Between Man and Beast

September 3, 2012
Although he’s not well known today, Paul Du Chaillu was one of the Victorian era’s most famous explorers. He was the person who brought the gorilla to the attention of Europeans. In response to his fame, he was attacked mercilessly by competitors who claimed he was a fraud who fabricated his tales of African exploration. Reel (The Last of the Tribe) provides a robust intellectual history by embedding Du Chaillu’s story within the debate over evolution, the relationship among the human races, the rise of Christian fundamentalism, and the nasty backbiting that was common in the scientific arena of the time. He expertly probes the history of the enigmatic Du Chaillu, someone who purposefully shrouded his past from scrutiny, in large part, according to Reel, because his likely mixed race parentage would have scandalized upper-class British mores, destroyed his reputation, and turned him into an outcast. In Reel’s hands, Du Chaillu’s adventures in Africa, including his discovery of Pygmies and his part in a smallpox epidemic, were no less harrowing than his interactions with many of the world’s leading scientists and explorers. Agent: Larry Weissman, Larry Weismann Literary, LLC.

May 27, 2013
Reel paints a vivid picture of Paul Du Chaillu, a fascinating figure involved in the exploration of Africa, debates about race, and the study of evolution in the 19th century. Though he’s not as well-known as Charles Darwin, Du Chaillu’s exploration and recovery of ape skeletons and bodies influenced Darwin’s evolutionary theories. Bob Walter narrates in a deep, raspy voice that lends atmosphere to sections of the book covering Du Chaillu’s expeditions, using timing and tone to create an intense listening experience. Throughout, Walter’s narration is smooth and involved. And when reading quotations, he doesn’t create unnecessarily elaborate voices, instead giving listeners understated but distinguishable male and female vocalizations. A Doubleday hardcover.