Between Man and Beast

"Monte Reel's BETWEEN MAN AND BEAST contains all the elements of an enthralling adventure story. But it is more than just a riveting tale; it is also a brilliant exploration of ideas that illuminate the very nature of humankind."--David Grann, New York Times bestselling author of THE LOST CITY OF Z and THE DEVIL AND SHERLOCK HOLMES

"Intriguing. . . . Rattles along with fine, wacky momentum."--The New York Times Book Review

"Gripping. . . . Intellectually satisfying. . . . Exciting."--Salon

"A celebration of accomplishments too far-reaching to be understood in their time."--The Daily Beast

"Thoroughly engrossing."--Minneapolis Star Tribune

"[An] entertaining and provocative story . . . it has the narrative flow and evocative language of a fine historical novel."--The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"[A] sense of urgency compels the reader onward to find out what happened. . . . Arresting."--Washington Post

"Engrossing . . . would go great with popcorn. . . . Addresses big topics--evolution, abolition--but they remain in service of the narrative, providing context for colorful conflict."--Wall Street Journal

"A robust intellectual history. . . . 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." --Publishers Weekly

"Those unfamiliar with [Paul Du Chaillu] would do well to pick up a copy of Between Man and Beast, Monte Reel's new book about Du Chaillu's life and adventures in pursuit of this fierce creature."--Book Page

"Adventure, history, nature, big ideas--what more could you want?"--Library Journal
"Fascinating. . . . A lively footnote to the debate between science and religion and the exploration of the African jungle in the Victorian era."--Kirkus Reviews

"You'd half expect a Bela Lugosi mad scientist or a Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan to pop up in this Victorian-era drama, which travels from the London of Darwin and Dickens to unexplored Africa to Civil War-ravaged America."--New York Post

"A supremely entertaining, enlightening and memorable read."--Nature

"An admirable book for those who like epic tales of exploration. . . . Fascinating."--The Buffalo News

"Retelling his adventures opens a wonderful window, both magical and alarming, into what he [Paul Du Chaillu] saw and, ultimately, into who we are."--The Free Lance-Star
"Swift, clever, well-researched and provocative. . . . Reel skillfully shifts our attention from continent to continent, from past to present, until the story's tributaries merge and rush toward the conclusion."--The Plain Dealer

"A vivid scene worthy of the silver screen. . . . From the perilous adventures to the equally tense academic battles waged by British high society. . . . At times, the mind staggers to recall that this story is a work of nonfiction."--San Antonio-Express New