Author Monte Reel reintroduces explorer Paul du Chaillu to the world in his latest book "Between Man and Beast: An Unlikely Explorer, the Evolution Debates, and the African Adventure That Took the Victorian World by Storm."

Nineteenth century explorer Paul du Chaillu introduced people to the world of gorillas but remained quite an unknown person himself. His tales of exploration and what he did is little known to people. Hence, author Monte Reel took it upon himself to reintroduce to the world the man who introduced us to gorillas through his latest novel "Between Man and Beast: An Unlikely Explorer, the Evolution Debates, and the African Adventure That Took the Victorian World by Storm."

Reel reveals in his book that Chaillu, who had no scientific background, shocked the world when he reported he had seen gorillas in Gabon. He returned to England during the much-heated debate on Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" and his discovery was also questioned quite a bit. Chaillu's discovery was criticized and exaggerated and attacks soon started getting personal. After a while, the topic of discussion was no longer Chaillu's discovery of gorillas, but that the explorer had tried to hide the fact that his mother was African.

Reel also says that in 1847, gorillas were only known to scientists as a species that existed because of a skull that was found in Gabon. However, no one had seen a gorilla in the wild ever. Hence there were many myths and speculations about what a gorilla was actually like, and many of them even thought it to be a monster.

In his book, the author also touches upon the subject of Chaillu hiding the origin of his mother. Reel says that while Chaillu did always say his father was a French trader, he always refrained from talking about his mom. He did so because he felt that if he revealed his mother was an African, it would make it difficult for home to move around in the circle of people he moved around with in London.

Reel says that while Chaillu did return to Gabon to clear his name, he was not welcomed because by the time he reached there, he was infected with smallpox from a fellow traveler. Hence he had to flee the country again.