Doesn’t the word kraken conjure up the most wonderfully disturbing images. Mythical giant squids and octopi harassing sailors of yore, not to mention giving a full-sized whale a fight for its life.

Well, this Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. the Vineyard Haven Library is bringing in an expert to go beyond the horror stories and suction pod trivia and get to the truth about these mysterious ocean creatures. Turns out they are actually one of the most intelligent species of the invertebrates.

Wendy Williams is the author of Kraken: the Curious, Exciting and Slightly Disturbing Science of Squid. Her book seeks to balance out all the bad press squid, octopi, and their kin have garnered through the ages. Ms. Williams is an award-winning science journalist and author of five books. Her articles have appeared in Scientific American, Science and Conservation Biology, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and the Boston Globe.

For information, call 508-696-4211.