Edgar Rice Burroughs was an astonishingly prolific writer of American adventure and science fiction novels, best known for his creation of Tarzan and John Carter, but also for his various other book series, including the Pellucidar, Venus, Moon and Mucker series as well as the Caspak trilogy. Born in Chicago and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, Burroughs attended school in Massachusetts and then enrolled in the Michigan Military Academy. He enlisted in the Cavalry before being discharged with a heart condition. After that, he worked for years at various odd jobs: on a ranch, in a battery factory, for the railroad and even attempting to run a mine with his brothers. By 1911, Burroughs was 36 years old pencil sharpener salesman, father of two and with almost no prospects for the future. He began reading pulp fiction in his spare time and, unimpressed by the quality of the writing, became convinced that he could do as well or better. With no training whatsoever, he began writing what would become the first of the Barsoom series of books featuring the character of John Carter, an earth man who is transported to Mars. The story was almost immediately published, encouraging Burroughs to continue his newfound writing career. Soon after, Burroughs began work on Tarzan series and when those tales became enormously popular Burroughs literary output began to expand exponentially. Tarzan, which Burroughs exploited in every imaginable way, became a comic strip, a series of films and enjoyed huge profits from merchandising as well. Tarzan remains one of the most popular and profitable characters ever created. Burroughs also had a dark side and his beliefs in eugenics and scientific racism - which also appear in his books - have no doubt clouded his legacy. By the time he died, in 1950 of a heart attack at age 74, Burroughs had completed almost 80 novels and had become enormously wealthy from the Tarzan film series and his book sales. His ranch in California's San Fernando Valley - which he called "Tarzana" - is now the center of the suburb of the same name.