Soul of an Octopus is still to date one of my favorite books and one of the most influential pieces of marine literature that I have read to date. I began this book on a trip down to the Bahamian island of Abaco with a handful of students and professors from my university to conduct Atlantic Gulf Rapid Reef Assessments on the fish, coral, and algae species found on Bahamian reefs. Apart from the surveys, my attention was all consumed by this book and I finished it just three days later. During surface intervals between dives, swinging in the hammock as the sun dipped gently behind the palm fronds, and underneath the thin yet suffocating sheets of our extremely small bunkbeds, I flipped through the pages with curiosity and amazement, as well as a heavy conscience. Before reading this book, I was admittedly one of many people who fell ignorant to an octopuses sentience, intelligence, and inherent value, and, even more upsettingly, consumed a grilled octopus in a fancy restaurant from time to time.
Through the unique experience of interacting, forming relationships, and learning from these truly magnificent beings, Sy Montgomery has the ability to take readers on an eye-opening, heart throbbing exploration of these amazing animals through both a scientific and anecdotal lens. This book is entertaining, educational, and an easy read, palatable for most and will make you gain a strong appreciation for these unique aliens of our world’s oceans.
I hope you all love this book as much as I did! Enjoy!
Founder and CEO of LegaSea Ecology LLC
