From School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up-In this look at the writer's life, Burroughs comes off as somewhat of a reprobate and dilettante. Boerst makes repeated references to his subject's discipline problems and impulsiveness. Writing, as it turns out, provided Burroughs with a perfect way to channel his abundant energy and imagination and to support his family. Although the author has done a great deal of research, as evidenced by the appended chapter notes, they are not referenced in the text even when a lengthy section is quoted. The text is riddled with dates yet it is not organized chronologically, thus contributing to readers' confusion. Good-quality, black-and-white pictures, mostly full-page portraits, appear throughout. A look at Burroughs's critics and legacy is appended. Boerst may have gotten down the facts, but his account lacks a lively approach and isn't likely to appeal to his subject's many fans.-Marilyn Fairbanks, Azure IRC, Brockton High School, MA
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
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