God Is An Octopus

Struggling to comprehend the shocking death of his teenage daughter, Iris, Ben Goldsmith finds solace in nature by immersing himself in plans to rewild his Somerset farm.

In July 2019, Ben Goldsmith tragically lost his beautiful fifteen-year-old daughter, Iris, in an accident on their family farm in Somerset. Iris was sparkling, charismatic and intelligent, with a lifelong love of nature that she shared with her father. She was the centre of her family's world, and her death left her family and friends devastated.

In the aftermath of Iris' death, Ben found solace in nature. It became a vital source of meaning, hope, and even joy as Ben undertook the task of rewilding his family home of Cannwood in Somerset's Brewham Valley in Iris' honour. From restoring a stream's natural meanders to entirely removing the hedgerows and fences that divided up the farm, Ben learned how to return Cannwood to its more natural state and began strengthening his connection with the natural world.

As the seasons continued to change and the world carried on without Iris, Ben sought ways to come to terms with his grief. Struggling to understand his loss, he connected with friends and family who had also lost children, and visited Buddhist monks, an orthodox rabbi, his local vicar, and even a spiritual medium. Ultimately, though, it was the continuous lure of the natural world that allowed Ben to find hope and healing in nature.

In God is an Octopus, Ben tells a powerful, immersive story of loss and despair and of finding healing, comfort and strength through nature.