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Tarzan of the Apes
Written by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Narrated by Shelly Frasier
Book Actions
Start Listening- Publisher:
- Tantor Audio
- Released:
- Jul 28, 2008
- ISBN:
- 9781400178506
- Format:
- Audiobook
Description
Born of noble stock to parents who become marooned on the savage West African coast, the young Lord Greystoke is orphaned in his first year of life. Named Tarzan by the great apes that raise him, he must learn the law of the jungle to survive. As he matures, his strength and agility develop to match those of the beasts that he is surrounded by, yet he realizes that he is different. He combines higher intelligence, superhuman strength, and his jungle training to become the unconquerable Lord of the Jungle.
When a group of civilized people invade Tarzan's jungle paradise, his life is changed forever, for with them is Jane. Jane is the first woman Tarzan has ever seen, and he must have her as his own. But how can this uncivilized ape-man hope to win her?
Book Actions
Start ListeningBook Information
Tarzan of the Apes
Written by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Narrated by Shelly Frasier
Description
Born of noble stock to parents who become marooned on the savage West African coast, the young Lord Greystoke is orphaned in his first year of life. Named Tarzan by the great apes that raise him, he must learn the law of the jungle to survive. As he matures, his strength and agility develop to match those of the beasts that he is surrounded by, yet he realizes that he is different. He combines higher intelligence, superhuman strength, and his jungle training to become the unconquerable Lord of the Jungle.
When a group of civilized people invade Tarzan's jungle paradise, his life is changed forever, for with them is Jane. Jane is the first woman Tarzan has ever seen, and he must have her as his own. But how can this uncivilized ape-man hope to win her?
- Publisher:
- Tantor Audio
- Released:
- Jul 28, 2008
- ISBN:
- 9781400178506
- Format:
- Audiobook
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Reviews
Among the attacking apes is Kala, a female whose own baby has died. Finding the now-orphaned, hairless white baby, she takes it up as her own. After ten years, the puny and slow Tarzan—“white ape” in their tongue—begins to mature in both body and brain. Although he knows nothing of his connection with the cabin, he is fascinated by it. He discovers how to open the cabin latch,where he finds many books, including a brightly illustrated alphabet book. The “bugs” on the pages fascinate him, and in time he teaches himself to read them. I marveled at how the author described the wayTarzan taught himself to read. He also finds a sharp hunting knife and, when a huge gorilla attacks him, he accidentally discovers the knife’s usefulness. With it, he gains status as the tribe’s greatest hunter and fighter.
Later, a tribe of black Africans settles in the area, and Kala is killed by one of the tribe's hunters. Avenging himself on the killer, Tarzan begins an antagonistic relationship with the tribe, raiding its village for weapons and playing cruel pranks on them. They, in turn, regard him as an evil spirit.
Later, a new party of white travelers become marooned on the coast, including Jane Porter, the first white woman Tarzan has ever seen. Tarzan's cousin, Tarzan spies on the newcomers, aids them, and saves Jane from the dangers of the jungle. Eventually Tarzan learns how to behave among white men, as well as serving as his guide to the nearest colonial outposts. In the end, Tarzan travels to Jane's native Baltimore, Maryland only to find that she is now in the woods of Wisconsin. Tarzan finally meets Jane in Wisconsin where they renew their acquaintance and he learns the bitter news that she has become engaged to William Clayton. Meanwhile, clues from his parents' cabin have enabled D'Arnot to prove Tarzan's true identity. Instead of claiming his inheritance, Tarzan chooses rather to conceal and renounce his heritage for the sake of Jane's happiness.
It's a classic adventure story -- and the pace never really slowed down once it picked up. Of course, you should know that Edgar Rice Burroughs is racist to his core, and the 'African savages' presented in this novel are cringe-worthy and the way he writes them makes my skin crawl. Skip them, if you like, as I did, because they add very little most of the time.
I'm sick of people saying 'he was a man of his time' as if to excuse it? He was a man of his time, yes, and a racist one. (His writing of women is also problematic but I will get into that some other time - I will have to read another of his books and pick out examples because they can be quite subtle and subversive.)
One thing I will say is that Edgar Rice Burroughs had never actually been to Africa and imagined it very differently to how it truly was, and so you can rest-assured that the Africa he speaks of is one that does not exist.
... all of that aside, though. This was a really exciting story! It moved well, it read well, I remember quite a few of the lines, and I read it quite easily. The language was easy enough to follow, but it's not a children's story (unlike the Disney film).
I adored this story, but I'll have to give it three stars.
But that was a devious, DEVIOUS ending. I guess I'm off to download book two...
Full review to come.