Sy Montgomery is the author of more than twenty-one books for adults and children, She has been chased by an angry silverback gorilla in Rwanda, hunted by a tiger in India, and swum with piranhas, electric eels, and pink dolphins in the Amazon. Her work has taken her from the cloud forest of Papua New Guinea to the Altai Mountains of the Gobi. Her books include National Book Award finalist The Soul of an Octopus, How to be a Good Creature, Birdology, and The Good Good Pig. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, the writer Howard Mansfield, their border collie, Thurber, and their flock of free-range laying hens.
Sy Montgomery
Feature
Sy Montgomery Answers the Orion Questionnaire
In which we get to know our favorite writers better by exploring the sacred and mundane. You’re unlikely to find a more passionate animal lover than Sy Montgomery. She’s the author Continue reading
Feature
Shell Shock
NATASHA NOWAK’S strong arms strain to hold Chunky Chip in position. “He’s probably the third largest one we’ve ever had,” she says. Chunky Chip, whose shell is the size of a Continue reading
blog post
Why I Need You to Take World Octopus Day Seriously
In our November/December 2011 issue, author and naturalist Sy Montgomery wrote “Deep Intellect,” which investigated the inner life of the octopus. Since its publication this feature remains the most-read Orion article Continue reading
LAY OF THE LAND
Predators in the Barnyard
“IF YOU WANT to see wildlife,” my husband tells people, “try keeping chickens.” Indeed, our gentle flock of free-range laying hens draws all sorts of wild animals to our yard. Some Continue reading
Feature
Snapper on the Road
I WAS DRIVING HOME from the airport when I saw it: in the lane opposite mine, on busy Route 101, a huge snapping turtle was emerging from the forest, about to Continue reading
Feature
Deep Intellect
ON AN UNSEASONABLY WARM day in the middle of March, I traveled from New Hampshire to the moist, dim sanctuary of the New England Aquarium, hoping to touch an alternate reality. Continue reading