On Cats - Softcover

Lessing, Doris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007285515 ISBN 13: 9780007285518

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 2008

Synopsis

A collection of charming and celebrated writings about cats, from Doris Lessing, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Doris Lessing’s love affair with cats began at a young age, when she became intrigued with the semi-feral creatures on the African farm where she grew up. Her fascination remained undiminished by the handsome domesticated creatures who shared her flats and her life in London and grew into real love with El Magnifico, the awkwardly lovable cat who in his later years suffered the great indignity of becoming a three-legged beast.

Consisting of Lessing’s celebrated collection of stories, ‘Particularly Cats and Rufus’, and the poignant though unsentimental memoir, ‘The Old Age of El Magnifico’, this book is a brilliant evocation of the feline world.

About this title

Review:

‘A distillation of everything that makes her work such a joy to read...Lessing's intensely visual imagination and coolly precise style fleshes out this feline life. A work of exquisite tenderness and poignancy, thoroughly devoid of artifice, over-elaboration or mawkish sentimentality...Wonderful.’ Scotsman

‘“Particularly Cats” is not really about cats at all, it’s about real characters.’ Daily Mail

‘An unsentimental and unwhimsical, but not unpartisan, study of cat-and-human relationships. An entertaining read for both cat and Lessing connoisseurs.’ Observer

From the Back Cover:

Doris Lessing's love affair with cats began at a young age, when she became intrigued with the semi-feral creatures on the African farm where she grew up. Her fascination remained undiminished by the handsome domesticated creatures who shared her flats and her life in London, and grew into real love with the awkwardly lovable El Magnifico, the last cat to share her home.

Consisting of the celebrated collection of stories, 'Particularly Cats' and 'Rufus the Survivor', and the memoir, 'The Old Age of El Magnifico', this book brilliantly evokes the subtleties of feline existence. No other writer conveys so truthfully the real interdependence of humans and cats or convinces us with such stunning recognition of the reasons why cats 'really' matter.

"Wonderful...A work of exquisite tenderness and poignancy."
'Scotsman'

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0007285515
• ISBN 13: 9780007285518
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256