A surprisingly moving exploration of octopuses, their personalities, and how much of their behaviour can be related to the human condition.
The Soul of an Octopus was one of my favourite books of 2015. And yes, it is about an octopus. That eight-legged squiggly animal that lives under the sea, squirts ink and is also a character in the Wiggles. Did you know that octopuses are highly intelligent, have well-developed personalities, and have been known to use trickery to get what they want? And did you know that the plural of octopus isn’t octopi? (I didn’t!)
Author Sy Montgomery spent what seems like years making friends with octopuses of various breeds and sizes, exploring their lives, how they think, and their connections with each other. While it seems like an unusual undertaking, it’s surprising how much insight can be gained from the journey to understanding. This was fascinating reading.
I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for something that might make you think, or give you the feels, or even if you just can’t believe that someone can write a whole book about octopuses that can create such a stir.
Content advisory: Tentacles, but no porn.
You can read an extract of the book here. Published by Simon & Schuster.
AUSTRALIA: Booktopia | iTunes | Kindle | Other
WORLDWIDE: Amazon US | Book Depository | Kobo | Library
AUDIOBOOKS: Audible