I’m fascinated by animals. Even the ones that scare me (looking at you, spiders) are incredibly interesting. I also love to read about humans’ relationships with animals.

I’ve had many pets over the years, all of them special, but most of all I miss my chinchilla. He enjoyed running and bounding around, but often chose to fall asleep in my lap instead.

We can grow so close to the animals in our lives. This seems to be especially true for naturalist/author Sy Montgomery. Her memoir centers around thirteen animals she has known, from beloved pets to wild creatures. She relates her relationship to each of them, what she learned from them, and what they meant to her.

Montgomery has traveled the world to meet and study animals, spending a long time with many of them. She camped out in Australia to observe emus, visited octopuses at an aquarium regularly, and more. I particularly loved reading about her friendship with octopuses, which are favorites of mine.

If you’re interested in animals, or just looking for a good memoir, check out this beautiful book.

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