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Zen Cat [Hardcover]

Paul Coughlin (Photographer), Judith Adler (Draft Writer)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)


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Book Description

November 15, 2003
How often have we seen cats watching us with intense focus, playing obsessively with a toy, comforting us as they cannily assess our moods, lying calmly in a patch of sunlight? Cats exemplify the essential tenets of Zen philosophy and the desire to find the simple and spiritual in everyday life. They embody utter grace, nonjudgmental devotion, and a sense of spontaneous whimsy. What's more, as we interact with cats, these qualities are reflected back in us.

Zen Cat pairs more than 50 charming black-and-white photographs of cats with simple and inspiring quotes from a variety of sources: A fat cat lying on the floor evokes the statement "A hand-rolled dumpling of heaven and earth; I gulped it down and easily it went"; a picture of a cat up for adoption is accompanied by Buddha's question "If we fail to look after others when they need help, who will look after us?" This ingenious coupling of concepts and images reminds us that even the most finicky of our feline friends have a lot to teach us, if only we take the time to learn.

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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"It's enough to make a cat laugh."
--Proverb

How often have we seen cats watching us with intense focus, playing obsessively with a toy, comforting us as they cannily assess our moods, lying calmly in a patch of sunlight? Cats exemplify the essential tenets of Zen philosophy and the desire to find the simple and spiritual in everyday life. They embody utter grace, nonjudgmental devotion, and a sense of spontaneous whimsy. What's more, as we interact with cats, these qualities are reflected back in us.

Zen Cat pairs more than 50 charming black-and-white photographs of cats with simple and inspiring quotes from a variety of sources: A fat cat lying on the floor evokes the statement "A hand-rolled dumpling of heaven and earth; I gulped it down and easily it went"; a picture of a cat up for adoption is accompanied by Buddha's question "If we fail to look after others when they need help, who will look after us?" This ingenious coupling of concepts and images reminds us that even the most finicky of our feline friends have a lot to teach us, if only we take the time to learn.

Judith Adler lives in New York City and is the coauthor of Zen Baby and Zen Dog. Following her life path as a communicator, marketing muse, business intuitive, and soul coach, she helps individuals and companies realize their dreams by creating success from the only place that lasts-- the inside out.

Paul Coughlin is a photographer whose other books include Zen Baby, Timeless New York, The Quotable Canine, and The Quotable Feline. The New York Times calls his photographs "straightforward, painterly, and soulful." He also lives in New York City.

From the Back Cover

"The only joy in the world is to begin." --Cesare Pavese

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 112 pages
  • Publisher: Rodale Books (November 15, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0875969232
  • ISBN-13: 978-0875969237
  • Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,271,325 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Zen quotes and magnificent photographs, December 10, 2003
By 
This review is from: Zen Cat (Hardcover)
I am not a cat lover, I must admit from the outset...but the photos and text of ZEN CAT are superb...I found the text meaningful and profound (a rarity in pet books, you may be sure)and highly recommend this little book to (a)all cat lovers, (b)all zen enthusiasts, (c)all lovers of fine photography, and (d) anyone looking for a "nice little gift".

Paul Coughlin is a really fine photographer, and Judith Adler writes clearly and with a deep sense of understanding of her subject...I BOUGHT THE BOOK FOR MYSELF, BUT AM BUYING MORE FOR GIGFS, You may decide to do the same after you read it.

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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars PURRfectly charming book!, November 5, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Zen Cat (Hardcover)
What a charming book! The photos and the quotes are perfect together, they truly capture the magic and mystery of cats...
There are so many saccharine sweet cat books I'd almost given up finding something like this -- a creative, sophisticated, artistic expression of the grace of felines. What luck, just in time for the holidays!

This book's helped me appreciate just how "Zen" my kitties really are... These photos are really spectacular, the photographer must have some real Zen patience to have gotten such great shots... every cat I've ever known just runs away when the camera comes out! And the quotes really make me ponder how much I've learned from the cats in my life. They really are great teachers, especially of patience. I'm surprised to keep finding so many layers in this little book, the quotes have such simple, yet profound meanings.

I also REALLY loved the fact this book wasn't cutsey and silly, but showed the many facets of cats, from their dignity and grace to their joyfulness and fun. They are truly magnificent creatures and this graceful book really captures their beauty.

I'm planning on giving it to all my cat-lover friends for the holidays, it'll be the "purrfect" gift. Darn, I wish my cat could read, she'd love it! This charming book is a must-have for every cat lover!

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Meow in the Now, February 21, 2004
By 
R. Hunt (Queens, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Zen Cat (Hardcover)
Not a cat book per se. It is Zen through example. Deceptively simple (of course).

I laughed out loud several times in a Starbucks while reading it.

The pairing of photos and aphorisms is wonderful, some of which I still have yet to truly appreciate, I think.

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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
ZEN, LITERALLY TRANSLATED, MEANS "MEDITATION" which, in its purest form, involves nothing more (or less) than simply sitting, (preferably) motionless with (ideally) an empty mind concentrated on the present moment. Read the first page
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