The Lady and the Octopus: How Jeanne Villepreux-Power Invented Aquariums and Revolutionized Marine Biology

Staaf pays thorough tribute to Jeanne Villepreux-Power (1794–1871), credited with inventing the aquarium while researching sea life off Sicily’s coast. The French native combined a keen interest in the natural world with artistic and engineering skills—and freedoms afforded by wealth—to study sea creatures, primarily the argonaut octopus. “Jeanne’s overarching question: Is the argonaut a builder or a thief?” She settled the question—builder—while helping move her field forward by creating the aquarium to study aquatic animals in their natural environment. When recorded history is lacking, Staaf offers educated suppositions and provoking questions. Highly detailed, conversational chapters feature archival material, scientific drawings, and full-color photos in a handsome layout, and numerous contextualizing sidebars cover topics ranging from the ethics of animal experimentation to the metric system. Ample back matter concludes a comprehensive portrait of a trend-bucking innovator and polymath. Ages 10–up. (Oct.)