How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals

Naturalist and author Sy Montgomery reflects on the lessons that the many animals in her life have taught her in this lovely memoir, and how she learned to be a good creature from them. From Molly, the Scottish terrier she had as a girl, to Thurber, the half-blind border collie who came into her life at an unexpected moment much later in life, many of the animals included were pets. Others, like the three emus she studied while living in the Australian Outback, or Clarabelle the pinktoe tarantula, whom she met in French Guiana, were wild animals. Two—Christopher Hogwood the pig and Octavia the giant Pacific octopus—have been the subjects of some of Montgomery's other best-sellers, The Good, Good Pig and The Soul of an Octopus. The show more book closes with an extensive section of photographs of Montgomery with the animals discussed, as well as a list of further reading.

I've read a few of Montgomery's non-fiction books for children—Inky's Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart Octopus Found His Way Home and Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia—as well as illustrator Rebecca Green's own picture book, How to Make Friends with a Ghost, and was somehow under the impression that this memoir was written for the juvenile market—perhaps upper middle grade readers and above. We carried it in the children's bookstore I managed until 2020, and it appears to have been suggested as a possible title to its editor by the VP and Associate Publisher of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers. I was surprised to discover therefore, that it was published for the adult market, and is considered an adult book at my public library. This isn't a criticism—as it happens, I am interested in reading a few of Montgomery's adult books—but I do think the question of audience is an interesting one here. The illustrations, and the somewhat simple format would make this accessible to many younger readers, I think.

In any case, leaving all that aside, I found this an immensely engrossing memoir, often entertaining and sometimes quite poignant. The section on Montgomery's early childhood had some disturbing elements—the fact that there was likely an abusive incident involving shaking when she was very young, for instance—that weren't dwelt on at great length, but that stuck with me throughout the book. It's obvious that the author is a true animal lover, but I did find myself wondering whether part of the strength of her superior attachment to animals, at least when young, was owing to these early experiences with humans. Her abiding love for her parents, despite these and other negative experiences, such as being disowned when she married her Jewish husband, also struck me. In this age of "going no contact" with family members, often for far lesser "offenses" than these, there is a valuable lesson there I think, and an argument that Montgomery has indeed learned to be a good creature. Although there are specific ideas shared in various chapters, I think I expected this book to be somewhat more cerebral than it was, to have Montgomery impart specific insights or lessons learnt, of either a naturalistic or philosophical nature. Instead, often the impression was more that she gained emotional intelligence and resilience from the animals she encountered, as much as she gleaned information or intellectual insight. I've always lived by the motto that everyone you meet is your teacher, if you're willing to be their student. The lessons our fellow humans have to teach us are not always pleasant, but they are there, if we are willing to see them. Montgomery has a similar philosophy, but a more expansive view, seeing animals as teachers as well. I am glad to have my own outlook in this respect expanded.

Highly recommended to fellow animals lovers, and to readers who enjoy reading and thinking about the relationship between human beings and our fellow creatures. show less

My first exposure to respected, award-winning naturalist Sy Montgomery was an absolute delight! Here's a book guaranteed to make you feel good about the world.

This is a memoir about 13 animals who have made a difference in the life of the author. From her childhood mentor/pet -- to an octopus at the Boston Aquarium -- to a 750-pound pig -- Montgomery values and loves each creature who passes her way. And her writing helped me see animals (including insects) in a new way. By fully appreciating each one's distinct qualities, she made me want to do the same.

The most touching chapters for me, as a dog lover, were those about Montgomery's three Australian shepherds -- each unique, and all with gifts to share. Montgomery's relationship with show more each may have been different but her devotion was always total.

I will now go on to read some of her other books. show less

I’m an unabashed animal lover/nutcase with three furkids of my own—of the kind that remains relatively unmoved at the sight of adorable babies, but goes absolutely nutters over dogs, cats, elephants, cows, horses, pigs, frogs, spiders, bears, beetles, bees, marsupials, octopuses, whales, mice, and just about any non-human critter living on this planet (except for roaches and mosquitoes 😖). As such, I absolutely love Sy Montgomery’s books, who’s passion for animals is positively infectious. She has dedicated her life to researching them and travelled the world to encounter countless known and rare species to write about them.

This, her latest charmingly illustrated book, came about when an interviewer asked her what lessons show more animals taught Sy about herself, and her almost immediate answer came: “How to be a good creature”. Here she briefly talks about 13 different critters she has encountered in her lifetime who taught her important life lessons: from her first dog, Molly, a Scottish terrier adopted when she was 3 and which she strove to emulate in every way to her mother’s great despair; a threesome of emu siblings which she undertook to study to satisfy her own burning curiosity as to their habits in the Australian outback; Christopher Hogwood, a pig she adopted as a runt so sick and small he had few chances of survival and who grew to become a 750 lbs “Buddha master” and the subject of her bestselling book “The Good Good Pig” when he passed after a very contented life, aged 14; Clarabelle, an Avicularia, or large species of tarantula with distinguishable pink footpads and a friendly personality encountered on a trip in French Guiana; Tess, Sally and Thurber, border collies who became irreplaceable members of the family; an octopus named Octavia who was also the fascinating subject of an excellent standalone book, called “The Soul of an Octopus”, to name a few.

If you’ve never read a book by this author, this is a great way to get acquainted with her work. If you’ve already read and enjoyed some of Montgomery’s books, “How To Be a Good Creature” will get you better acquainted with Sy Montgomery and introduce you to several creatures you likely haven’t met before, or you’ll surely find some new anecdotes to smile at or sympathize with. Another part of the book I really liked was the For Further Reading section, where Montgomery lists ten books that inspired her to start studying and writing about the natural world. Highly recommend, naturally. 🙂 show less

A gentle meditation on the author's animal loves throughout her life. She writes about individuals of many species - emu, octopus, dog, pig, tarantula, weasel (ermine), tree kangaroo - though her strongest bonds are with dogs (Molly, Tess, Sally, and Thurber) and a pig (Christopher Hogwood). This is more of a memoir than a instruction manual as the title suggests; the author's worldview is rather unique, and it's enjoyable to read about her travels and interactions with different species. I doubt any reader will be so transformed that they'd welcome holding a tarantula in their hand, but many may connect to her chapters about her dogs: Molly, a Scottie she had as a child, and Tess, Sally, and Thurber, all border collies.

Quotes

To begin show more to understand the life of any animal demands not only curiosity, not only skill, and not only intellect. I saw that I would also need to summon the bond I had forged with [Scottie dog] Molly. I would need to open not only my mind, but also my heart. (41)

This is the gift great souls leave us when they die. They enlarge our hearts. They leave us a greater capacity for love. (138)

Even imagining that I could befriend an octopus would be dismissed among many circles as anthropomorphism - projecting human emotions onto an animal. It's true that it's easy to project one's own feelings onto another. We do this with our fellow humans all the time....But emotions aren't confined to humans. A far worse mistake than misreading an animal's emotions is to assume the animal hasn't any emotions at all. (147-148)

But love never dies, and love always matters. (158) show less

What a delightful book this is. Not only does Ms Montgomery share her love of all creatures with us but it is beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Green. Even the illustration for each chapter heading is individual.

As a person who shared 16 years with a border collie I am, of course, bound to be enchanted by a book that includes stories about not just one or two border collies but three. And I have to bow down in awe to a woman who manages to write twenty-six books while keeping a border collie fully amused and exercised. My Gypsy rode herd on my husband and I, a cat, another dog and still had energy to burn. However, this book doesn't just chronicle the author's experiences with dogs. She also had a pet pig and not one of those cute show more little pot-bellied pigs; this was a pig that grew to 750 pounds. She raised chickens but since she is a vegetarian they too were pets. And then there were the more exotic animals she formed friendships with: three emus in the outback of Australia, tree kangaroos in Papua New Guinea, a tarantula in South America that she called Clarabelle and on and on. From each animal the author learned important lessons and no doubt will continue to learn more.

If you have ever had a pet you loved then this is a book that will speak to you. show less

My first exposure to respected, award-winning naturalist Sy Montgomery was an absolute delight! Here's a book guaranteed to make you feel good about the world.

This is a memoir about 13 animals who have made a difference in the life of the author. From her childhood mentor/pet -- to an octopus at the Boston Aquarium -- to a 750-pound pig -- Montgomery values and loves each creature who passes her way. And her writing helped me see animals (including insects) in a new way. By fully appreciating each one's distinct qualities, she made me want to do the same.

The most touching chapters for me, as a dog lover, were those about Montgomery's three Australian shepherds -- each unique, and all with gifts to share. Montgomery's relationship with show more each may have been different but her devotion was always total.

I will now go on to read some of her other books. show less

Sy Montgomery reveals some alarming facts about her mother and her childhood—though I don’t think that she intended them to be alarming or that she herself considers them alarming—that make her empathy and openness toward animals all the more poignant.