Remarkably Bright Creatures
As a follow up to last week’s blog “Octopus Tales,” I wanted to share a few responses on the subject from dear friends with whom I correspond.
From Suzanne in Rome:
“Loved this and loved the movie (My Octopus Teacher) and will never eat octopus again, as will not most of our friends who were enlightened by the film. So touching, watched it twice….We are in Rome, glorious weather, artichokes, agretti, serpente squash, Amalfi lemons, art, glorious warm evenings, fresh mozarella….still Rome even if crushed by tourists. So it goes…Love to you two,
Suz”
Suzanne is an incredible cook and the author and illustrator of two cookbooks, No Need to Kneadand Rome at Home. Living in Rome part of the year and having access to octopuses harvested off the coast of Tuscany, it is no small thing to be touched by the soul of these remarkable creatures and vow to cook and eat them no more.
From Jeannie in Newport Beach, CA:
“I loved reading this, Cathy! Didn’t we have fun in the Earth Store and you turned the octopus adventure into today’s blog. Brilliant! My Octopus Teacher was one of my all-time favorites!”
Jeannie is a college friend who was in Nevada City visiting her daughter recently. We spent a day exploring the historic downtown and popped into the Earth Store where I found the stuffed octopus toy that is now part of Peekay’s collection of friends. Soon we found ourselves talking to another couple of friends about My Octopus Teacher, and from there those threads became part of the weave of the “Octopus Tales.”
From Pat in Washington, D.C.:
Hi Cathy, Coincidentally, the trailer for the new Remarkably Bright Creatures movie with Sally Fields just popped up on my screen. I loved the book and am hoping the movie lives up to it. I also watched My Octopus Teacher around the same time I read that book. I knew octopuses were smart but definitely not as bright and curious as they are. I used to enjoy grilled octopus but haven’t been able to order it since then…and never will again. Thanks for highlighting these incredible creatures this week. Hope you and Kit and Peekay are all doing well. Big hug, Pat”
Like my friend Pat, I too read Remarkably Bright Creatures about the time I fell in love with My Octopus Teacher. It is now a Netflix production and having read the book and watched the trailer, I can’t wait to be reunited with the main character 70-year old Tova and Marcellus, an elderly giant Pacific octopus who is nearing the end of his life. Shelby Van Pelt’s novel will transport you to a different world while illuminating the complex nature of relationships and getting older. I can’t wait to see Tova and Marcellus’s story unfold in the Netflix film due to be released May 8th.