The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness - Softcover

Montgomery, Sy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1471146758 ISBN 13: 9781471146756

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK, 2016

Synopsis

In 2011 Sy Montgomery wrote a feature for Orion magazine entitled 'Deep Intellect' about her friendship with a sensitive, sweet-natured octopus named Athena and the grief she felt at her death. It went viral, indicating the widespread fascination with these mysterious, almost alien-like creatures. Since then Sy has practised true immersion journalism, from New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico, pursuing these wild, solitary shape-shifters.
     Octopuses have varied personalities and intelligence they show in myriad ways: endless trickery to escape enclosures and get food; jetting water playfully to bounce objects like balls; and evading caretakers by using a scoop net as a trampoline and running around the floor on eight arms. But with a beak like a parrot, venom like a snake, and a tongue covered with teeth, how can such a beingknowanything? And what sort of thoughts could it think?
     The intelligence of dogs, birds, and chimpanzees was only recently accepted by scientists, who now are establishing the intelligence of the octopus, watching them solve problems and deciphering the meaning of their colour-changing camouflage techniques. Montgomery chronicles this growing appreciation of the octopus, but also tells a love story. By turns funny, entertaining, touching and profound, The Soul of an Octopus reveals what octopuses can teach us about consciousness and the meeting of two very different minds.

About this title

Review:

'A classic tale of girl meets octopus. You cannot help but romanticise Sy Montgomery's The Soul Of An Octopus. It isnt a straightforward natural history book so much as a swooning account of falling in love with tentacles... An engaging work of natural science' --Daily Mail

About the Author:

Sy Montgomery is a naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and author of twenty 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, 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, border collie, and flock of chickens.

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1471146758
• ISBN 13: 9781471146756
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272