The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery

I can't remember where I first stumbled onto The Soul of an Octopus, but it's been on my Goodreads to-read list for a long time now. I must have found it online somewhere, because I knew about its existence long before I saw a physical copy. When I did happen to see it sitting on a shelf in a bookstore, I recognized it and bought it right away. That was actually only a few months ago, so it hasn't been sitting on my shelf forever (like most of my unread novels, it seems). I'm reading it now as part of my effort to read more nonfiction in 2018.

The Soul of an Octopus is a different sort of nonfiction book. It is partly scientific, in that it describes several facts about the octopus and presents findings from all sorts of studies about them. It is partly anecdotal, in that its author, Sy Montgomery, tells several stories about encounters she has with octopuses in aquariums and in the wild. It is also partly supposition, in that it includes a lot of guesses about octopus intelligence and consciousness. The blending together of all of these elements results in a book that is educational, accessible, and charming. I personally enjoyed reading it very much, although I can see how some of its less-scientific elements might irk some readers.

Most of the novel concerns stories about Montgomery's interactions with several octopuses at the New England Aquarium. She describes observing, feeding, petting, and playing with the creatures alongside the aquarium's expert staff members. Each octopus she interacts with has its own distinct personality. Some are shy and sweet while others are playful and sneaky. I had no idea before reading this that these creatures would enjoy playing with a human, but now that I know this, I really want to try it for myself one day. Montgomery forms close bonds with these animals, and her observations of their behavior lead her into a lot of musings about how intelligent octopuses truly are. They are certainly more intelligent that people think, but Montgomery goes a bit further than that. She supposes that they are conscious of themselves as individuals, which would place them as one of the most intelligent animal species in the world. She gets a little poetic in her thoughts in these sections, which is where more analytical people might roll their eyes, but overall her thoughts are intriguing to read.

She also spends a fair amount of time imagining how octopuses interpret their surroundings. They have evolved in ways utterly alien to humans. Instead of being built with a head on top, their body is on top of their head. They have most of their neurons in their tentacles and taste through their suction cups. If an octopus wraps it's arm around a human's, it can taste things that are in the human's blood, like medications and hormones. They are truly different creatures from us, and they experience the world in an entirely way. Her descriptions of what it must be like to live like they do are intriguing and cause you to think about the animal in a novel way.

Overall, I learned a lot of facts about the octopus from this novel, and it was consistently interesting throughout. Montgomery's writing is engaging and easy to read. Beyond those qualities, however, there is a lyrical niceness about it. Her enthusiasm and love for animals leaps off each page, and her fascination with her subject is a pleasure to read. I felt happier while reading this. It's nice to both learn something new and get a mood boost at the same time. I know that I'll never look at an octopus in an aquarium the same way again, so I count The Soul of an Octopus as a very worthwhile read. Anyone who has ever been intrigued by these unusual and smart creatures will find a lot to like in it.


Challenge Tally:
True Books 2018: 4/18 + 2 bonus books
Clear the Shelves 2018: 6 books donated

Total Books Read in 2018: 12