John Norman

For other uses, see John Norman (disambiguation).

John Frederick Lange, Jr.
Born	(1931-06-03) June 3, 1931 Chicago, Illinois
Pen name	John Norman
Occupation	Professor of philosophy, writer
Education	Bachelor of Arts Master of Arts Doctor of Philosophy
Alma mater	University of Nebraska University of Southern California Princeton University
Genres	Science fiction
Notable work(s)	Gor novel series
Spouse(s)	Bernice L. Green (1956–present)
Children	John David Jennifer
Relative(s)	John Frederick Lange (father) Almyra D. Lange née Taylor (mother)
Influences Edgar Rice Burroughs
Influenced Sharon Green, Janet Morris

John Frederick Lange, Jr. (born June 3, 1931), better known under his pen name John Norman, is a professor of philosophy and an author. He is best known for his Gor novel series.

Background

John Lange was born in Chicago, Illinois to John Frederick Lange and Almyra D. Lange née Taylor.

He began his academic career in the early 1950s, earning a 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 on January 14, 1956. The couple has three children: John, David, and Jennifer.

Academic career

Lange earned his Ph.D. in 1963 from Princeton University. 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". Lange summed it up in an interview by saying "if one cannot make sense of morality within some sort of satisfying, natural context, then one is likely to end up with no morality, which is less than societally reassuring, or is likely to end up with a competitive plethora of moralities in which ninety-nine percent of the world's population is convinced that the other ninety-nine percent is unclean, stupid, uninformed, vicious, depraved, in need of coercive correction, and such. That too, seems less than reassuring."

As of 2012, he is a professor at Queens College of the City University of New York.

Writing career

Norman's fiction attained popularity in the 1970s and early 1980s with an estimated 6 to 12 million copies sold.

As of 2012, Norman's books in print include: all 25 of the previously published Gor novels, seven new Gor novels, the three Telnarian Histories novels, three other novels, one collection of 30 short stories and three works of non-fiction.

Themes

Norman's Gor series was influenced by Edgar Rice Burroughs's John Carter of Mars novels. 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, 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. 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. In an interview with Polygraff magazine, Norman stated that he believes that it is obvious that all societies are based on dominance and hierarchy.

Norman's Gorean themes furthermore are heavily influenced by Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection - whereby, only the stongest will survive, the ultimate test of this is mortal combat, not only for survival, but for mating. Requirements for co-operation and other altruistic considerations are only elements that serve this ideal. The weak should be despised and exploited and the strong exalted. This serves as the overiding theme in all of Norman's Gorean novels.

"Gorean" subculture

A "Gorean" subculture, based on his Gor novels, has developed and assembled on the Internet and in real life, without Lange's participation or cooperation.

Works

Fiction

Gor series

1. Tarnsman of Gor (1966) ISBN 0-345-27583-7
2. Outlaw of Gor (1967) ISBN 0-345-27136-X
3. Priest-Kings of Gor (1968) ISBN 0-7592-0036-X
4. Nomads of Gor (1969) ISBN 0-7592-5445-1
5. Assassin of Gor (1970) ISBN 0-7592-0091-2
6. Raiders of Gor (1971) ISBN 0-7592-0153-6
7. Captive of Gor (1972) ISBN 0-7592-0105-6
8. Hunters of Gor (1974) ISBN 0-7592-0130-7
9. Marauders of Gor (1975) ISBN 0-7592-0141-2
10. Tribesmen of Gor (1976) ISBN 0-7592-5446-X
11. Slave Girl of Gor (1977) ISBN 0-7592-0454-3
12. Beasts of Gor (1978) ISBN 0-7592-1125-6
13. Explorers of Gor (1979) ISBN 0-7592-1167-1
14. Fighting Slave of Gor (1980) ISBN 0-7592-1173-6
15. Rogue of Gor (1981) ISBN 0-7592-1179-5
16. Guardsman of Gor (1981) ISBN 0-7592-1368-2
17. Savages of Gor (1982) ISBN 0-7592-1374-7
18. Blood Brothers of Gor (1982) ISBN 0-7592-1380-1
19. Kajira of Gor (1983) ISBN 0-7592-1926-5
20. Players of Gor (1984) ISBN 0-7592-1932-X
21. Mercenaries of Gor (1985) ISBN 0-7592-1944-3
22. Dancer of Gor (1985) ISBN 0-7592-1950-8
23. Renegades of Gor (1986) ISBN 0-7592-1956-7
24. Vagabonds of Gor (1987) ISBN 0-7592-1980-X
25. Magicians of Gor (1988) ISBN 0-7592-1986-9
26. Witness of Gor (2001) ISBN 0-7592-4235-6
27. Prize of Gor (2008) ISBN 0-7592-4580-0
28. Kur of Gor (2009) ISBN 0-7592-9782-7
29. Swordsmen of Gor (2010) ISBN 1-61756-040-5
30. Mariners of Gor (2011) ISBN 0-7592-9989-7
31. Conspirators of Gor (2012) ISBN 1-6175-6731-0
32. Smugglers of Gor (Oct 2012) ISBN 1-6175-6865-1

Telnarian Histories series

1. The Chieftain (1991) ISBN 1-58586-717-9
2. The Captain (1992) ISBN 1-58586-721-7
3. The King (1993) ISBN 1-58586-725-X

Other novels

• Ghost Dance (1970) ISBN 0-7592-9774-6
• Time Slave (1975) ISBN 0-7592-9778-9
• The Totems of Abydos (2012) ISBN 978-1-61756-476-5

Short-story collections

• Norman Invasions (2009) ISBN 0-7592-9577-8

Nonfiction

• Values and Imperatives: Studies in Ethics. (1969) [as John Lange, ed.; written by C. I. Lewis] ISBN 0-8047-0687-5
• The Cognitivity Paradox: An Inquiry Concerning the Claims of Philosophy (1970) [as John Lange] ISBN 0-691-07159-4
• Imaginative Sex (1974) ISBN 0-7592-1728-9
• The Philosophy of Historiography (2010) [as John Lange] ISBN 1-61756-130-4
• Philosophy and the Challenge of the Future (2012) [as John Lange] ISBN 1-61756-733-7

External links

• John Norman's Chronicles of Gor
• 2001 open letter by Norman alleging discrimination against him and expressing his libertarianism
• Older (1998) sketch of John Norman's life
• Queens College Philosophy Department web site introduction by Lange
• John Norman at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• John Norman at the Internet Book List
• John Norman at the Internet Book Database of Fiction
• The Complete John Norman, a bibliography
• Works by John Norman on Open Library at the Internet Archive
• March 2011 interview with Norman on io9