John Norman, pen name of John Frederick Lange, Jr. (born June 3, 1931), is a professor of philosophy, but is better known as the author of the Gor series, which was popular in the 1970s and early 1980s with millions of copies sold, and still has many fans. 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 |
Books
Science fiction
Chronicles of Gor
(also Chronicles of Counter-Earth)
- Tarnsman of Gor (1966)
- 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)
The Telnarian Histories
- The Chieftain (1991)
- The Captain (1992)
- The King (1993)
Historical fiction
- Time Slave (1975)
- Ghost Dance (1979)
Nonfiction
- Imaginative Sex (1974)
- The Cognitivity Paradox: An Inquiry Concerning the Claims of Philosophy (1970) as John Lange
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 societies, 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 are 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. The extent to which Norman intended this philosophy to be taken literally, rather than as a vehicle of sexual fantasy, is debatable. Bondage in the novels and in his Imaginative Sex guide is overtly and completely sexual in nature and while the philosophy presented is unquestionably that of male dominance, the male characters are themselves often temporarily and elaborately enslaved by powerful females. It should be noted that Norman's interpretations of evolutionary psychology represent one set of viewpoints among many, few of which define men's and women's roles as John Norman does. Rather, evolutionary psychology provides theories and evidence that may be interpreted and used in many ways, like almost all science.
Career
Norman's career as a philosopher/writer underwent four stages:
- Early 1950s-early 1960s: Norman began his academic career. He obtained 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.
- Late 1960s-early 1980s: Norman became popular. His rise may in part 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.
- Mid 1980s-mid 1990s: Some people feel that 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. Whether this is true or not, however, is debatable.
- Late 1990s-present: Acceptance of BDSM and growth of the Internet allowed the resurgence of Norman's ideas outside traditional publishing channels. Goreans assembled on the Internet and in real life while smaller publishers attempt, with limited success, to bring Norman back.
Other
John Lange was born in Chicago, Illinois to John Frederick and Almyra D. (Taylor) Lange June 3, 1931. He married Bernice L. Green January 14, 1956 and has three children: John, David, and Jennifer. In 2006, a "sex slavery cult" group called the Kaotians very loosely inspired based by the Chronicles of Gor series was uncovered by police in Darlington, UK.[1]
External links
- John Norman's World of Gor
- New World Publishers
- 2001 open letter by Norman alleging discrimination against him and expressing his libertarianism
- Older (1998) sketch of John Norman's life
- Bits on Nietzsche and Norman, examination of the influence of Nietzsche on the Gor series
- Houseplants of Gor, a parody of Norman's prose style by Ellerol Elvish
- Queens College directory listing for Lange
- Queens College Philosophy Department web site introduction by Lange
- BBC: Officers discover sex-slave cult
- A Few Comments on John Norman, posted emails from a former student on the Dreamstrike website.
Notes
- ^ 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".
