The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness
Who Would Like This Book:
If you've ever been curious about the intelligence of animals or love stories that connect science with personal experience, this book is a treat. Sy Montgomery brings octopuses vividly to life, exploring their surprising smarts, quirky personalities, and their capacity to form bonds with humans. Nature fans, animal lovers, and anyone who enjoys pondering deep questions about consciousness and sentience will find a lot to love here. Even those who usually shy away from nonfiction may be hooked by Montgomery's engaging writing and heartfelt stories.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Readers seeking a pure science book with dense research or rigorous animal psychology may find this more memoir than scientific deep dive. Some felt the book digressed too much into the author's personal life or philosophical musings, and wished for more focus on wild octopuses instead of ones in captivity. Others were bothered by a lack of critical discussion about animal ethics or were underwhelmed by the amount of factual information versus anecdote. If you're hoping for a straight-up scientific exploration, this may not fully satisfy.
About:
'The Soul of an Octopus' by Sy Montgomery is a memoir that explores the author's time at the New England Aquarium, focusing on her experiences working with octopuses. The narrative delves into the intelligence and behaviors of octopuses, shedding light on their capacity for problem-solving, relationships with caretakers, and their remarkable personalities. Montgomery's writing style combines personal anecdotes, scientific facts about octopuses, and character studies of the individuals working at the aquarium, providing a blend of nature writing and insights into the world of these fascinating creatures.
The author's journey not only unveils the wonders of the octopus world but also touches on broader themes of friendship, loss, and consciousness. Through Montgomery's heartfelt storytelling, readers are taken on a captivating exploration of the complexities of octopus life, their interactions with humans, and the emotional connections that can be formed with these intelligent marine creatures.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings may include discussions of captivity and animal treatment that could be upsetting for some readers.
From The Publisher:
Finalist for the National Book Award for Nonfiction * New York Times Bestseller * Starred Booklist and Library Journal Editors' Spring Pick * A Huffington Post Notable Nonfiction Book of the Year * One of the Best Books of the Month on Goodreads * Library Journal Best Sci-Tech Book of the Year * An American Library Association Notable Book of the Year
"Sy Montgomery's The Soul of an Octopus does for the creature what Helen Macdonald's H Is for Hawk did for raptors." -New Statesman, UK
"One of the best science books of the year." -Science Friday, NPR
Another New York Times bestseller from the author of The Good Good Pig, this "fascinating…touching…informative…entertaining" (Daily Beast) book explores the emotional and physical world of the octopus-a surprisingly complex, intelligent, and spirited creature-and the remarkable connections it makes with humans.
In pursuit of the wild, solitary, predatory octopus, popular naturalist Sy Montgomery has practiced true immersion journalism. From New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico, she has befriended octopuses with strikingly different personalities-gentle Athena, assertive Octavia, curious Kali, and joyful Karma. Each creature shows her cleverness in myriad ways: escaping enclosures like an orangutan; jetting water to bounce balls; and endlessly tricking companions with multiple "sleights of hand" to get food.
Scientists have only recently accepted the intelligence of dogs, birds, and chimpanzees but now are watching octopuses solve problems and are trying to decipher the meaning of the animal's color-changing techniques. With her "joyful passion for these intelligent and fascinating creatures" (Library Journal Editors' Spring Pick), Montgomery chronicles the growing appreciation of this mollusk as she tells a unique love story. By turns funny, entertaining, touching, and profound, The Soul of an Octopus reveals what octopuses can teach us about the meeting of two very different minds.
Ratings (20)
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Did Not Like (3) |
Reader Stats (66):
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Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (36) | |
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Not Interested (7) |
2 comment(s)
My love for octopuses continues! Beautifully narrated by the author (Sy Montgomery) and even more beautifully written.
The Soul of an Octopus was warm, heartfelt, and informative. I loved each story and relationship with the octopuses. Their journey was amazing and their deaths were heartbreaking.
“If I have a soul — and I think I do — an octopus has a soul, too.”
I’ve been a fan of octopus for a while, and this lovely little nonfiction only cemented my fearful admiration of these bizarre creatures. Through stories of her interactions with four captive octopus and several in the wild, Sy Montgomery shares all about octopus life, from their penchant for puzzles and snacks to their incredible camouflage abilities. There’s an almost spiritual reverence afforded by the author to nature in general and, obviously in this book, to the octopus, but if you don’t mind that I’d highly recommend checking this book out.
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About the Author:
Sy Montgomery is a naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and author of thirty-one acclaimed books of nonfiction for adults and children, including the National Book Award finalist The Soul of an Octopus and the memoir The Good Good Pig, which was a New York Times bestseller. The recipient of numerous honors, including lifetime achievement awards from the Humane Society and the New England Booksellers Association, she lives in New Hampshire with her husband, writer Howard Mansfield, and a border collie.
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