Tarzan Alive
A Definitive Biography of Lord Greystoke

Philip José Farmer, Popular Library, 1972


cover from Win Eckert
Summary — Book Blurb
New York: Popular Library

africa Through the brilliant, exhaustive research pf Philip José Farmer, the true, astonishing saga of Lord Greystoke — better known as Tarzan of the Apes — can at last be told. It's all here, the fact meticulously separated from the fiction:

Tarzan's imperiled birth on the shores of Africa . . . an intimate account of his upbringing by Kala (proven more hominoid than gorilloid) . . . his lifelong love for Jane (38-19-36) . . . the adventures in the golden city of Opar . . . travels to England, Paris, and Hollywood . . . the previously unknown years as an R.A.F. pilot . . . ancestry to Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolfe, "Doc Savage," and Bulldog Drummond . . . .

A feast of knowledge for Tarzan freaks, adventure lovers, and truth seekers everywhere.

Chronology
Farmer's "Addendum 5," limited to events bearing directly on the Tarzan story.
dateChapter — Links to the Novels
ONE: Out to Sea — I-1
1888, May 11 or 23 John and Alice Clayton sail from Dover for Freetown.
TWO: The Savage Home — I-2
1888, June The Claytons sail on the Fuwalda for an Oil Rivers port.
1888, late June The Claytons are stranded in the jungle of French Equatorial Africa (Gabon) by the mutineers.
THREE: Life and Death — I-3
1888, Nov. 21, a Wednesday A "great ape" attacks the Claytons.
1888, Nov. 22, a Thursday John Clayton III, the future "Lord Greystoke," is born a few minutes after midnight.
1889, May 22, a Wednesday The infant John accidentally puts his inky fingers on a page of his father's diary.
1889, Nov. 22, a Friday Alice Clayton dies. Kerchak kills John Clayton II. Kala adopts the human infant and names him Tarzan (White Skin).
FOUR: The Apes — I-4 through I-5
1890, Jan. 1, a Wednesday Jane Porter born in Baltimore, Maryland.
1898, Early Nov. Nine-year-old Tarzan escapes from Sabor by learning to swim.
1898, Late Nov. Ten-year-old Tarzan first enters his parents' cabin; he kills a mad gorilla with his father's hunting knife.
FIVE: The Difference — I-6, I-7
1898, Dec. Tarzan begins to teach himself to read and write English
1901, Nov. The thirteen-year-old Tarzan kills his foster father, Tublat, with his father's knife during a Dum-Dum. He begins his lifelong friendship with Tantor.
SIX: Loss and Revenge — I-8 through I-10
1906, Nov. The eighteen-year-old Tarzan can read and understand almost all the books in his father's library. Mbonga's people establish a village near the territory of Kerchak's tribe.
1906, Dec. Kulonga, Mbonga's son, kills Kala. Tarzan kills Kulonga.
SEVEN: Growing Up — Part of I-11; VI-2 through VI-4
1907, Jan. Tarzan finds the diary, photograph, and locket.
1907, Feb. Tarzan falls in love with Teeka, a female great ape, and loses her to Taug.
1907, March Tarzan is captured by Mbonga's warriors but is rescued by Tantor.
1907, Nov. Teeka bears a son. Tarzan kills a nameless bull managani.
1907, Dec. Tarzan puzzles out the meaning of the word God in his father's books. He invents an ingenious method for pronouncing the letters of the alphabet.
EIGHT: The Outsider: Dreamer and Joker — VI-5 through VI-12
1908, March Tarzan kidnaps a little black boy, Tibo, to raise as his own but compassionately returns him to this mother.
1908, April The horrible, but poetically just, end of Bukawai, the witch doctor.
1908, June One of Tarzan's many trickster jokes backfires. He finds out that Manu, his monkey friend, has courage and is mangani friends have learned the value of cooperation.
1908, July Tarzan eats rotten elephant meat and has a terrible nightmare. He kills his second gorilla, unsure that he is not still dreaming. Teeka throws Tarzan's father's cartridges against a rock, and the explosions save Tarzan's life. Babba Kega, w ith doctor, is hoisted by his own petard (with Tarzan's help).
1908, Aug. "A Jungle Joke" episode. (Tarzan Rescues the Moon, being entirely fictional, is not included in the chronology.)
NINE: Kingship and Love — Last part of I-11 and through I-20
1908, Aug. Tarzan kills Kerchak and becomes "king."
1909, Late Jan. Tarzan abdicates the "kingship" and invents the full-Nelson.
1909, Feb. 2, a Tuesday Tarzan sees his first whites. He saves William Clayton from the mutineer Snipes, Sheeta, and Sabor. Using a full-Nelson, he breaks the neck of Sabor as she tries to get into the cabin after Jane.
1909, Feb. 3, a Wednesday Tarzan digs up the treasure buried by the mutineers and reburies it. He steals Jane's letter to Hazel Strong.
1909, March 5, a Friday Terkoz abducts Jane, and Tarzan kills him. The "jungle idyll" episode.
TEN: Renunciation — I-21 and through I-28
1909, March 6, a Saturday A French cruiser appears. Tarzan returns Jane to the cabin. Lieutenant d'Arnot is rescued by Tarzan.
1909, March 7, a Sunday The French sailors, thinking d'Arnot has been eaten by Mbonga's people, give no quarter to the adult males. Tarzan and d'Arnot communicate in written English.
1909, March 14, a Sunday The Porter party leaves on the cruiser. Tarzan and d'Arnot arrive too late.
1909, April 16 to May 15 The two, traveling north, reach the village and the mission (Lambaréné).
1909, June 26, a Saturday The two arrive at the mouth of the Ogowe (Ogooué) River.
1909, July 26, a Monday The two embark for Lyons, France.
1909, Early Aug. Tarzan's fingerprints are taken in Paris, and he leaves for America
1909, Middle Aug. The forest fire. Telegram from d'Arnot:" Fingerprints prove you Greystoke." Tarzan's self-sacrifice.
1909, Late Aug. Tarzan travels from Wisconsin to New York City, sightsees.
1909, Nov. 7, a Sunday Tarzan sails on La Provence for France.
ELEVEN: From Ape to Savage — II-1 and through II-15
1910, Jan. Rokoff's frameup and the duel with Count de Coude.
1910, Feb. to Apr. The Gernois case.
1910, late April Tarzan ordered to Cape town, meets Hazel Strong on the steamer. They pass the Tennington party, going the other way.
1910, early May Rokoff and Paulvitch throw Tarzan overboard. He discovers the Waziri.
1910, late May The yacht, the Lady Alice, sinks. Jane is in a boat with Rokoff, the seventh duke, and three sailors.
TWELVE: The Chief, the She, the City of Gold — II-16 and through II-23
1910, early June Tarzan and the Waziri defeat the Arab slavers. Jane is dying in a lifeboat.
1910, early June to early July The lifeboat lands five miles south of the old cabin. Tarzan and the Waziri travel to the lost city of Opar.
THIRTEEN: Journey's End — II-23 and through II-26
1910, early July to early Aug. La of Opar falls in love with Tarzan. He escapes, returns to the coast, saves Jane and his cousin from a big cat but leaves without revealing himself.
1910, mid Aug. to mid Sept. Jane abducted by the fifty frightful men. The seventh duke sickens; Rokoff deserts him. Tarzan goes after Jane.
1910, mid Sept. Tarzan rescues Jane, finds that she is not married and that she loves him. The seventh duke dies after confessing that he told no one about the telegram.
1910, late Sept. D'Arnot's ship finds the lost Tennington party at the cabin. Tarzan and Jane appear. Tennington saves Tarzan's life. Rokoff is arrested.
1910, Sept 22, a Thursday Tarzan and Jane and Tennington and Hazel are married in a double ceremony
1910, Sept. 23, a Thursday Tarzan and Jane sail away. He has the Oparian gold, his woman, and the title of eighth duke of Greystoke.
FOURTEEN: The Great Trek and The Elixir — Between II and III
1910, Oct. to 1911, Oct. Tarzan and Jane live in London.
1911 Oct. through Dec. The Great Trek to Kenya.
1912, Jan. Tarzan receives the immortality treatment from the ancient witch doctor
1912, March to April Tarzan and Jane at the Kenyan plantation.
1912, late April They return to London.
FIFTEEN: The Beasts — III
1912, May 20, a Monday Tarzan's son, John Paul Clayton, born in Greystoke House, London.
1912, late June to late Spet. The events of the The Beasts of Tarzan
1912, Sept. to Oct. Tarzan and Jane in London.
SIXTEEN: Problems — IV, 1-12; XX
1913, May to Nov. First part of The Son of Tarzan.
1913, June to July Tarzan searches for Korak. During this time the events, if any, of Tarzan and the Forbidden City occur. Tarzan fails to find his son and returns to the plantation, meeting Jane there.
SEVENTEEN: The Waters of Lethe, The Jewels of Opar — V; IV, 13-27
1913, Nov. to 1914, Jan. 12, a Monday The events of Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
1914, Feb. to May Tarzan saves Meriem from rape and the rest of the events of The Son of Tarzan follow.
1914, June to July Tarzan and Jane in Kenya; Korak and Meriem in Europe with Meriem's parents.
EIGHTEEN: War and Freedom — VII
1914, Aug. to 1918, Oct. The events of Tarzan the Untamed. Also, a "lost adventure," during which Tarzan traced the route on the map of the dead giant Spanish soldier.
NINETEEN: Guru — VIII
1918, Nov. to 1919, March The events of Tarzan the Terrible.
TWENTY: The Lion and the Ants — IX; X
1919, April to 1921, nov The events of Tarzan and the Golden Lion begin.
1921, May 7, a Tuesday John Armand, Korak's and Meriem's son and Tarzan's grandson, born at Cadrenet Château, Normandy.
1921, Nov. The end of Tarzan and the Golden Lion
1921, Dec. to 1922, Oct. Tarzan and Jane in Kenya except for one trip to London to see the newborn Jackie (John Paul).
1922, Nov. to 1922, Dec. The events of Tarzan and the Ant Men (excluding the fictional part of this biography).
TWENTY-ONE: Lord of Many Places — XI; XII; and XIII
1923, Jan. to 1926, May Tarzan and Jane in Kenya and then on visits to England, Rome, Berlin, and other parts of Europe.
1926, June to 1927, March The events of Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle. Professor Porter and Mr. Philander die in March in London within a few days of each other.
1927, April to July The events of Tarzan and the Lost Empire. Tarzan at the Earth's Core would have occurred between Tarzan and the Lost Empire and the next volume, but it is entirely fictional.
1927, July 1, a Friday Meriem's father, the retired General Jacot, dies at Cadrenet Château, Normandy.
1927, Aug. to 1928, Dec. Tarzan divides his time between English and African estates.
TWENTY-TWO: Hail and Farewell — XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX; XXI; XXIV; XXIII
1929, Jan. to May The events of Tarzan the Invincible. Ave atque vale to La of Opar.
1929, June to Dec. Tarzan and Jane stay at the Kenya plantation.
1930, Jan. to April The events of Tarzan Triumphant.
1930, May to early Sept. The Greystokes in England, France, and Kenya. Tarzan takes a jungle vacation.
1930, mid Sept. to md Nov. The events of Tarzan and the City of Gold.
1930, late Nov. to 1931, Jan. Tarzan is at the Kenyan plantation.
1931, Jan. to April Major part of Tarzan and the Lion Man (excluding the fictional parts).
1931, June 1, a Monday to June 11, a Thursday The events of Tarzan and the Leopard Men.
1931, June to 1932, March Tarzan and Jane are at Greystoke plantation or in England.
1932, April to July Tarzan visits the United States; final "Hollywood" part of Tarzan and the Lion Man, though the screen test for a Taran movie is fictional.
1932, Aug. to 1933, April Jane in England and France; Tarzan in Africa
1933, May 1, a Monday, to June 23, a Friday The events of Tarzan's Quest.
1933, late June, to May, 1934 Tarzan and Jane in England and Kenya.
1934, June 1, a Friday, to Sept. 7, a Friday The events of Tarzan the Magnificent.
1934, Sept., to Sept. 1938 Tarzan, Jane, and grandson on a round-the-world trip in 1935. In 1937 and 1938, he is in Africa with several jungle vacations between his plantation duties.
1938, Sept. 7, a Wednesday, to Sept. 29, a Thursday The events of Tarzan and the Jungle Murders. (There is no chronology for Tarzan and the Champion, since this is entirely fictional.)
1938, Oct., to May, 1939 Tarzan and Jane in East Africa.
1939, June 1, a Thursday, to June 25, a Sunday The events of Tarzan and the Madman.
1939, July Tarzan loses his memory in an accident while returning home from Abyssinia. He wanders around in the jungles of Mt. Elgon.
1939, Aug. to Oct. the (non-Mayan) events of Tarzan and the Castaways.
1939, Nov. Tarzan returns to Kenya, says good-bye to Jane (who follows him to England later), and joins the R.A.F. in London
1939, Dec., to Oct., 1942 Tarzan, as John Clayton, flies bombers. He submerges his apeman persona deep within himself. Esmeralda is killed by a bomb in London. Tarzan is promoted to group captain. Lord Tennington is killed in the North Sea.
1942, Nov. Tarzan is transferred to the Far East theater.
1942, Nov. 3 Tarzan's son, John Paul, marries.
1943, Nov. 24 John Paul's son, John, born
1944, Jan. to Feb. Attached to the U.S.A.A.F. as an observer for the British
1944, March 13, a Monday, to Dec. 7, a Thursday The events of Tarzan and the Foreign Legion.
1945, May 1 John Armand, Korak's son, marries.
1944, dec. to Feb. 1946 Flies over Burma, China, and with the U.S.A.A.F. over Japan as an observer. Discharged in London.
1946, March to April Tarzan and Jane in Kenya
1946, May to Aug. He makes his final visit to Opar.
after Aug. 1946 ?

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