God Is An Octopus

Reviews / Votes

From the deepest sorrow, the highest hope. Intensely readable, poetic, truthful, wise and wonderful, this will live with me for a very long time. -- Stephen Fry An event of unimaginable trauma is transformed into a message of beauty and optimism through Ben's passion for nature, which acts as his nurse, teacher and redeemer. -- Joanna Lumley Stunningly beautiful, immensely sad, immensely uplifting, this is a book of grief and joy and wonder and renewal. -- George Monbiot An extraordinarily powerful and moving journey through the darkest of griefs to the enduring love, hope and renewal of the natural world. A book of universal wisdom. -- Benedict Cumberbatch A brilliant new book... heartbreaking. -- David Walliams Beautiful and deeply moving, this will resonate with and inspire so many people. -- Isabella Tree Extraordinary. -- Rebecca Hardy * The Daily Mail * Goldsmith has written an extraordinary book, God is an Octopus, about his journey through grief and his exploration of the afterlife. -- Audrey Ward * The Sunday Times * Ben chronicles the unfathomable tragedy of his daughter's death with the profound love and compassion of a bereft parent. -- Richard E. Grant An ambitious blend of memoir, nature diary and search for the meaning of life, the universe and everything ... [God is an Octopus] powerfully communicates the capacity of nature to rebound. -- Alice O'Keeffe * The Times * Some of the finest writing about nature you will find anywhere. -- Roger Alton * The Daily Mail * [Ben] does a quite astonishing job... finding incredible meaning in Iris's short life and the connection with nature he experienced after her sudden death. -- Bryony Gordon * The Telegraph * This book is as beautiful as it is painful to read ... The emotional depth of God is an Octopus makes it a deeply moving and thought-provoking read. * The London Standard, Greatest reads of 2024 * A compelling journey from the very heart of loss to the sanctuary and hope that only the natural world provides - emotive, raw and captivating. -- Benedict Macdonald, Winner of the Wainwright Prize for Global Conservation A heartbreaking yet ultimately inspiring memoir of the personal spiritual odyssey. -- Anthony Cummins * The Daily Mail * A tribute not just to a lost child but also to nature's regenerative power. -- Hephzibah Anderson * The Observer * A meandering pathway through the thickets of grief ... this is a devastating book, unflinching, but written with lyricism. -- Gavanndra Hodge * The Daily Telegraph * Simply the most powerful and profound words I've ever read on grief... I clung to every sentence like a limpet hoping that time would slow down so I could digest and remember every word. -- Georgia Toffolo Remarkable memoir... This book will bring comfort and hope to anyone experiencing grief. -- Kate Blincoe * The Guardian * A heartbreaking book, but also an uplifting book which solaces the heart. -- Tom Stoppard [A] moving account of how reconnecting with nature helped [Goldsmith] rebuild a capacity for joy. * The Guardian, Saturday magazine * Poignant and very moving ... a compelling piece of writing. -- Stephen Moss * BBC Countryfile * [Goldsmith's] personal experiences and thoughts feel vividly real to the reader ... An extraordinarily powerful, optimistic and wise read. -- Hatta Byng * House & Garden * [An] engaging book, part memoir, part ecological tract -- Richard Hopton * Country & Town House * In this very moving memoir, the leading rewilder and green investor bares his soul to let us into the darkest moments of his most private grief ... His themes of loss, love and recovery are universal, the story beautifully told. -- Ben Hoare * BBC Countryfile * A very moving book ... [It] tore at my heart, as it will yours, but it'll also make you feel better and more hopeful. -- John Miles * Bird Watching * [A] haunting meditation on grief and nature. -- Richard Askwith * The Times * This beautiful book is an unflinching account of grief, with love and hope at its heart. -- Jane Shilling * The Daily Mail *