{"product_id":"soul-of-an-octopus","title":"Soul Of An Octopus","description":"\u003cb\u003e'Sy Montgomery’s \u003ci\u003eThe Soul of an Octopus\u003c\/i\u003e does for the creature what Helen Macdonald’s \u003ci\u003eH Is for Hawk\u003c\/i\u003e did for raptors' \u003ci\u003eNew Statesman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Charming and moving...with extraordinary scientific research' \u003ci\u003eGuardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'An engaging work of natural science... There is clearly something about the octopus’s weird beauty that fires the imaginations of explorers, scientists, writers' \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In 2011 Sy Montgomery wrote a feature for \u003ci\u003eOrion\u003c\/i\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 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 being know anything? And what sort of thoughts could it think?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 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. \u003cb\u003eBy turns funny, entertaining, touching and profound, \u003ci\u003eThe Soul of an Octopus \u003c\/i\u003ereveals what octopuses can teach us about consciousness and the meeting of two very different minds.\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"MediaPlace","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57312324649342,"sku":"NW9781471146756","price":9.4,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1379\/1261\/files\/9781471146756.jpg?v=1778649218","url":"https:\/\/mediaplace.com\/products\/soul-of-an-octopus","provider":"MediaPlace","version":"1.0","type":"link"}