John and Alice (Rutherford) Clayton, Viscount and Lady Greystoke from England, are marooned in the western coastal jungles of equatorial Africa in 1888. Some time later, their son John Clayton II [3] is born. When he is one year old his mother dies, and soon thereafter his father is killed by the savage king ape Kerchak. The infant is then adopted by the she-ape Kala.Clayton is named "Tarzan" ("White Skin" in the ape language) and raised in ignorance of his human heritage.As a boy, feeling alienated from his peers due to ...
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John and Alice (Rutherford) Clayton, Viscount and Lady Greystoke from England, are marooned in the western coastal jungles of equatorial Africa in 1888. Some time later, their son John Clayton II [3] is born. When he is one year old his mother dies, and soon thereafter his father is killed by the savage king ape Kerchak. The infant is then adopted by the she-ape Kala.Clayton is named "Tarzan" ("White Skin" in the ape language) and raised in ignorance of his human heritage.As a boy, feeling alienated from his peers due to their physical differences, he discovers his true parents' cabin, where he first learns of others like himself in their books. Using basic primers with pictures, over many years he teaches himself to read English, but having never heard it, cannot speak it.Upon his return from one visit to the cabin, he is attacked by a huge gorilla which he manages to kill with his father's knife, although he is terribly wounded in the struggle. As he grows up, Tarzan becomes a skilled hunter, exciting the jealousy of Kerchak, the ape leader, who finally attacks him. Tarzan kills Kerchak and takes his place as "king" of the apes.Later, a tribe of black Africans settle in the area, and Tarzan's adopted mother, Kala, is killed by one of its hunters. Avenging himself on the killer, Tarzan begins an antagonistic relationship with the tribe, raiding its village for weapons and practicing cruel pranks on them. They, in turn, regard him as an evil spirit and attempt to placate him.A few years later when Tarzan is 21 years of age, a new party is marooned on the coast, including 19 year old Jane Porter, the first white woman Tarzan has ever seen. Tarzan's cousin, William Cecil Clayton, unwitting usurper of the ape man's ancestral English estate, is also among the party. Tarzan spies on the newcomers, aids them in secret, and saves Jane from the perils of the jungle.
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This is a great book and a great series. I read it for the first time when I was a 15-year-old girl and bored out of my mind at school without a good book to read. A classmate had the first Tarzan book and although it looked like nothing I would ever be interested in, I was desperate. I think I did no school work, homework, chores or anything for as long as I could get away with it. I read every one of the books in the series - there's over 20. Couldn't put them down. That was in 1981. This time around my kids and I were driving up from California to Washington and needed a great book on tape. I ordered Tarzan, Book 1. My kids, ages 14 and 11 LOVED it. The reading is great. The reader's voice perfect. It was such a great experience. I would most definitely order every other book in this series. Also, the price was great, the packaging exactly as it should be. You won't regret purchasing this item.
littlejack
Dec 10, 2009
Book arrived quickly and in excellent shape.
I am glad I got the sequel as well as the 1st book really leaves you wondering what will happen next.
bookishwench
Apr 19, 2007
An American Classic
What can you say about a book that created a genre? With his first Tarzan novel, Edgar Rice Burroughs invented the jungle-man hero, now a science-fantasy staple, and started a franchise that is still going strong. This introduction to Tarzan is still tops, giving the origin of the ape-man in a ripping action yarn that thrills as much today as when it was new. Often imitated, but never duplicated.
