The Soul of an Octopus
by Sy Montgomery · first published 2015
73% recommend27% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Accessible, anecdote-driven look at octopus intelligence and behavior, drawing on the author's time with individual animals; good for curious general readers and for anyone drawn to animal minds or cephalopods.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
This awe striking, almost alien trip, draws us into the otherworldly watery realm of cephalopods
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Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
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I'm currently reading The Soul of an Octopus and it's really joy inspiring. Part pop-science, part memoir, part inter-species romance. If you just come in for science you'll be annoyed by Clever Hans effect and confirmation bias, but that's all…
on “Inky the octopus breaks out of New Zealand aquarium” ↗…Never Happen Again by David Cain - Cure by Jo Marchant - If It’s Monday It Must Be Madurai: A Conducted Tour of India by Srinath Perur - Deep Work by Cal Newport - Enduring Love by Ian McEwan - The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery - The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion and a few others that aren't worth recommending; all the above are.
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗Also check out Sy Montgomery's book,The Soul of an Octopus, fascinating. Did you know "Three fifths of octopuses' neurons are not in the brain..." Here is an excerpt: http://www.delanceyplace.com/view-archives.php?p=3054
on “Just how smart is an octopus?” ↗Other Minds is very good. The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery is similar but covers some different topics, including the author's relationship with a couple different octopuses.
on “How I became friends with an octopus” ↗If you're interested in human octopus interactions I recommend Sy Montgomery's Soul Of An Octopus. http://symontgomery.com/soul-of-an-octopus/
on “Giant Pacific Octopus” ↗…Anne-Sophie Darmaillacq (Editor), Ludovic Dickel (Editor), Jennifer Mather (Editor) Cephalopod Behaviour 2nd Edition by Roger T. Hanlon (Author), John B. Messenger (Author) Personal anecdotes: The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness Paperback by Sy Montgomery
on “A Cephalopod Has Passed a Cognitive Test Designed for Human Children” ↗Some books I cannot help but recommend: Non-Fiction: - Sy Montgomery: The Soul of an Octopus - Peter Godfrey-Smith: Other Minds Fiction: - Shelby Van Pelt: Remarkably Bright Creatures - Ray Naylor: The Mountain in the Sea They are each fantastic, and anyone curious or a fan of cephalopods…
on “Cuttlefish and Their Technicolor Dreamcoats” ↗I strongly recommend both of these books. The Soul of an Octopus is more anecdotal and Other Minds is more academic; in sum they offer not just a fascinating picture of octopuses, but a larger discussion on consciousness and foreign intelligence.
on “What's it like to be an Octopus? (2017)” ↗…is random interests. Sports books are a great avenue and often highly accessible for younger readers. Pretty much any hobby/niche interest has books that are suitable. Kid likes animals? Give them 'The Soul of an Octopus'. Kid likes scifi movies? Give em 'Childhood's End'. Its really not a challenge when you know them well.
on “Book people think they know why 9-year-olds stop reading for fun” ↗…[NSFW!] The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife [1] (erotic Japanese art from 1814) and the books Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness [2] by Peter Godfrey-Smith and The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery [3]. [1] NSFW! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dream_of_the_Fisherman%27s... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_Minds:_The_Octopus,_the_...…
on “What's it like to be an Octopus? (2017)” ↗Has been expanded by the author into a book: [1] S. Montgomery. The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness. Atria Books, 2015. This story made my day, and it's not even noon yet! 😊 Looking forward to learn more about octopuses tonight.
on “Deep Intellect” ↗Also this https://www.scribd.com/book/317091083/The-Soul-of-an-Octopus...
on “Octopuses caught on camera throwing things at each other” ↗