Published by: Ingrid King. Last Updated on: February 9, 2023 by Crystal Uys
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Cats I’ve Known: On Love, Loss and Being Graciously Ignored is a collection of stories of cats the author has known.
From the publisher:
From deep friendships to brief encounters, this is the story of the cats in Katie Haegele’s life, or rather the story of her life in relation to the many cats she meets in Philadelphia’s streets, alleys, houses, apartments, and bookstores. Through Haegele’s sharp, wise, and at times hilarious gaze, we see cats for what they truly are: minor deities that mostly ignore the human foibles being played out around them. They accept our offerings with equanimity and occasionally bestow some nice thing on us.Â
I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed this book. The stories are very short, sometimes less than two pages long, and I tend to prefer books where I can escape into the story and stay there, or keep coming back to it, rather than starting a new story over and over. Some of the stories aren’t very well developed, some are just a series of observations, and they’re too short to even get to really get to know much about the cats.
And yet, I kept turning the pages of this little book, wanting to move on to the next story and the next. Perhaps it was because Haegele’s writing is so beautiful. She writes about each of the cats in the book with great sensitivity, and her writing is so descriptive it’s almost lyrical at times. Perhaps it was because even though the stories are short and not always in sequence, they ultimate were a little bit like a memoir, giving me a glimpse into the author’s life, and her deep love for all cats.
And, as is the cast with most collections of cat stories, the cats in Cats I’ve Known will remind you of cats you’ve known in your life, and they might even bring back a fleeting memory of little things you might not have thought about in a long time.
Cat’s I’ve Known will publish October 10 and is available from Amazon for preorder.
*FTC Disclosure: The Conscious Cat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on Amazon and affiliated sites. This means that if you decide to purchase through any of our links, we get a small commission. We only spread the word about products and services we’ve either used or would use ourselves. I received this book from the publisher. Receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
About the author
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital manager, and veterinary journalist who is passionate about cats.
This sounds like a book I would love