Preparing the Ghost is an exploration of the myth and history of the giant squid, particularly its presence in the waters around Newfoundland, and the man who first obtained an actual specimen in the 19th century, propelling the animal from legend into reality. Yet such is its nature that Architeuthis dux still seems a creature not quite real (it wasn’t until 2005 that a live one was documented). This isn’t a straightforward book, much like its subject, the essay within is a mix of fact and fiction, incorporating cephalopod history as well as the author’s family history. It’s meandering, reflective, and wonderfully odd. I mean, how many books can tie the giant squid and our communal love of ice cream into one narrative?