Description
The Monumental Publication of a True ERB First Edition!
In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ birth, we are thrilled to announce the upcoming publication of Trailblazer: The Autobiography of Tarzan’s Creator. The 20,000-word “Autobiography,” dictated by Burroughs at the prompting of his new book publisher in 1929 for the purposes of promotion, has never before seen print and details in his own words the life of the Master of Adventure from his birth to 1914. A compelling, insightful, and often humorous and self-deprecating account of the man who singlehandedly transformed popular culture with his iconic creations, Trailblazer is the true American success story. Burroughs writes of his days as a schoolboy in Chicago and a cowboy in Idaho; his trials and triumphs as a cadet in the Michigan Military Academy; his service in the 7th U.S. Cavalry chasing the notorious outlaw the Apache Kid in the mountains of the Arizona Territory; and his struggles as a young husband, father, and fledgling businessman. The “Autobiography” concludes with Edgar Rice Burroughs’ ultimate achievement: the creation of the immortal Tarzan of the Apes and John Carter of Mars, the beloved heroes of his tales of adventure and romance that forever imprinted his presence on global culture.
Trailblazer sheds light on Edgar Rice Burroughs the Man, showing both his doubts and his courage in the face of adversity. Moreover, it counters oft-told and misleading narratives about his views on race, illustrating his sympathetic feelings and respect for the Indigenous peoples he encountered in the American Southwest, and his high opinion of a regiment of Black soldiers quartered at Fort Grant, Arizona, beside and under whom he served while in the cavalry.
Supplementing the “Autobiography” is a 20,000-word profile of the illustrious author by noted ERB scholar Henry G. Franke III, picking up where Burroughs’ firsthand account leaves off and covering the remainder of his life and career. Here we see Burroughs metamorphose from a budding author into a successful entrepreneur who launched a worldwide industry of Tarzan film, radio, publishing, licensing, and merchandising, all while he continued to write his highly popular novels. Franke also details how Burroughs could not refuse the call to duty after witnessing in person the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, risking the dangers of Pacific Theater as the oldest accredited war correspondent in World War II.
Trailblazer is rounded out by 17 essays by Edgar Rice Burroughs on his extraordinary life and groundbreaking career, including 4 previously unpublished travelogues written with all his trademark wit, humor, and engaging literary style: “The Mono Creek Trip,” “Notes on the Trip to Mono Creek and Porpoise Lake,” “The Eleven-Year Itch,” and “The Death Valley Expedition of the Intrepid Thirty-Threeers.” The book also features copious rare photographs and illustrations from ERB, Inc.’s archives in Tarzana, California, and includes heartfelt forewords by two of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ great-granddaughters, Kathleen Bonnaud and Llana Jane Burroughs, as well as an illuminating introduction by Henry G. Franke III.
Trailblazer: The Autobiography of Edgar Rice Burroughs offers a rare glimpse into the mind of one of the world’s most popular and beloved authors, and will enjoyed by fans of his fantastical tales, students of literature and history, and anyone interested in reading the captivating life story of a unique and creative soul.
Bonus Trading Card—While Supplies Last!
All preorders of Trailblazer: The Autobiography of Edgar Rice Burroughs placed directly from ERB, Inc.’s online store will come with an exclusive collectible trading card featuring a specially colorized photograph of Edgar Rice Burroughs when he was a cadet in the Michigan Military Academy in 1895. Following the preorder period, this exclusive trading card will continue to be offered with direct orders of the book from our online store while supplies last.
Hardcover Limited Collector’s Edition
The hardcover Collector’s Edition of Trailblazer features:
- A commemorative bookplate signed by Edgar Rice Burroughs’ great-granddaughters Kathleen Bonnaud and Llana Jane Burroughs; Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., President James Sullos; and Trailblazer coeditors Christopher Paul Carey and Henry G. Franke III, as well as a facsimile signature of Edgar Rice Burroughs
- A second exclusive collectible trading card featuring a specially colorized photograph of Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912, the year Under the Moons of Mars and Tarzan of the Apes were published
- Special printed exterior boards
- A limited print run of only 300 copies
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Edgar Rice Burroughs
The creator of the immortal characters Tarzan of the Apes® and John Carter of Mars®, Edgar Rice Burroughs is one of the world’s most popular authors. Mr. Burroughs’ timeless tales of heroes and heroines transport readers from the jungles of Africa and the dead sea bottoms of Barsoom® to the miles-high forests of Amtor™ and the savage inner world of Pellucidar®, and even to alien civilizations Beyond the Farthest Star™. Mr. Burroughs’ books are estimated to have sold hundreds of millions of copies, and they have spawned 60 films and 250 television episodes.
Henry G. Franke III
Henry G. Franke III is the editor of The Burroughs Bulletin, the journal of The Burroughs Bibliophiles, the nonprofit literary society devoted to the life and works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. He was the Contributing Editor and penned the introductions for IDW Publishing’s Library of American Comics four-volume archival series reprinting Russ Manning’s Tarzan newspaper comic strips. Volume 1 won the 2014 Eisner Award for Best Archival Collection—Strips. He also wrote book introductions for IDW’s Tarzan – 1929 daily strip reprints and for Tarzan and the Adventurers, the fifth volume in Titan Books’ Complete Burne Hogarth Comic Strip Library. He has served three times as the Official Editor of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Amateur Press Association (ERBapa). Franke specializes in collecting art inspired by Burroughs’ stories. Franke was in the U.S. Army from 1977 to 2009, and later served as an Army government civilian from 2009 to 2020.
© Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Trademarks Tarzan®, Tarzan of the Apes®, John Carter®, John Carter of Mars®, Barsoom®, Amtor™, Pellucidar®, Beyond the Farthest Star™, Edgar Rice Burroughs®, and Master of Adventure™ Owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
