Customer Reviews

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

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Based on works such as the poems "Prufrock" (1917) and "Ash Wednesday" (1930) and the drama "Murder in the Cathedral" (1935), American-born and naturalized British poet and future Nobel laureate T(homas) S(tearns) Eliot - also founder and editor of the literary journal "Criterion" - was already an established writer when, in 1939, he came up with this series of poems for children, which due to their timeless charm and humorous insight into the feline nature had long become literary classics for the young and old alike before Trevor Nunn and Andrew Lloyd Webber used them as a basis for their award-winning musical "Cats."

My favorite rendition of these poems, which were originally a gift from "Old Possum" Eliot to his godchildren, is the 1983 recording featuring Sir John Gielgud and his recurrent stage partner Irene Worth, who alternatingly read the poems and bring to life the likes of Jennyanydots the old Gumbie Cat (who at night displays a show of unexpected zeal in training mice and cockroaches in the art of keeping a clean house), the old "bravo cat" Growltiger (who, already having lost one eye and one ear in battle, one balmy night has "no eye or ear for aught but [the lady] Griddlebone," thus at last making himself vulnerable to his many enemies and "forced to walk the plank"), Rum Tum Tugger, the "curious cat," who very much has a mind of his own and always seems to want exactly the opposite of what you have given him ("For he will do as he do do, and there's no doing anything about it"), and Macavity, "the Napoleon of crime," who controls even notorious scoundrels like Mungojerrie and who is fatefully remeniscient of Berthold Brecht's Mac the Knife in rhyme, metre, name and character.

Sir John Gielgud and Irene Worth bring not only their entire impeccable theatrical training to the project but, more importantly, a great sense of humor and a true feeling for the nature of each feline protagonist - and for their canine adversaries; because, as nobody can seriously doubt any longer by the time when we have reached the last poem, "a cat is not a dog!"

So you truly hear that Chinese vase go "bing!" when Irene Worth tells the story of the eternal pranksters Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer; you see them turning the basement into a "field of war," and you hear the cook's desperation when she has to inform the family that there will be no meat for dinner because "the joint has gone from the oven - like that!" You can picture Old Deuteronomy sleeping or sitting in the sun, and see his slow, ponderous movements as you hear John Gielgud's rendition of the oldest village inhabitant's ever-unchanging comment: "Well, of all ... things ... Can it be ... really! ... No! ... Yes! ... Ho! hi! Oh, my eye!" Reading about "the Awful Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles," Irene Worth does not merely give you the dogs' various kinds of bark; true to character she moreover endows them with their respective Pekinese, Yorkshire and Scottish accents. Similarly, hearing John Gielgud read the story of the great conjurer Mr. Mistoffelees (whose name is another one of the numerous literary allusions hidden in Eliot's verses - and of course this particular cat is "black from his ears to the tip of his tail"), there can be no doubt about the degree of amazement in which he holds his audience ("Oh! Well I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as Magical Mr. Mistoffelees!"); and of course it also falls to none other than great Shakespearean actor Gielgud to tell us about Gus, the old "theatre cat," and his thespian exploits, endowing the four-pawed stage veteran with a dignity that would do any of his human colleagues proud. Irene Worth does much the same for the St. James Street club-going, pompously condescending (and shall we say it? remarkably fat!) Bustopher Jones, whereas Gielgud's voice finally assumes a hurried, but regular pace - much like a train rattling over its rails - as he reads the story of Skimbleshanks, the "railway cat," who keeps the train in order from luggage car to passenger compartments, always ready to assist personnel and travelers alike.

The first and last poems, "The Naming of Cats" and "The Ad-dressing of Cats" are read by Gielgud and Worth together, both in turn taking a verse at a time - and unflappably pronouncing tongue-twisting, "peculiar" cat names such as Munkustrap, Bombalurina and Jellylorum, and lines like the closing of the first poem, which refers to a cat's meditation on his "ineffable effable effanineffable deep and inscrutable singular Name." - You can, of course, always pop in a video or DVD and watch the musical based on T.S. Eliot's poems - but for a closer interpretation of the originals, few versions are as enjoyable as this classic recording featuring two of Britain's all-time greatest actors, at the end of which you truly "should need no interpreter to understand [the cats'] character."

Also recommended:
Collected Poems, 1909-1962 (The Centenary Edition)
Cats - The Musical (Commemorative Edition)

"Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats," by T.S. Eliot, is a book of poems about cats. The basis for the wildly successful musical "Cats," the book stands on its own as a delightful work of literature. The poems are accompanied by wonderful illustrations by Edward Gorey.

This book is hilarious and very enjoyable. Eliot's words leap and dance across the pages with a zany musicality. Gorey's accompanying artwork is whimsical and full of interesting details. Eliot has created some great feline characters: the fearsome Growltiger, dapper Bustopher Jones, Magical Mr. Mistoffelees, and more.

Yes, these poems are great fun to read. But if you are inclined to look closer and analyze them at a deeper literary level, you will find that each one is a masterpiece of poetic craftsmanship. Eliot uses a wonderful variety of meters, rhyme schemes, and various poetic effects. Each poem stands on its own, and together they form an effective artistic unity.

Also noteworthy is the very "English" flavor of the book, which Eliot achieves by spicing his poems with many references to English geography and cultural history. Highly recommended, whether or not you like cats.

OK, the musical has been going on and on for some time now, PBS has it on tape, but have you actually sat down and read these poems out loud? My daughter of 5 years watched Cats on PBS and loved it, and enjoyed hearing the poems as well for bedtime reading. TS Eliot as a childrens' book - well, why not? if not as well for yourself!

The poetry - well, there are many editions of the work the Andrew Lloyd-Webber made the most famous of Eliot's books. Gorey's illustrations bring the poems to life in a whole new way. This is a book for any collector, and a great introduction to one of the world's greatest illustrators.

If you like CATS, cats, poetry or reading this is the book for you. You will fall in love with the witty rhymes,simple illustrations, and lovable characters. I've never heard such clever rhymes in either Shakespeare or Dr.Seuss. I love the musical and the book!Even my mother loves this book!

If are a lover of cats, or have enjoyed the musical "Cats", or appreciate masterful poetry, or even a student of modernism, you will fall for "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T.S Eliot ("The Wasteland" "The Lovesong of J.Alfred Prufrock").

However, I especially recommend this book to parents who read to their children. Imagine an older and more conservative grand-master poet focusing his skills in rhythm, rhyme and content into a book of lyrics suitable for 5-year-olds. What you get is a book that not only has the sonority and imagination, combined with an appealing subject matter ( a diverse group of antropomorphized cats), for the children, but also is dense enough to be enjoyable repeated reading for the parent (Who of you still gets turned on by "Green Eggs and Ham"?), and challenging stimulation for the child.

If you have a son or daughter who loves cats,this book is a must buy!

Two of the most dour staid artists of their day have come together to bring you a work of absolute perfection. T.S. Eliot is well known as the author of, "The Wasteland" and other books of that ilk. So it is undoubtedly odd that he should have decided to write this book, "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats". Likewise, the somber (though infinitely amusing) Edward Gorey is often attributed with dark Victorian scenes of murder and amusing death. Here he has laid aside his more macabre inclinations and produced a series of pictures featuring roly-poly kitties in all sorts of interesting arrangements. The combination is inspired. If you have ever seen the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Cats" then I pity you. You will find yourself unable to read a single one of these poems without the accompanying music jangling in your head. If, however, you don't find this a flaw, then by all means read this book. The poems are nothing if not charming. Where else will you find poetry suitable for children that contains words like, "succulent", "quorum", and "physiognomy"? And as for Gorey, his pen is without equal. The book is delightful, and kids (especially those who've actually seen "Cats") will like it very much.

Even though one of my degrees is in English lit and even though I've been a poetry lover for half a century or more, I've never been a great lover of TS Eliot, with this one exception. To enjoy this book you don't need to be a poetry lover. It helps if you're a cat lover, in which case you're bound to love this even if you think you hate poetry or TS Eliot style poetry.

This book's been beaten to death (in a positive way, mostly) by reviewers already, but I stumbled across it here and couldn't resist throwing in my own two cents.

T.S. Eliot, the master of poetry, is the real auhtor of the famed musical "CATS." Meet Macavity:The Mystery Cat, Mr. Mistoffelees, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, and many more in this witty book of rhymes. Also helps you learn the lyrics to many CATS songs!

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats is a volume of children's poetry first published in 1939. Eliot initially wrote the poems for his god-children, but this is no simplistic children's literature. T.S. Eliot was a master of his craft. The poems are simple stories about a variety of cats, each with a distinct personality and behaviors. The poems have a rhythm all their own and it matches the personality of the cat being described. While a poem about Bustopher Jones has an arch, airy tone, the poem about Skimbleshanks speeds along like the train he is on. This is an absolutely delightful collection.

It wasn't until recently, when I saw the musical for the first time, that I learned that this collection was the basis for the musical: Cats. Not only did the musical bring to life the cats described by Mr. Eliot, but I was surprised by just how many songs in the show took the lyrics directly from Eliot's poems. That is a mark of a great collection of poems: that when they are lifted into song, those poems can make a great musical with few changes. Whether you like poetry, or not, I would recommend this collection. I do not read a lot of poetry, but I loved this collection. Whether you like cats, or not, I would still recommend this book. The way Eliot tells about the cats, you would almost swear they were real people and not just an animal.