When did you give up on your dreams?
“Jean-Philippe's story lends us the courage to see our unfulfilled dreams as future possibilities.”
- C. J. Anaya, bestselling author
What is your childhood dream?
A fantasy you no longer believe in as you grow older, or the conviction that impossible goals can become a reality? It's for each of us to decide.
“I didn’t want my life to be an occasional adventure. I wanted adventure to be my life.”
— J-Philippe Soulé (Excerpt from I, Tarzan)
“I, Tarzan tears at the heartstrings and brings to remembrance every unfulfilled childhood dream. Jean-Philippe’s story lends us the courage to see them as future possibilities. His grit and determination inspire and electrify. An emotional journey of enduring accomplishment. I highly recommend it.”
— C. J. Anaya, USA Today bestselling and multi-award-winning author of The Healer Series.
I, Tarzan: Against All Odds
By age thirteen, I was an alcoholic. Anything to numb myself from my world of emotional abuse.
That wasn’t who I wanted to be.
My dreams of adventure and exploration were so far out of reach. I’d never become Tarzan. I’d never become Jacques Cousteau.
But I was wrong.
This is my story . . .
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“The honesty of the writing is bold, often raw and my emotions bounced through discomfort shock awe, then without warning I’d be laughing out loud... This epic life story kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and is arguably the best real life book I’ve read since “Touching The Void” by Joe Simpson.”
— Nick Tribe
I, Tarzan - Excerpts from the book
1968 - J-Philippe at age two. French Pyrenees.
“Jacques Cousteau did more than inspire me to attempt a record-breaking freedive in the bathtub, he inspired the rest of my life. At (the age of) four, I was already destined to live a life of great exploration and adventure.”
— Excerpt from I, Tarzan (age 4)
“It takes courage to dare fighting back. I had none. Each beating further lowered my self-esteem. Each beating destroyed every ounce of courage I had. I didn’t believe I could defend myself, so I never tried.”
— Excerpt from I, Tarzan (age 9)
“As I dove into a criminal world, I understood I would never realize my early childhood desires. I had lost sight of all my dreams. My adventurous goals had vanished. My life became all about survival, and the only way I knew how to do that was by fighting. I was on the surest path toward self-destruction…
…I had lost my soul, but deep inside my heart, despite the pain and the doubts, there lived a breath of hope, a distant fading childhood fantasy…
Until I turned thirteen, I still dreamed of hiking through jungles, climbing mountains, diving in tropical waters, and exploring the globe. There was no doubt in my mind that I’d become a world adventurer.”
— Excerpt from I, Tarzan (age 13)
1985 - J-Philippe at age eighteen.
1985 - J-Philippe at age eighteen. French Mountain Commando.
"Between my eighteen and twentieth birthday, I learned about death, but more importantly, I learned what it meant to be alive. It is in our toughest moments that we really discover who we are."
— Excerpt from I, Tarzan (age 20)
“After these experiences, I understood that life was extremely precious, and I had this epiphany. My childhood fantasies were not fantasies at all. I could be Tarzan and Jacques Cousteau if I wanted to. I could be whoever I wanted to be. I could achieve whatever I wanted, because I was young, strong, and healthy. And most importantly, because I understood the beauty of being alive. Life was too short not to live it to the fullest.”
— Excerpt from I, Tarzan (age 20)
1987 - J-Philippe at age twenty - Opening a new canyon, French Pyrenees.
1993 - J-Philippe at age twenty-six. With his friend, a Balliem chief from Irian-Jaya.
“Imagination is the source of all adventures, be they real or fiction. It was time for my fictional world to become reality. A permanent reality. I didn’t want my life to be an occasional adventure. I wanted adventure to be my life.”
— Excerpt from I, Tarzan (age 26)
“Nothing ever comes easy. Some choices may require more effort or sacrifice than most people are willing to give or can even comprehend. Sometimes, opportunities don’t exist, we have to create them. But we always have a choice. This is the Maze of Life. This is our life, and it's never set in stone.“
— Excerpt from I, Tarzan (age 26)
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1993 - J-Philippe at age twenty-six. Nepal.
“The book is the « making-of » of Jean-Philippe Soulé, his story and history of tenacity and perseverance, his voyage from a hard boyhood to an even harder manhood. Along this gripping trip, he shares with us a life lesson on how to follow one's dream: but he does not simply follow his dreams, he actively and relentlessly creates the life he’s wanted all along, refusing any and all compromise, and overcoming quite tall odds.”
— Dominique Blachon
What would you sacrifice to live YOUR life?
“It is in the toughest moments that we discover who we really are.”
A childhood of physical and emotional abuse will break you unless you recognize the possible amidst the impossible. I was determined to take what life threw at me and forge my own path, refusing to give up on my dreams. But can determination alone overcome all adversity?
I've discovered the journey is far more valuable than the destination, and with I, Tarzan, I invite you to join me on that journey…
— J-Philippe Soulé
After the award-winning Dancing with Death,
J-Philippe’s new book I, Tarzan is coming soon!
I, Tarzan
Against All Odds
Get notified of its release and receive the first chapter free!
Anything is possible.
It’s a matter of how much you desire it!
Did you give up on your goals?
Do you dream of Travel,
Adventure or Sports?
This awe-inspiring book will touch your soul and have you reflect on your life.
The Author
Jean-Philippe Soulé
If there was only one word that could be used to describe Jean-Philippe, that word would be “passionate”. Passion for people, travel, culture, mountains, oceans, jungles, the great outdoors, and life.
After a childhood filled with life-changing experiences and the pursuit of personal achievements, driven by his desire for adventure, his quest to discover new lands and culture, and his heartfelt interest in meeting diverse people, Jean-Philippe left France to travel the world.
Inspired by Jacques Cousteau and great explorers before him, he became the well-travelled world-adventurer he longed to be.
J-Philippe inspires people with his true-story books
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