Interesting Octopuses

This book confirms how amazing Octopuses are. David talks about his encounters with octopuses around the world and what he’s learning about them and from them.

From their biology, to their intelligence and individuality they are truly fascinating creatures. For example, they can change colour, texture and shape to hide in plain sight and even use shells and coconut shells to hide from predators. They have their own likes and dislikes, puffing water at fish that annoy them, squirting water at caretakers they don’t like and endearingly actively seeking attention and interaction from people they do like. Their interactions with other octopuses vary from rubbing along as neighbours, to throwing old shells at individuals they don’t like and, at worst, cannabilising smaller octopuses if they encounter them when they’re hungry.

I found this a really interesting read and would recommend it to anyone interested in natural history.

I was given this book from the author via netgalley only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Many Things Under a Rock: The Mysteries of Octopuses’ by David Scheel.

For some years I have been interested in octopuses and enjoyed a few novels and other media that feature these remarkable creatures. David Scheel’s book is nonfiction and as the subtitle indicates is a detailed analysis of the natural history of octopuses.

David Scheel is Professor of Marine Biology at Alaska Pacific University and has researched the behaviour and ecology of octopuses for more than 25 years.

I found this a very accessible book and appreciated how alongside the science and natural history that Scheel included how octopuses feature in the society, culture, and mythology of the Native peoples of Alaska. The quirky title of the book links to this as in the Eyak language, a near-extinct tongue once spoken on the Copper River Delta of Southcentral Alaska, “the word for octopus is tsele:xguh. Broken into its constituent parts, it means literally “rock under many-dwell” or “many things under a rock” … a wonderfully descriptive word, as the eight arms of a single octopus might properly be regarded as many things.“

The book contains a number of line drawings of octopuses by Laurel “Yoyo” Scheel. As expected in a serious work of nonfiction there are extensive notes, a bibliography, and index.

Overall, I found ‘Many Things Under a Rock’ an accessible and fascinating book that increased my knowledge of these remarkable creatures.

David Schell has spent a lifetime obsessed with octopuses, working as a behavioural ecologist. This book covers the many research projects and encounters he has had with these complex, incredible animals. Weaving through stories at times amusing, enlightening and above all fascinating accounts of the latest research, natural history and indigenous legends
I am now an ardent fan of octopuses after this astounding introduction to their world.

My knowledge about octopuses was minimal and this book made me learn a lot about these fascinating creatures.
Well researched and informative, an excellent read if you love nature and science
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Many Things Under a Rock by David Scheel is a book all about that most mysterious of creatures, the octopus. There is something strangely fascinating about the intelligence of these creatures and from my reading of this book, there is so much more to be discovered and understood about their way of life. The author incorporates accounts of his own research experiences around the globe, and I thought this added a nice personal touch to the book, which is filled with information. This detailed information is clearly and concisely explained by the author and there are several beautifully sketched illustrations throughout the book which were a nice additional touch. As well as examining the anatomy and behaviour of octopuses, the author also looks back, at their role in folklore and in Native culture, particularly in Alaska where much of his research was based. and looks forward to discuss the role of climate change and the effect of changing habitats on the future of the species. This is a book that would work well for somebody looking for an introduction to the topic.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Octopuses are creatures I find quite fascinating, so I couldn't resist this book looking at the mysteries of them.

David Scheel does a good job of guiding the reader into the complex and mysterious world of the octopus.
Scheel covers anatomy, behaviours, habitat, the possible consequences of climate change and the role of octopus in folklore.
David Scheel breaks up the more scientific aspects of this book with anecdotes from throughout his career, including his initial attempts at finding octopus in the wild and learning their habits, to his first encounter with an octopus on a dive.

Scheel's focus area is in Alaska and he spends some time looking into the folklore of octopuses in Alaskan Native communities; how the stories and language varies between groups and whether this tells us anything about the octopus themselves.

A special mention to the lovely sketches of octopuses and the start of each chapter. I actually would have liked more of these to perhaps illustrate some more octopus anatomy and behaviours.

Although I occasionally found some of the sections a little repetitive, overall this is an excellent and accessible look into a fascinating species.

A fascinating exploration of a fascinating creature. David Scheel manages an impressive feat of straddling the divide between readers with little to no knowledge of the science and subject as well as plenty of new insights for those with a little more grounding. He keeps his explanations simple and free of jargon but the clarity of the writing and the extensive notes reveal a huge amount of research and experience over 25 years studying in the field. He describes. the habits and habitat of his subjects as well as how this has changed over time and continues to change due to rising ocean temperatures. He also provides a fresh look for western readers by incorporating the experiences and folklore of the various Native Alaskan peoples and what the octopus means in indigenous culture, from a food source to a mythical being. Very enjoyable and informative as both and introduction and an extension for anyone interested in octopuses.

David Scheel has spent decades researching octopuses, and he has distilled his knowledge and experience into this carefully- and lovingly-written book.

Much of his focus is on octopuses in Alaska, and their roles in the cultures of indigenous peoples. I always love following scientists out on their fieldwork, especially when it involves animals, and Scheel does not disappoint in this regard. The anecdotes he selects are by turns amusing and fascinating.

By this point I've read quite a few books that are about or include octopuses (including 'The Soul of an Octopus' and 'Other Minds'). Indeed, Scheel calls Peter Godfrey-Smith (author of 'Other Minds') his collaborator. As one might expect, there is a lot less philosophy in 'Many Things Under a Rock', but I still found traces of Godfrey-Smith's influence in Scheel's writing and the way he approached certain topics, most of us octopus sentience.

This book takes, in my view, quite bold stylistic choices in comparison to many of the books out there now by scientists. Many sections begin with a first-person view - from an octopus, that is. Scheel draws from what must be countless brushes with individual octopuses to recount particular moments or hours or days in their lives, beautifully evoking the sheer wonder of octopus bodies, and inklings of how they might perceive their worlds. Many concepts and findings in this book are not new to me (for example, the way that octopus brain matter is "distributed" across the arms as well as being found in the head) but others were, and I imagine that any reader who hasn't yet read a book about octopuses will find their mind being well and truly blown.

If I had to make one criticism, it would be that the slightly fragmentary nature of the sections in the book made me read it slower than I might a nonfiction book with a narrative drive and flow, but in a way, I liked the fragmentary approach. There is so much to talk about it when it comes to octopuses and it must be incredibly challenging for any author to decide how to arrange the material!

'Many Things Under a Rock' entertained and fascinated me aplenty, and I would recommend it to all nonfiction readers.

(With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review)