An interesting foray into the fascinating world of octopuses.

This is a fun read with some terrific anecdotal content on just how intelligent and amazing octopuses are, with some light science to expand on the stories told by the author.

I didn’t find this to be dry at all and in fact would have preferred more scientific explanation for some of the incredible things that octopuses can do. It’s interesting what actually *isn’t* explained in this book, and much of that is probably because there is so much we don’t know about these animals and their complex world.

Though I would have liked more detail, particularly in the biological sense, this is a great primer to get to know octopuses. And I can’t stop thinking about how much they like to hold hands, which seems a fitting hobby for a critter with eight arms.

Good information about Octopus and I found a lot of the book charming, but the author dove into personal anecdotes and random ancillary information a bit too much.

6.5/10

4.5

This is a delightful, insightful view on the lives and study of octopuses. David Scheel has a wealth of experience to draw on and a skill for communicating his knowledge in a way that's easy to understand and enjoyable to listen to. It helps that he has such a fascinating research subject; octopuses are unusual little (or big, as the case may be) guys and it's always a delight to learn more about them. This is a great overview of what octopuses are about and how they behave, as well as the most recent science about many aspects of their lives. It could be particularly valuable for those who work with octopuses in a captive setting (eg, in aquariums) as it does include some interesting information on enrichment, health, and medication.

I am particularly impressed by the breadth of Scheel's collaboration with Native Alaskans and the emphasis on the traditional knowledge of Indigenous people who have been living alongside these animals for centuries. Natural scientists should take note of the way these projects were run and discussed.

Fans of "My Octopus Teacher" and anyone who has worked with octopuses in a husbandry capacity will find this particularly enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audiobook ARC. The narration was very well done and made for an even more enjoyable experience.

Octopi are some of my favorite animals. They’re smart and beautiful and curious and just an absolute wonder. When I saw the audiobook for this on Netgalley I just had to read it.

This book covered a wide range of topics and idea related to octopi (their biology, movement, behavior, and psychology among other things). I loved how this was written. The author deep doves into each topic, revealing a wealth of information without being stuffy or boring. You can tell that the author is deeply passionate about the subject matter in the book on reading this. There was so much information included in this that I didn’t know about and the author made the learning process highly enjoyable.

Like I said above I read this in audiobook format and I recommend that format. The narrator does an excellent job.

Overall I highly recommend this to fans of nonfiction (especially fans of animal books). Not sure if the author has written any other books besides this but I would happily read more by them.

3.5 stars. This is a good suggestion for readers who found [book:The Soul of an Octopus|22609485] a little too memoirish or a little light on hard science. There are some personal experiences related by the author, but they are all from while the author was researching octopuses around the world.

This book covers a lot of other sea life in addition to octopuses so is a good suggestion for NF interested in all kinds of ocean creatures.

I would swear that I've listened to something by this narrator before but I can't find it now. Maybe the things that bothered me about his readying match closely with another narrator and I'm mixing them up in my mind. At any rate, I found his reading style a bit disruptive-- I was constantly brought out of listening to the book to instead listen to how he was reading it, if that makes sense. As an example, the narrator has a tendency to drop into a lower pitch register at times. This lower range has a different timbre and was more difficult to listen to.

eAudio ARC from NetGalley.

Many Things Under a Rock: The Hidden Lives of Octopuses opens a small window into the lives of these mysterious creatures.

Both predator and prey, they are uniquely equipped for both offense and defense. Their ability to camouflage themselves and their ability to eject ink clouds give them the opportunity to conceal themselves from predators. Their ability to regrow arms also give them an advantage.

Research is showing that octopuses are very intelligent, showing abilities to recognize faces and voices.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in octopuses.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital audio copy of this book to review from Net Galley.

#ManyThingsUnderaRock#DavidScheel#NetGalley

In this book, behavioral ecologist and marine biologist David Scheel guides readers through the underwater world of octopuses. He delves into topics as various as octopus anatomy, where to find different species, what they eat, behaviors, reproduction, and how current and future ocean conditions affect octopus populations. I was particularly intrigued by the sections about sleep, learning behaviors, and rare communities like Octopolis and Octlantis.

Octopuses from various oceans around the world are mentioned in the book, but since the author has lived and researched in Alaska for most of his career, that area is heavily featured. The title of the book comes from one of the many, many names that various indigenous peoples use to describe octopuses. It is clear that the author wanted to include cultural perspectives regarding cephalopods, while also being respectful. He often states which indigenous group(s) traditionally inhabit(ed) the locations where he researched and gives credit when relating traditional tales and knowledge. I appreciated these efforts.

Overall, I found the book to be very interesting. I felt like I learned a lot about octopus anatomy, life history, and behavior. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by David Stifel. I found his performance very engaging.

There seems to be a trend of interest in octopuses lately and I'm thoroughly enjoying it all. Most other stories about octopuses are sentimental and have a message preaching their intelligence and therefore that they should not be hunted and eaten. I agree, but this book is different in that it is all science, all study, all objective observation, and its takeaway is encouraging more research, that these mysterious creatures are just starting to be noticed and the science is inadequate in understanding them. It is also a much more science-y book, no whimsy, just facts. Be prepared for new vocabulary, new ideas about them, and new respect. If you're not already interested, this book may not be for you. It's a deep dive (ahem) and lacking a lot of entertaining stories about their antics, while going into great detail about their bodies and behaviors.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this audiobook. I really really wanted to like it. I was so excited when I was allowed to download it because I love octopuses. However, the writing and the reader of this book caused my eyes to glaze over. It wasn’t scholarly enough to be a scientific tome, but it was way too detailed to be of interest to even a octo-phile like me.

Thank you to @rbmediaglobal and #NetGalley for the audio arc of #ManyThingsUnderaRock. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I enjoyed the author's episode "Octopus: Making Contact" on PBS Nature so I jumped at the opportunity to listen to his latest book. And I wasn't disappointed. Scheel has created a beautiful blend of science, research, personal experience and folklore to shed light on some of the mysteries that surround these amazing creatures in a very accessible and interesting way. Overall, a good listen.

Octopuses are fascinating creatures - intelligent, otherworldly, cryptic. But more and more is being understood about them, thanks to tireless scientists like the author of this book. While there is a lot of popular science here, I loved that he built it around his experiences in the field. His writing is warm, witty and engaging. I also appreciate how much he relies on indigenous knowledge and treats the elders of Alaska's First Nations with the respect they deserve.

The narrator also does a great job - he makes us care about his character, root for him and fear for him during his scientific adventures.

Thanks to the publisher, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

I learned so much!

There was a lot of about octopuses that I didn't know, but this book was truly amazing in that in gave me a deeper insight into these fabulous creatures that inhabit the ocean. Highly intelligent, and adaptable, the octopus has evolved through their changing environments.

This was a pleasure to read and learn from. The author did a great job in sharing the information, not only for those who are new to the subject but also for those who might be a bit more knowledgeable. 100% recommend this book!

🐙

A very interesting book about octopuses.

I've read a few in the past, and this book was particularly conversational and memoir based.

I found the Indigenous history of octopuses very interesting. I was very happy the author included this information in the book.

I also thought it was very interesting to learn of the predators of octopus

Also, how they disguise themselves was very fascinating. Also, what they see - or what ways they see and how their vision works.

I found the chapter on octopus movement and hunting very fascinating.

I was also particularly fascinated by the mating process of octopuses.

Recommended Reading
I also recommend reading this book alongside these other octopus books:
The Soul of an Octopus
Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness
Metazoa: Animal Life and the Birth of the Mind

All-in-all a great book.

4.1/5

I love reading a book on any topic where the person is passionate about their topic. This book was engaging and interesting, and you could hear the author's intriguing thoughts and unflagging interest on every page and anecdote about the facts they discovered while researching. It was well written.

The narrator David Stifel did a great job with pacing and articulation. I would not mind listening to other books with this narrator.

Many thanks to author David Scheel, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley for the free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a cool book! I loved the author’s narration, he made it feel like we were right there with him during his dives and explorations. I loved learning about the many creatures in the sea. My interest was held from the beginning until the very end!

The more humankind discovers about octopuses, the more amazing they seem. I’ve read a few books on these mysterious creatures, but much of the information here was still new to me. It was also surprising how some of the facts that I already knew were originally discovered by the author, and finding out how he came about those revelations was fascinating. Some of the chapters were a little too technical for me. Others were easier to follow. The parts about octopuses’ physiology and behavior had me rivetted. Others, like their diets and place in marine biology with regards to fishing and conservation, were maybe too detailed. It is possible that this volume works better in print than as an audiobook. Nothing against David Stifel’s clear and very appealing narration, but sometimes I wished I could see the information in writing. I kept rewinding until I grasped the concepts, even using the internet for pictures. Stifel’s voice makes even the drier parts intriguing but, in my opinion, scientific knowledge is harder to grasp orally. I still learned a lot and readers who want to learn more about octopuses will love this book in any format.
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/HighBridge Audio!

One of the animals I haven’t had the opportunity to meet in the wild, but really want to is an octopus. I’m not sure what it is beyond the otherworldliness of them, but they fascinate me. Maybe someday, until then I will satisfy my curiosity by reading about them.

Scheel is a biologist with decades of field research starting with large carnivores in Africa before turning his attention to the waters around Alaska. Throughout this work he weaves in his own anecdotes and experiences with the science making for an engaging piece of science writing. There is a playfulness and a love for octopuses that makes this work special.

Scheel was new to marine biology and new very little about octopuses when he submitted a proposal to study them and was awarded the funding. He turned to the ingenious populations as a place to start his understanding. The inclusion of indigenous teaching and knowledge with clear permission to share this knowledge adds to the work. The parallels between the findings through classical (European) scientific methodology dovetails with the knowledge and stories locals provided to Scheel.

The writing is solid and detailed. It lacks some of the artistry of The Souls of Octopuses but makes up for it with heart. If you are also fascinated by octopuses, this is a fascinating place to start. Did you know that octopuses have a posture that is called Nosferatu?

I have been fascinated by octopuses since reading The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery and jumped on the chance to read Scheel’s book. Scheel has studied these magnificent creatures for 25 years and has gained new insight into their intelligence and their interactions with other sea creatures, humans, and each other. No one who reads this book will remain untouched. They will be moved and humbled