Includes bibliographical references and index.

In this heavily illustrated book, Richard Schweid details this animal's remarkable natural history and its multifaceted relationship with humans. Schweid describes the octopus's intelligence, defense mechanisms, and short lifespan. He shows how some people have considered octopuses as nothing more than a meal and examines their role in the modern global fish and seafood industry. Other cultures, he reveals, see them as erotic totems or symbols of the darkest evils, and he discusses the difficulties people face when trying to keep them as pets--they are able to use their problem-solving skills, mobility, and boneless body to escape seemingly secure tanks.