When Gabriel Rivages recounts the life of Olympic gold medallist and silver-screen heart-throb Johnny Weissmuller (1904-1984), he brings to life a vibrant patchwork of America's 20th-century, from its athletic exploits to its literary underground, from its cinematic glory to its obscure failures. Edgar Rice Burroughs sells pencil sharpeners, Albert Einstein crosses paths with squirrel-hunters, JFK becomes an airport, the world record for the 100-metre freestyle swim is broken, Tarzan saves Jane, a corrupt accountant runs away with the savings, the Second World War makes waves in Lake Michigan, and living legend wraps up a storied career as a host in a Las Vegas restaurant.