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Apeland
Huddled in her hot cage in a run-down roadside menagerie called Apeland, Margaret, a thousand-pound gorilla, hoots unhappily for her dead mate. Just up the road, at the taxidermist's shop, an old lady is paying for having her kitty cat stuffed. Down the road a subdivision is going up in the middle of the Florida wilderness. Men dig foundations. Poor, bored, and mosquito-bitten, they wait hopelessly for a little excitement, a fight, a hurricane--anything. It comes when Margaret escapes into the steaming forest. The county sheriff quickly assembles a posse of local characters and leads this bizarre collection of heavily armed crazies into the palmetto and cypress after the love-starved ape. Among the group are Ed Bias, the would-be hero, and his young sons; Gaylord Miller, the ketchup bottle murderer and Bias's sworn enemy; Walker, the strange taxidermist; Lennox, the animal trainer; Monroe Block, Apeland's tattered tour guide; and an assortment of odd others. Deeper and deeper into the forest they stalk poor Margaret toward a violent and tragic end.
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 1976
About the author
Paul Allen
7 books2 followers Paul Allen is a writer, filmmaker, and naturalist. He is the author of the novels, APELAND, NEGRO FORT, MASTER OF BREATH, ASKING FOR IT, MR. BLACK AND WHITE and NEVER A SOLDIER. His short fiction and journalism have appeared in The Smith, The St. Petersburg Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Florida Handbook, and The Quarterly Journal of Military History. A Writers Guild member, screenplays have been written for Hollywood producers and directors.
He has degrees in English and psychology, and an M.F.A. in Cinema from the Univ. of Southern California.
He has taught classical and modern literature, writing, and film at various colleges, including U.S.C. and Rhode Island School of Design.
He lives with his wife in the woods of southern New England where deer graze in the yard, and barred owls hoot and foxes bark in the night.
He has degrees in English and psychology, and an M.F.A. in Cinema from the Univ. of Southern California.
He has taught classical and modern literature, writing, and film at various colleges, including U.S.C. and Rhode Island School of Design.
He lives with his wife in the woods of southern New England where deer graze in the yard, and barred owls hoot and foxes bark in the night.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 18, 2022
3.75
throwing it a 4 to help out the balance of the star rating
best description for this would be "not quite Harry Crews." Had a bit of a rough start for me where the first thirty or so pages felt like a test of endurance. the opening chapters were remarkably uninteresting, meanwhile I'm trying to adapt to the author's curious style of prose — these puzzling musings to the backdrop of an impoverished Florida town reacting to a taxidermied family cat. all this set sometime around, and i'm basing this off some descriptions of events, late '40s or '50s. picks up pace once the flagrant dysfunction starts seeping off the pages. a good read, not a great one. some of the passages really stuck with me though. an abundant amount of racist language, so word of warning there.
throwing it a 4 to help out the balance of the star rating
best description for this would be "not quite Harry Crews." Had a bit of a rough start for me where the first thirty or so pages felt like a test of endurance. the opening chapters were remarkably uninteresting, meanwhile I'm trying to adapt to the author's curious style of prose — these puzzling musings to the backdrop of an impoverished Florida town reacting to a taxidermied family cat. all this set sometime around, and i'm basing this off some descriptions of events, late '40s or '50s. picks up pace once the flagrant dysfunction starts seeping off the pages. a good read, not a great one. some of the passages really stuck with me though. an abundant amount of racist language, so word of warning there.
June 4, 2015
Commercially published in 1977, Apeland is the exceptionally written debut novel by Paul Allen; noted for its rare original themes and unique setting.
Apeland Taxidermy and Zoo was a small roadside tourist attraction located along a swampy backwoods Florida town, and operated by an obsessional creepy taxidermist and an experienced mean spirited animal handler. The apes in the zoo screamed, hooted, and threw objects and feces at visitors. Two elderly women visitors observed these conditions and saw the lethargic and despondent female gorilla Margaret, distressed over the loss of her mate known as Randy. Visitors often felt an ease mysterious calming effect in her presence.
The elderly women returned to their home, where they lived with their relatives: Eddie Bias, his wife Clare, and their two sons Oscar and “T”. Eddie Bias was a powerful commanding presence who used his strong sense of masculinity to control, dominate, ridicule and abuse not only his family members, but also the unfortunate laborers who worked for him. A disturbing and appalling portrayal of the culture, speech, mannerisms, emerge in this setting of the deep poor South during the 1960’s.
The target of Eddie Bias unchecked rage is directed at his elderly overweight employee Gaylord Miller, who he fired without paying for previous hours worked, for no apparent reason after much verbal and physical abuse. After Miller returns to his shack, he takes his seething distorted anger out on his poor unsuspecting wife in a single unprovoked violent act. When his neighbor arrived to investigate the commotion, Miller quickly dismissed him with a concocted explanation and chillingly disposes of evidence of his criminal action/behavior.
The owner of Apeland, Mr. Lennox calls the men of this town together to search the vicinity, wooded areas and swamp lands for Margaret, who had escaped from her cage and missing. He stressed he wanted Margaret captured and returned alive and safely. With all these uneducated, aggressive men who viewed themselves as heroic hunters searching for an escaped beast/gorilla, armed with a variety of weaponry, an undetected criminal in their midst, and the madness of Eddie Bias, Margaret’s safe return was seriously compromised; as the novel progressed towards its shocking explosive fiery conclusion.
A prolific author, Allen is recognized for his writing style similar to pulp fiction, suspenseful action adventure themes - something usually explodes, blows-up, some of the characters are beat-up, shot or gunned down, someone dies. On initial observation, a scene appears to be normal, even peaceful, though it is not. This is the fourth book by Paul Allen I have read/reviewed, and he is among my favorite indie authors. His novels include: Negro Fort (2012), Master of Breath (2013), Asking For It (2014), Never A Soldier (2014), Mr. Black and White (2014). The Paul Allen Reader (2014) is a stunning masterful value priced e-book collection anthology of all six novels.
Apeland Taxidermy and Zoo was a small roadside tourist attraction located along a swampy backwoods Florida town, and operated by an obsessional creepy taxidermist and an experienced mean spirited animal handler. The apes in the zoo screamed, hooted, and threw objects and feces at visitors. Two elderly women visitors observed these conditions and saw the lethargic and despondent female gorilla Margaret, distressed over the loss of her mate known as Randy. Visitors often felt an ease mysterious calming effect in her presence.
The elderly women returned to their home, where they lived with their relatives: Eddie Bias, his wife Clare, and their two sons Oscar and “T”. Eddie Bias was a powerful commanding presence who used his strong sense of masculinity to control, dominate, ridicule and abuse not only his family members, but also the unfortunate laborers who worked for him. A disturbing and appalling portrayal of the culture, speech, mannerisms, emerge in this setting of the deep poor South during the 1960’s.
The target of Eddie Bias unchecked rage is directed at his elderly overweight employee Gaylord Miller, who he fired without paying for previous hours worked, for no apparent reason after much verbal and physical abuse. After Miller returns to his shack, he takes his seething distorted anger out on his poor unsuspecting wife in a single unprovoked violent act. When his neighbor arrived to investigate the commotion, Miller quickly dismissed him with a concocted explanation and chillingly disposes of evidence of his criminal action/behavior.
The owner of Apeland, Mr. Lennox calls the men of this town together to search the vicinity, wooded areas and swamp lands for Margaret, who had escaped from her cage and missing. He stressed he wanted Margaret captured and returned alive and safely. With all these uneducated, aggressive men who viewed themselves as heroic hunters searching for an escaped beast/gorilla, armed with a variety of weaponry, an undetected criminal in their midst, and the madness of Eddie Bias, Margaret’s safe return was seriously compromised; as the novel progressed towards its shocking explosive fiery conclusion.
A prolific author, Allen is recognized for his writing style similar to pulp fiction, suspenseful action adventure themes - something usually explodes, blows-up, some of the characters are beat-up, shot or gunned down, someone dies. On initial observation, a scene appears to be normal, even peaceful, though it is not. This is the fourth book by Paul Allen I have read/reviewed, and he is among my favorite indie authors. His novels include: Negro Fort (2012), Master of Breath (2013), Asking For It (2014), Never A Soldier (2014), Mr. Black and White (2014). The Paul Allen Reader (2014) is a stunning masterful value priced e-book collection anthology of all six novels.
January 13, 2014
Apeland is powerful and entertaining....a real page turner!
July 25, 2020
An absorbing pursuit and a blossoming novel!
American writer and filmmaker Paul Allen has written six novels - APELAND, NEVER A SOLDIER, NEGRO FORT, MASTER OF BREATH, ASKING FOR IT, and MR. BLACK AND WHITE - each one reflecting his fascination and passion for nature as well as demonstrating the polished gifts as a writer well trained for his profession. His studies in English and psychology were capped by an MFA in Cinema from the University of Southern California and he polished his skills writing short stories and journalism appearing in a wide sweep of publications as The Smith, The St. Petersburg Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Florida Handbook, and The Quarterly Journal of Military History. A member of Writers Guild he has taught classical and modern literature, writing and film at USC and Rhode Island School of design. Now from his home in the woods of New England he turns out screenplays and novels that have a characteristic sense of enticing the reader to connect with the characters and the messages of his works.
Having followed all of Paul’s excellent novels - except this one, his first – makes returning to the starting gate a particular pleasure, not unlike finding the seeds of a favorite plant off season when only the promise of the future exists, confined. As we have become cognizant of his style, his traits, especially his scriptive painting, it comes as no surprise that in even the first chapter a mood of place and folk becomes visual, just the right cue for a novel to launch. A bit of excerpt illustrates the point: ‘With black clouds blowing over them as they walked down the road, the old women raised little spurts of dust with their shuffling feet. In the stream beside them the sun, still sinking in the clear west, burned in a painful circle atop the surface. Cornfield pushed Bias over toward the pavement and raised her hand to block the glare. Soon the dark clouds had cast far over them their dark, cool shadow that raced, as the ladies watched, across he pastures toward the hammock to the west. When the light on the water went out, the shade brought a cool silence to the stream. The current undulated long trails of foxtail, at times rocking great long masses of fluffy green…’ Poetic, respectful of nature’s magic, the scene opens a story that is wholly captivating.
Paul’s ability to verbally caress all of nature, his privileged realm, extends not only to the flora but equally well to the fauna – in this book the animals are in the form of kittens and apes and humans. The story is summarized for us: ‘Huddled in her hot cage in a run-down roadside menagerie called Apeland, Margaret, a thousand-pound gorilla, hoots unhappily for her dead mate. Just up the road, at the taxidermist's shop, an old lady is paying for having her kitty cat stuffed. Down the road a subdivision is going up in the middle of the Florida wilderness. Men dig foundations. Poor, bored, and mosquito-bitten, they wait hopelessly for a little excitement, a fight, a hurricane--anything. It comes when Margaret escapes into the steaming forest. The county sheriff quickly assembles a posse of local characters and leads this bizarre collection of heavily armed crazies into the palmetto and cypress after the love-starved ape. Among the group are Ed Bias, the would-be hero, and his young sons; Gaylord Miller, the ketchup bottle murderer and Bias's sworn enemy; Walker, the strange taxidermist; Lennox, the animal trainer; Monroe Block, Apeland's tattered tour guide; and an assortment of odd others. Deeper and deeper into the forest they stalk poor Margaret toward a violent and tragic end.’
The manner in which Paul balances human and animal interaction is masterful, delivered with obvious respect and compassion – a skill he continues to polish in his subsequent novels. Paul Allen is a whispered voice in the congregation of the fine writers of the day, a voice that is significant and most worthy of accolades – and joy! Discover his gift, here, at the beginning of it all. Highly recommended.
American writer and filmmaker Paul Allen has written six novels - APELAND, NEVER A SOLDIER, NEGRO FORT, MASTER OF BREATH, ASKING FOR IT, and MR. BLACK AND WHITE - each one reflecting his fascination and passion for nature as well as demonstrating the polished gifts as a writer well trained for his profession. His studies in English and psychology were capped by an MFA in Cinema from the University of Southern California and he polished his skills writing short stories and journalism appearing in a wide sweep of publications as The Smith, The St. Petersburg Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Florida Handbook, and The Quarterly Journal of Military History. A member of Writers Guild he has taught classical and modern literature, writing and film at USC and Rhode Island School of design. Now from his home in the woods of New England he turns out screenplays and novels that have a characteristic sense of enticing the reader to connect with the characters and the messages of his works.
Having followed all of Paul’s excellent novels - except this one, his first – makes returning to the starting gate a particular pleasure, not unlike finding the seeds of a favorite plant off season when only the promise of the future exists, confined. As we have become cognizant of his style, his traits, especially his scriptive painting, it comes as no surprise that in even the first chapter a mood of place and folk becomes visual, just the right cue for a novel to launch. A bit of excerpt illustrates the point: ‘With black clouds blowing over them as they walked down the road, the old women raised little spurts of dust with their shuffling feet. In the stream beside them the sun, still sinking in the clear west, burned in a painful circle atop the surface. Cornfield pushed Bias over toward the pavement and raised her hand to block the glare. Soon the dark clouds had cast far over them their dark, cool shadow that raced, as the ladies watched, across he pastures toward the hammock to the west. When the light on the water went out, the shade brought a cool silence to the stream. The current undulated long trails of foxtail, at times rocking great long masses of fluffy green…’ Poetic, respectful of nature’s magic, the scene opens a story that is wholly captivating.
Paul’s ability to verbally caress all of nature, his privileged realm, extends not only to the flora but equally well to the fauna – in this book the animals are in the form of kittens and apes and humans. The story is summarized for us: ‘Huddled in her hot cage in a run-down roadside menagerie called Apeland, Margaret, a thousand-pound gorilla, hoots unhappily for her dead mate. Just up the road, at the taxidermist's shop, an old lady is paying for having her kitty cat stuffed. Down the road a subdivision is going up in the middle of the Florida wilderness. Men dig foundations. Poor, bored, and mosquito-bitten, they wait hopelessly for a little excitement, a fight, a hurricane--anything. It comes when Margaret escapes into the steaming forest. The county sheriff quickly assembles a posse of local characters and leads this bizarre collection of heavily armed crazies into the palmetto and cypress after the love-starved ape. Among the group are Ed Bias, the would-be hero, and his young sons; Gaylord Miller, the ketchup bottle murderer and Bias's sworn enemy; Walker, the strange taxidermist; Lennox, the animal trainer; Monroe Block, Apeland's tattered tour guide; and an assortment of odd others. Deeper and deeper into the forest they stalk poor Margaret toward a violent and tragic end.’
The manner in which Paul balances human and animal interaction is masterful, delivered with obvious respect and compassion – a skill he continues to polish in his subsequent novels. Paul Allen is a whispered voice in the congregation of the fine writers of the day, a voice that is significant and most worthy of accolades – and joy! Discover his gift, here, at the beginning of it all. Highly recommended.
September 5, 2018
Glad that's over.
July 19, 2020
I can only assume that Allen’s point of telling this shit storm of a story was to show how we humans are still just big, lumbering apes, ready to go mad and fuck or kill anything in our way. I can step out my door or turn on YouTube and see that, I didn’t need a hunt for a gorilla to disguise the metaphor. Trash characters, trash story. I was hoping the gorilla was going to rip through more of them but she doesn’t even escape til halfway through the book and proceeds to do nothing for most of the rest of it. More awkward sex and incest themed content than a Game of Thrones episode.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2021
I am not sure what I just read. It had some aspects of Zoo, Nebraska - where it is more about small town life than the actual Apeland. It is definitely a dated book - the n word is used pretty freely, and just the general attitude towards child rearing and the place of a woman is clear. I am glad I am done with this book, and a little sad I had it on my Mt TBR at all.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews