in a tree house, he speaks English fluently, his son’s name is Korak the Killer and he calls his monkey Nkima.
The misconceptions were brought about by the Tarzan motion pictures of a few years back, and, though they have certainly spread Tarzan’s fame, they have altered his character from that created by Burroughs in his books. The Tarzan novels are vividly conceived, mature, gripping stories told by a talented author.
You hold one of these novels in your hand. You will find the real Tarzan far more thrilling than his pale movie counterpart.
—Camille Cazadessus, Jr.
Editor, ERB-dom, a magazine devoted to the Burroughs books.
