99 Lives: Cats in History, Legend, and Literature (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For the misinformed who may think that a cat is a cat, is a cat--or for those cat fanciers who just can't get enough fascinating feline facts--99 Lives: Cats in History, Legend and Literature tells "the stories of scores of remarkable cats" throughout the ages. From artist's cats, clever cats, church cats, and cats that fish, to heraldic cats, psychic cats, cats at sea, and just about every other cat in between, author Howard Loxton chronicles the "mysterious sense and sensibilities of the cat [that] have made it an object of curiosity, love, and even worship." Loxton gives us Theodore Roosevelt's commanding tabby, Slippers, who saw fit to attend a diplomatic dinner; Orangey, the cat who won the "Patsy"--the animal world's Oscar--for his work in the film Breakfast at Tiffany's; and Mouse, a somewhat timid cat who saved her owner by clamping onto an assailant's face. Original artwork and photographs from such masters as Pablo Picasso and Edouard Manet, as well as quotes from a multitude of cat enthusiasts--including Charles Baudelaire and Victor Hugo--combine with Loxton's entertaining prose to make this a highly charming homage to our domesticated feline friends.

Review

"Not nine, but 99 lives are chronicled in this fun, fact-filled book. Musical cats, holy cats, famous cats, city cats, country cats, literary cats, and more are brought to life in these cheerful, well-illustrated pages. We learn of felines who find their way home over long distances; save their owners from fires and earthquakes; ring bells; roast coffee; beat drums; and turn a spit." -- Good Housekeeping

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; illustrated edition edition (August 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811821617
• ISBN-13: 978-0811821612
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,514,242 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for a cat lovers collection, October 6, 2000

By	Randi M. Daeger "Reader Woman" (Manitowoc, WI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have many, many books in my "cat collection" and this is one of the most beautiful. Not only is the color of the art georgeous, but the essays are thoughtful and informative. This is the one I drag out most often to show off.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Book!, October 30, 2005

By	A. Casalino "V^^^^^V" (Downers Grove, IL USA) - See all my reviews

I simply cannot keep this pretty volume on my shelf, so lovely are its pages! Adorned throughout with wonderful stories, illustrations, poetry, and photographs- all paying great homage to one of this life's great treasures: Cats - it's indeed a book that's too much an absolute delight for one to help but turn to again and again and again.

Only this morning, long before the sun rose- raving with insomnia, I got up & made a hot cup of tea, fluffed the cushions on the wingback chair by my window, cuddled up with my fat, fluffy cat, Armand, and found myself browsing oncemore through this book --- delving into such chapters as "Cats by Night", "Cats at Sea", "Cats in High Places", and "Church Cats". Armand purred, and nudged my hand with his flat face each time I paused whilst stroking his soft fur. He simply cannot abide having less than my wholehearted attention. Ah, but just how such moments can soothe an old soul is far beyond my own power to describe!

Eloquently, Algernon Swinburne's poem on page 27 grasps that feeling:

"Stately, kindly, lordly friend,
Condescend
Here to sit by me, and turn
Glorious eyes that smile and burn,
Golden eyes, love's lustrous mead,
On the golden page I read."

Truly, not unlike any of my beloved feline family members, this is a warm, aesthetic pleasure to keep somewhere nearby me while in my sanctuary~

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Cat Book!, February 3, 2004

By	S. Henkels (Devon, Pa United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

What a great cat book! Features 99 cat lives, terrific color photos, paintings, and drawings, and fine commentary. Features practically every conceivable (domestic) cat throught the ages, and will provide fun, entertainment, and education for years to come!