Er kann 1600 Küsse auf einmal verteilen, er kann mit seiner Haut schmecken, Farbe und Form ändern und sich trotz eines Körpergewichts von 45 Kilogramm durch eine apfelsinengroße Öffnung zwängen: der Oktopus. Und nicht nur seine körperlichen Superkräfte machen den Achtarmigen zu einem Wunderwesen der Meere. Kraken sind vor allem schlau. Sie können tricksen, spielen, lernen, sie können Menschen erkennen und Kontakt aufnehmen.
In ihrem preisgekrönten Buch erzählt die Naturforscherin Sy Montgomery auf berührende, kenntnisreiche, unterhaltsame Weise von ihren Begegnungen mit diesen außergewöhnlichen Tieren und wirft eine bemerkenswerte Frage auf: Haben Kraken ein Bewusstsein?
Montgomery liefert spannende Krakengeschichten. Manchmal vermenschlicht sie Tiere allerdings ein wenig sehr (sogar Fruchtfliegen!), doch sieht man dadurch die Tiere in einem anderen Blickwinkel.
Aaaaber: Sie mag zwar Naturforscherin sein, doch studiert hat sie nichts derartiges, sondern Journalismus, Französisch und Psychologie (wobei es ihr ja auch nicht um die Biologie, sondern um das Wesen geht, insofern passt das schon), weshalb vielleicht jemand hätte korrekturlesen sollen- zB sind Schlangen nicht grundsätzlich lebendgebärend, die meisten legen Eier, und, ganz schlimm: Dexamethason ist KEIN GLUCOSEPRÄPARAT! Cortison ist kein Traubenzucker!
Gut, das sind Einzelfälle, und es geht um das Wesen der Oktopusse, und das ist interessant genug. Interessanter jedenfalls als die vielen Schicksale der Aquariumsmitarbeiter:innen, da wäre weniger mehr gewesen.
Und manchmal ist das Buch ein wenig sehr emotional.
Who doesn't find octopodes intriguing? I was excited to start reading this book so I would learn more about the skills of these fascinating animals. If the focus is on their cognitive and "psychological" properties - even better.
Unfortunately, the books didn't do much for me. Besides some interesting stories and anecdotes about, well, octopodes, there are VERY long passages about diving trips, the aquarium the author visited to research, and things like the author's diving instructor's childhood, and an aquarium employee's wife's medical history. Sure, these things may be mildly interesting and have surely contributed to the author's experience - to me, in this book, they were completely unnecessary; I even found myself skipping paragraphs and pages out of boredom.
Also, if I'd had to read ONE MORE description of what it feels like when an octopus touches your arm with its tentacles, I would have cried. This must …
Who doesn't find octopodes intriguing? I was excited to start reading this book so I would learn more about the skills of these fascinating animals. If the focus is on their cognitive and "psychological" properties - even better.
Unfortunately, the books didn't do much for me. Besides some interesting stories and anecdotes about, well, octopodes, there are VERY long passages about diving trips, the aquarium the author visited to research, and things like the author's diving instructor's childhood, and an aquarium employee's wife's medical history. Sure, these things may be mildly interesting and have surely contributed to the author's experience - to me, in this book, they were completely unnecessary; I even found myself skipping paragraphs and pages out of boredom.
Also, if I'd had to read ONE MORE description of what it feels like when an octopus touches your arm with its tentacles, I would have cried. This must come up twenty times in the book - I'm sure it is fascinating and life-changing, but I really don't need to read about it so often.
All in all, another example of an interesting topic where a non-fiction book unfortunately didn't catch me. A magazine article would have sufficed.
Review of 'The Soul of an Octopus' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
Who knows why octopuses have such a draw for me, when they are in fact so alien and, to many, frightening. I really cannot come up with any reason other than the unhelpful explanation that I simply love them.
In this book by Sy Montgomery, she introduces us to various octopuses she has met (and yes, octopuses as the plural of octopus is correct. Octopi is -regrettably- also correct, though only because its usage is common. Octopodes is the most correct, being the correct Greek pluralization, in contrast to the incorrect assumption by many that octopus pluralizes with an -i, as is true for other words with Latin roots, such as syllabus and cactus. And I may or may not have labeled myself as a total weirdo in a work training class with an explanation of the above during my self introduction.).
The Soul of an Octopus was both …
Who knows why octopuses have such a draw for me, when they are in fact so alien and, to many, frightening. I really cannot come up with any reason other than the unhelpful explanation that I simply love them.
In this book by Sy Montgomery, she introduces us to various octopuses she has met (and yes, octopuses as the plural of octopus is correct. Octopi is -regrettably- also correct, though only because its usage is common. Octopodes is the most correct, being the correct Greek pluralization, in contrast to the incorrect assumption by many that octopus pluralizes with an -i, as is true for other words with Latin roots, such as syllabus and cactus. And I may or may not have labeled myself as a total weirdo in a work training class with an explanation of the above during my self introduction.).
The Soul of an Octopus was both informative and touching. The stories and facts that I got to read about in this book were enrapturing. I loved reading about how the octopuses that the author meets would greet their human friends and surface from their tanks to touch and taste them. Like the author, I have to wonder how octopuses experience the world. With their brains not only consolidated in their heads, three hearts, and tactile suckers, the way they perceive us and their surroundings must be so different. Their behavior, as Sy explains in her book, is not always driven simply by primal needs, but they interact with their surroundings with wildly varying degrees of boldness, curiosity, and personality. While I wish there was more information into the psyche of an octopus in the book, the lack is due only to there not being any. Octopuses are still largely a mystery to us, as they are delicate while also being extremely powerful and robust, and are so complex and variegated that study is not an easy undertaking. Additionally, the concept of animals having consciousness, thought, and personality is still a relatively new one.
I hope that if you get the opportunity to read this book, you take it without hesitation. I loved it. When the author decided to learn to scuba dive, I was inspired to learn as well. I don't know when or how, but the descriptions of the beautiful underwater world have an irresistible draw for me. I love many sea creatures. The fact that jellyfish don't have brains and are just bundles of neurons blows me away. The fantastic deep sea creatures that live in total darkness mesmerize me with their bizarre beauty. Complex crustaceans such as crabs are so lively I can't help but enjoy them. I love the gracefulness of sharks and the utter immensity of whales. And of course, the curiosity and incredible ingenuity of the octopus. I want to meet one someday, and also get a fleeting glimpse into the soul of an octopus.
