Hi everyone, we are lucky to have Cat Scout Maggie here today for a guest post. Hello, everybody! Happy New Year! We’re sure you all received lots of books for Christmas, and I’d like to tell you about two of my favorites. I’m still reading another one, so that will be covered in a future post!
First, an oldie but timeless goodie: T.S.Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats was published in 1939 and has never been out of print. It is a book of poetry that formed the basis for the hit musical “Cats,” and many editions have been illustrated. Mine has great drawings by that wonderful fellow Edward Gorey. The poems are humorous and serious, but all reflect the author’s great admiration for our feline world. If you haven’t yet read it, I urge you to get a copy!
Another wonderful book, just published by Thames and Hudson, is Cats Galore, created by artist Susan Herbert.
Herbert takes famous artworks and replaces the principal figures with feline ones. From Botticelli’s Birth of Venus to the Sistine Chapel, from medieval prayer books to impressionist masterworks, our feline counterparts offer a new slant on art appreciation!
The book includes Cats in Art, Cats on Stage (including famous theater posters) and Cats in the Movies. Ben Hur, Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia are but a few of the artist’s film interpretations using us as the stars!
Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Marriage, 1434
Thank you Maggie for an excellent post.
I am sad to hear of another kitty going to The Bridge. Little Binky has lost her younger sister:
My human is a big Edward Gorey fan! So that version of the T.S. Eliot book is highly recommended here too. The new book sounds awesome also. That is sad news about Feline.
It does look good.
T.S. Eliot is a classic, and Gorey is a favourite of mine. These all look like good books! The Rainbow Bridge has been busy, lately. Many hearts are broken in the wake of lost loved ones. I wish them all peace.
Sadly there is always sadness in the blogosphere- I wish our pets lived longer.
Meiwmy has seen some f those kitty art works, they are fun!
TS Elliot was a great poet!
Hugs as you are saddened yet again:(
Thank you for the hugs. Your Meowmy is lucky to have some of the kitty art work.
More wonderful cat books! Mom needs to wind the lottery to be able to buy them for me!!! Pawkisses to Penny! Love, Toby
I get most of mine from the library and if I want to own them, I keep checking book sales. Winning the lottery would be great.
That looks like a good read. We love the pictures of the book.
Now we have to Thank you for caring, Ellen. It’s a hard time for the both of us. Soft Pawkisses for the weekend 🙂 <3
It has been a sad week. Thank you for the paw kisses and we send you hugs. XO
Just noticed the beautiful badge of Feline. Did you made it? xoxo
Sounds like some cute books – thanks Maggie for the info. We were just reading about little Angel Feline – so very young at 2-1/2 years old going to the Bridge…..very sad indeed. This world is so full of partings lately yet parting is a part of life – the most difficult part. Hugs to all.
Love, Sammy
Thank you Sammy, it has been a bad week. Maggie did do a great job on the post though.XO
Those are good books. My mum has T.S.Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, and when the musical first opened in London, my dad surprised my mum by taking her to see it for their wedding anniversary. He had paid for very good seats, and when they sat down he was complaining that they were looking at the back part of the set and the seats were not at all good. They didn’t realise the stage revolved at the beginning and really enjoyed it, and the seats were the best you could get.
That is a neat story, I am glad their seats were so good. Your Dad is very thoughtful. I did see Cats right before it ended on Broadway.
Those sure do look like great books. And what a great guest post, very nice reviews.
Maggie always writes a great post.
These sound like such wonderful, fun books. Thank you for sharing these with us, Maggie!
My thoughts and prayers are with Feline’s family, and also of course still with yours, Ellen.
Thank you for your kind words. XO
We always enjoy seeing those oldie but goodies Maggie!
Me too! There are a lot of great books that younger folks may not know about so it is good to remind people of them.
~~~~~~ waves two ewe cat scout maggie 🙂 anda happee healthee soooper grate 2016 two ewe az well….thanx for sharin theeze book ree views…..we will sneek over two amazon when de food servizz gurlz at werk & chex em out !!
heerz two a jewel tetra N jawfish kinda week oh end ♥♥♥
Maggie did pick some good ones. Have a great weekend!
I got an Edward Gorey illustrated book for Christmas too but yours is better because… cats! It’s funny that pets have been a hobby of mine for as long as I can remember but I have only ever had non-fiction how-to type books on dogs, cats, parrots, fish, etc. I love the idea of some fun pet related books and I just might start with these two! (It’s always best to start with cats!) Thanks for the post Maggie. I hope you get your book review badge for this!
I love any books on cats, even fiction and I am not a fan of fiction, but if you put a cat in it, I will read it 🙂 IS there a review badge? Maggie definitely deserves it.
Thee books look berry innterestin Phoebe gurl>>> Fankss Maggie fur doin a ree-view…..
When wee saw thee werdss ‘littul Binky’ wee thott it was her that went away…..LadyMum an mee started to cry….
Wee are sad fur her Sisfur butt reeleeved Binky iss still here!
***paw kissesss*** an ~~head rubsss~~ Siddhartha Henry~~
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
That would have been too much to bear if it was Little Binky. XO
Gweat posty Maggie. Hope you all have a gweat weekend. weez sendin’ purrayers.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
Thank you for the prayers. XO
I have the Gorey version too! Have you seen Cats? I’ve been fortunate to see it twice 🙂 And of course I have the DVD too!
I did see Cats right before it closed. My Mom and I took my niece who was 10 at the time-she is 27 now.
Maggie sure is a pretty calico.
She is, that is why my Sammy is in love with her.
The art book looks like it would be a fun read.
It does, I am going to see if the library has it.
Those sound like excellent books. Thanks for telling us about them, Maggie.
Maggie is a clever kitty.
A friend sent us the T.S. Eliot book recently and we love it! Don’t know why Mommy had never heard of it before but we’re glad we know now!
That was a nice gift.
Mee can not even emagin Purrincess Phoebe if wee loosed littul Binky! Shee meenss thee werld to mee…an LadyMum all so…
~~head rubsss~~ an **paw kissess** Purrince Siddartha Henry xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Us too, she is a sweetie. XO
I love Edward Gorey! I’m glad you featured such a classic book, Maggie.
Purrs and prayers for everyone who is missing a dear family member.
xxoo
Maggie did choose good books.
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