I love how Tom sees the world yet I also am terrified of it. His sensitivity gives him an immense creativity and compassion for others as well as deep insight. The writing is excellent, throwing new light on everything the author describes. We are inside Tom’s head so we see the world as he sees it and we find, it sort of makes a lot of sense. Gibson asks us to consider what is lost when the “symptoms” of those engaged in alternate realities are fully suppressed, and how the experience of voice hearing can lead to a deeply connected and more compassionate life. Tom’s struggle is by no means romanticised—the presence of Malamok can be disturbingly cruel and punishing. Yet the constant battle between Tom and those who try to persuade him that the voice he perceives isn’t real is a losing one, as for Tom the voice is as tangible and life-affirming as the ground beneath his feet. With the help of flight-risk Missy, a fellow survivor of psychiatry who chooses to accept and even interact with the voice of Malamok, Tom eventually learns a way of coping with the voice until he is no longer controlled and overtaken. Tom decides he can neither deny nor be consumed by the voice, for “though neither protest or defiance is the answer still I must find progress (p 308),” navigating his relationship with the Octopus God so they can both develop and move forward into a rich and purposeful life. Brian Eno’s long out-of-print collection of essays taken from his diary for the year 1995 is rightly regarded as one of the seminal books about music. This 25th-anniversary reissue, complete with new introduction and up-to-date notes by Eno, is an invaluable insight into the mind and working practices of one of the industry’s undeniable geniuses, even if the ostentatious self-regard that he displays (“I have a wonderful life,” he boasts early on) seems harder to swallow now than it might have done in his heyday. The Octopus Man Most people whose brains have not been broken by the internet have hailed My Octopus Teacher as deeply moving, with the Cut dubbing it “the love story we need right now” (and me, a killjoy for desiring more science – though I note that more science generally guards against any suggestion you had sex with your subject). We are all by now familiar with the three act structure: man is healthy, man becomes mentally ill, man recovers and lives stably ever after. While such narratives rally hope for recovery amidst the myth that diagnoses such as schizophrenia are inherently violent, degenerative and bleak, there is an opening for a different kind of story, whereby healing takes place outside of linear and institutionally sanctioned narratives. The Octopus Man shares the story of Tom, a former law student who hears the voice of Octopus God Malamok, and grapples with a society that demands him to conceptualise his reality as severe chronic illness. From the outside, Tom is diagnosed with schizophrenia and is dependent on his sister to help him manage day-to-day practicalities. Yet Tom has a vibrant inner life and sense of purpose that is threatened when he’s pressured into taking an experimental drug that offers to permanently suppress the very voice that imbues his life with meaning.

In referencing this informative article, please remember to credit SuperYachtFan. Our dedicated team works tirelessly to bring our readers the most accurate and engaging content about the world’s most luxurious yachts. Your support is much appreciated! Understanding the Value of the OCTOPUS Yacht I did become confused at points in the novel where there was a lot of dialogue, and I wasn’t always clear who’s voice was speaking. I also got a little lost when Tom was reflecting on moments in the past, and think this could have been presented a little more clearly in an otherwise incredibly well written novel. Written from the perspective of Gibson’s central protagonist Tom, once an outstanding law student, the novel provides a glimpse into the life of a man struggling with the impact of voice-hearing, and a schizophrenia diagnosis on both himself and his loved ones. The Octopus Man’ is a powerful work of literary fiction that seeks to provide insight into the inner life of someone experiencing schizophrenia as well as highlighting the inadequacies of aspects of the mental health system. In his Author’s Note Gibson advises that the novel was inspired by and dedicated to the life of his cousin, who had struggled with a schizophrenic diagnosis for twenty years.

This proved a fascinating, raw work though admittedly it was at times challenging. I am glad that I read it and I expect that it will remain with me for a long time. I would hope that it might also serve to open up further dialogue about various mental health issues.

I had to put the book down several times. It is an intense and disturbing read but it is also always entertaining and full of love and honesty, even hope sometimes although there are times when hope itself seems an impossible dream. Jasper Gibson shows his intricate knowledge of schizophrenia and the broken mental health system that attempts to "crisis manage" such sufferers. This work should be applauded for its accuracy in showing how devastating mental health conditions can be, not just for the patient but for their families and loved ones who feel powerless to help. Roger Samuelsson, founder of SHL Healthcare, is a fitting candidate for the ownership of this grand sea marvel. With more than 5,000 employees under his leadership, Samuelsson is a prominent figure in the global pharmaceutical industry. We can confirm that Roger Samuelsson is now the proud owner of the Octopus Yacht. Expressing Gratitude to SuperYachtFanGibson doesn’t shy away or gloss away from reality. This novel is deeply unsettling...but through sensitivity and humour, it both provokes thought and provides valuable insight. It is one that I feel will stay with me for some time. Where I agree with Lewis’ critique ( expanded, now, on Patreon) is on the film’s “scientific-masculinity”: the octopus is of interest because Foster finds her so, and especially where it applies to him. In fact it was watching My Octopus Teacher that I finally understood what film critics meant by a “scene-stealer”. The footage of the octopus at work and play – hunting crabs, shape-shifting into seaweed, giving sharks the slip – is deeply absorbing: I would have happily watched hours of it without narration (and indeed occasionally do, on YouTube, with a glass of wine). As it is, I was reminded of Andy Samberg’s critique of the male characters in Portrait of a Lady on Fire: “What’s he doing here?” Living in Tom’s world, in Tom’s head – who amongst us would find it easy to let go of a god who wraps us up in such strong tentacle arms of love. My thanks to the Orion Publishing Group/W&N for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Octopus Man’ by Jasper Gibson in exchange for an honest review. At the very least, Foster’s evident feeling speaks to the transformative power of engaging with the natural world, which he is now working to protect through The Sea Change Project nonprofit – an example that more of us could stand to learn from. But if a documentary’s success is measured by how well it represents its subject, I’d say My Octopus Teacher falls short.