Kraken: The Curious, Exciting, and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid

Early portions of the book describe technical scientific data that was off-putting to this non-scientist. Once that was established, though, it described more qualities and history of cephalopods (squid, octopuses, etc.) that was far more interesting and appealing, including an extraordinary bond between a retired scientist, Wilson Menashi, and a giant Pacific octopus (GPO), Truman, at the New England Aquarium. The author, Wendy Williams, describes the problem-solving behavior and personalities of several specific cephalopods that points to individuals with distinct patterns, preferences, and needs. Most scientists and other people who interact with these animals characterize them as highly intelligent. She also raises the limitations of accurately gauging the depth of intelligence of species so different from ours, and pursues the questions this raises in depth that I found interesting and insightful. I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 because the lengthy technical/scientific section had me wondering if I had purchased a book that lacked content that I would find interesting, but once Williams moved beyond the technical, my curiosity was rewarded.