Books Like The Soul of an Octopus

Peter Godfrey-Smith

Godfrey-Smith also dives into octopus intelligence and asks how a mind evolved so far from our own. Like Montgomery, he treats the creature as a genuinely alien thinker worth taking seriously.

Jennifer Ackerman, Illus. by John Burgoyne

Ackerman takes the same open-minded approach as Montgomery, showing how scientists slowly accepted that animals many people dismissed can solve problems and show surprising cleverness.

Jonathan Balcombe

Balcombe makes a similar case for an underrated sea creature, using behavioural research and vivid observations to show that fish have rich inner lives that deserve respect.

Helen Macdonald

Macdonald's memoir of training a wild goshawk shares the intimate, obsessive bond at the heart of The Soul of an Octopus. Both books weigh the costs and joys of loving a creature that will never fully understand you.

Lawrence Anthony

Anthony tells the story of his friendship with a wild elephant herd, a relationship built on patience and trust. Readers who enjoyed Montgomery's personal accounts of forming bonds with octopuses will find the same emotional warmth.

Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

Thomas writes about the inner world of dogs with the same attentive, personal lens Montgomery brings to octopuses. The book shows how close observation can reveal intelligence and emotion in animals we thought we knew.

Annie Dillard

Dillard's close attention to the small, strange lives of creatures has the same wonder Montgomery brings to octopuses. Her prose is lyrical, and her curiosity about how other beings perceive the world matches the spirit of this book.

Robin Wall Kimmerer

Kimmerer blends botany, personal reflection and Indigenous knowledge in a warm, observant voice. Readers drawn to Montgomery's blend of science and heart will find a similar sense of wonder at the living world.

Ed Yong

Yong explores how animals perceive the world through senses far beyond our own, a theme that runs through The Soul of an Octopus. His clear, well-researched writing suits readers curious about how other creatures experience reality.

David Foster Wallace

Wallace's essays examine animal consciousness and the ethics of how we treat sea creatures, pairing sharp humour with serious questions. Readers who appreciated Montgomery's thoughtful treatment of the octopus will find a similar mix of wit and moral seriousness.

Rachel Carson

Carson's classic account of the ocean and its life offers the wonder and scientific grounding that make Montgomery's book so absorbing. It is a foundational read for anyone fascinated by the marine world.