The Gridley Wave #302 ~November 2007
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Burroughs Bibliophile Ralph Brown hosted the 2004 ECOF convention in Sacramento and just informed us of the publication of a new comic book featuring artwork by Dan Parsons who designed the ERB logo (pictured below right) for the convention. Ralph writes: "It is issue #3 which has seven pages on the ECOF 2004 gathering, and an ERB-like story entitled 'Savage Planet: Secrets of the Empire.'" The photo of the ECOF convention shows 33 ERB fans, including our late president, Bob Hyde. We found a copy at our local comic book store for $3.50. 

... "Ye Editor"


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Nestled among the Irwin Porges papers for his 1975 biography of ERB, I found an interesting office memo written by Burroughs in May, 1925. It sums up his basic beliefs in writing fiction for entertainment, and is delivered with his usual brand of humor, so we are publishing it in this issue of The Gridley Wave.
... "Ye Editor"

A former North High boy came in to see me today - Clarence L. Blair - and asked me to send a message to the North High boys and girls for their Annual. He suggested that I write something inspiring on "good literature."

I shall have to confess to you, as I did to him, that a great many book reviewers insist that I know nothing about literature of any
kind, but, however that may be, I am sure that I know what young people like to read and a great many old people who are still young in heart, and if my stories are not literature, they are at least clean, and, I hope, entertaining.

There are among you, probably, future famous authors and playwrights, and each of you, when he has attained the full flower of his abilities, will have his limitations just as all writers and playwrights and other human beings have. So, if I were to send any message to
you, it would be simply to give the best that there is in you to your public. Your best will never be perfect but if it is your best it
will be worthy of applause and will receive the recognition that is its due.

In writing a story I always feel bound by a certain duty that I owe my readers to give them the best I can. However far beneath the
highest standards it may be, it is still my best and I know that I have not cheated and whatever success I have, I have earned. Which
is enough preaching, as everyone hates to be preached to, however interesting the sermon may be to the preacher.

When writing to young people in schools I am always reminded that, while some schools use my books in their English work, others bar me absolutely. In one of the latter, where Tarzan was looked upon in holy horror, a girl was asked to write a review of one of John Burroughs’ nature studies. When she handed it in the teacher was shocked to discover that she had written a synopsis of TARZAN OF THE APES. On the other hand, there is a teacher in a school in Florida who is reading THE CAVE GIRL out loud to her class - a very human teacher - may her tribe increase!

-Edgar Rice Burroughs
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The Gridley Wave #302 ~ November 2007
Published monthly for the Burroughs Bibliophiles as a supplement to The Burroughs Bulletin. Edited by George T. McWhorter,
The Edgar Rice Burroughs Memorial Collection, William F. Ekstrom Library, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292.
© Copyright 2007, The Burroughs Bibliophiles. E-mail: george.mcwhorter@louisville.edu. Telephone: (502) 852-8729.
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