Edgar Rice Burroughs had worked as a cowboy, a prospector, on the railroad, at a factory and as a pencil-sharpener wholesaler before writing his first story, A Princess of Mars. He began writing to support his wife and children and because, “if people were paid for writing rot such as I read in some of those magazines… I could write stories just as rotten.”
Presumably, he didn’t succeed because his stories were incredibly popular and no fan of Tarzan or John Carter would ever would ever call them rotten. And while Tarzan remains the most famous creation of Edgar Rice Burroughs it was his first book, and subsequent adventures on Mars, which may have been most influential. Science fiction writers like Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert A. Heinlein all cited this book as a major influence. And countless scientists, like Carl Sagan, were inspired to become astronomers after reading as children this book about life on other planets. It is possible the public’s appetite for space exploration and the work of NASA would not have been so great were it not for this book.
And for good reason. It is a rollicking story: full of adventure, swordplay, daring feats, and fun, fun, fun. If you’ve ever enjoyed a Star War, a Star Trek, an installment of Flash Gordon, or really any story with a hero and a princess, I think you’ll love this story. If you’ve never read this story, or find the print in your well-worn copy is now to small, I am thrilled to be able offer A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs in Super Large Print.
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