Acclaimed nature writer Si Montgomery practices true “immersive journalism.” She has visited scientific centers from the New England Aquarium to the waters of French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico, and befriended several octopuses that display their intelligence in a variety of ways: escaping from “super-secure” tanks, stealing food, playing ball, solving puzzles. These animals change color, can easily squeeze through almost any opening, and are gentle, curious, and even assertive. Montgomery explores the emotional and physical world of octopuses, the amazing relationships they form with people, and introduces us to the passionate community of experts and enthusiasts that has formed around these complex, intelligent, and sociable creatures. At times funny and humorous, at times profound and touching, The Soul of the Octopus tells us about the amazing contact between two very different types of minds - humans and octopuses.

“The ability of octopuses and their relatives to camouflage is unparalleled in the animal kingdom in terms of speed and variety. Even chameleons pale in comparison. Most standard camouflage options in animals can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Cephalopods have between thirty and fifty of them. They can change color, shape, and texture in seven-tenths of a second.”

Why read
A New York Times bestseller.
The book contains stories about the lives of different octopuses and scientific information about their intellectual abilities.

Full-color illustrations, octopus animation as you flip through the book, and QR codes to play octopus videos on your phone.
A finalist for the 2015 National Book Award.
This book is one of The Daily Beast's best nonfiction books of 2015.

The Huffington Post's Most Outstanding Nonfiction Book of the Year.
Library Journal's Best Science Book of 2015.
"One of the Best Nonfiction Books of the Year" by NPR's Science Friday.

About the Author
Sai Montgomery is the author of 20 nonfiction books for adults and children. She has received numerous awards and honorary degrees, including lifetime achievement awards from the Humane Society of the United States and the New England Booksellers Association, and three honorary degrees. Sy lives in New Hampshire with her border collie Sally, a flock of laying hens, and her husband, writer Howard Mansfield.