“A good book might clarify something you knew little about,transform your world view,or move you in ways you didn’t think possible.The Soul of an Octopus(章鱼)delivers on all three,”the magazine New Scientist commented. After writing about birds,pigs and tigers,US naturalist Sy Montgomery decided to choose these many-footed animals as the subject of her latest book,The Soul of an Octopus:a surprising exploration into the wonder of consciousness. “Here is animal with poisonous liquid like a snake,a beak(喙)like a parrot,and ink like an old-fashioned pen.It can weigh as much as a man and extend as long as a car,yet it can pour its baggy;boneless body through an opening the size of all orange.It can change color and shape.It has a tongue covered with teeth.It can taste with its skin.”Montgomery explained to the National Geographic on why octopuses inspired her. What Montgomery is able to show in The Soul of an Octopus is that octopuses are creatures who exhibit personality,intelligence and emotion,despite having nervous systems completely different from our own.She uses different experiments to show that they possess consciousness as well as individual personalities.For example,based on her research,she finds out that Octavia,an octopus caught in the wild,is friendly and good at multi-tasking.And Kali,another octopus,who has been living at the New England Aquarium,is playful and loves exploring. Montgomery is a good storyteller.Through her study of,and communication with,these extraordinary creatures she shares what she learns from both science and her experiences.Her skillful writing presents facts together with personal description,which makes the book very informative but easy to read.