John Norman

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John Norman, pen name of John Frederick Lange, Jr. (born June 3, 1931), is the author of the Gor series, which was popular in the 1970s and early 1980s (millions of copies sold), and still has many fervent fans today. He holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University[1] and is a professor at Queens College of the City University of New York in New York City.

Contents

[edit] Books

[edit] Science fiction

[edit] Chronicles of Gor

(also Chronicles of Counter-Earth)

  • Tarnsman of Gor (1967)
  • Outlaw of Gor (1967)
  • Priest-Kings of Gor (1968)
  • Nomads of Gor (1969)
  • Assassin of Gor (1970)
  • Raiders of Gor (1971)
  • Captive of Gor (1972)
  • Hunters of Gor (1974)
  • Marauders of Gor (1975)
  • Tribesmen of Gor (1976)
  • Slave Girl of Gor (1977)
  • Beasts of Gor (1978)
  • Explorers of Gor (1979)
  • Fighting Slave of Gor (1981)
  • Rogue of Gor (1981)
  • Guardsman of Gor (1981)
  • Savages of Gor (1982)
  • Blood Brothers of Gor (1982)
  • Kajira of Gor (1983)
  • Players of Gor (1984)
  • Mercenaries of Gor (1985)
  • Dancer of Gor (1986)
  • Renegades of Gor (1986)
  • Vagabonds of Gor (1987)
  • Magicians of Gor (1988)
  • Witness of Gor (2001)

[edit] The Telnarian Histories

  • The Chieftain (1991)
  • The Captain (1992)
  • The King (1993)

[edit] Historical fiction

[edit] Nonfiction

[edit] Themes

Norman is a follower of Edgar Rice Burroughs, and his influential Gor series bears parallels to Burroughs' John Carter of Mars. His novels include lengthy philosophical and sociological dissertations criticizing the malaise of modern society (everything from common dishonesty to nuclear holocaust). A wide variety of societes, cultures, moral concepts, and technologies are described in depth in his novels, however it is always within the context of the male adventure genre, and as such, families, children and other mundane aspects of real life are generally absent and those roles left undiscussed.

His fiction places emphasis on living in accordance with a Nietzsche-esque natural order, sponsoring a hierarchy of talent, especially strength. Based on this assumed hierarchy, combined with a particular usage of evolutionary psychology to analyze gender differences, he contends that woman is the submissive natural helper, and figurative slave, of dominant man. His work often takes this observation literally: heroes enslave heroines who, upon being enslaved, revel in the discovery of their natural place. Norman and Goreans have been criticized for this tenet of what they consider honoring nature. It should be noted that various viewpoints exists in evolutionary psychology, few of which define men's and women's roles as John Norman does. Rather Evolutionary Psychology provides theories and evidence which may be interpreted and used in many ways, like almost all science.

[edit] Career

Norman's career as a philosopher/writer underwent four stages:

  1. Early 1950s-early 1960s: Norman begins his academic career. He obtains his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nebraska in 1953, and his Master of Arts degree from the University of Southern California in 1957. While at USC he married Bernice L. Green. Norman became a Doctor of Philosophy in 1963 from Princeton University.
  2. Late 1960s-early 1980s: Norman becomes popular. His rise may be attributed to the willingness of rebellious or disaffected Americans during this period to consider his social alternatives; alternatively, it may be that his works were available in venues where overt male-dominant sado-masochistic pornography was not.
  3. Mid 1980s-mid 1990s: Increasing political correctness, especially feminism, prompted consumers and interest groups to take action against the sale of Norman's books, including petitioning retailers. Norman's books were removed from bookstores and libraries, and Norman accused publishers of blacklisting him.
  4. Late 1990s-present: Acceptance of BDSM and growth of the Internet allowed the resurgence of Norman's ideas without the consent of normal publishing channels. Goreans assembled on the Internet and in real life while smaller publishers attempt, with limited success, to bring Norman back.

[edit] Other

In 2006, a "sex slavery cult" group called the Kaotians based on the Chronicles of Gor series was uncovered by police in Darlington, UK.

[edit] External links

[edit] Other references

  1. ^ His dissertation was named: "In defence of ethical naturalism: an examination of certain aspects of naturalistic fallacy, with particular attention to the logic of an open question argument".
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