What do you think?
Rate this book
Conversations With Amber
Amber is a very personal cat, as Gladys Taber's myriads of readers know. So they will not be surprised that the tiny Abyssinian and the wise, warmhearted woman Amber owns have wonderful private conversations. In this enchanting new book Mrs. Taber has jotted down intimate thoughts and imaginings she has shared with Amber of the fullness of their years together. [from the book dust jacket]
- GenresAnimalsNonfictionCats
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
79 people want to read
About the author
Gladys Taber
89 books130 followersA prolific author whose output includes plays, essays, memoirs and fiction, Gladys Taber (1899 – 1980) is perhaps best recalled for a series of books and columns about her life at Stillmeadow, a 17th-century farmhouse in Southbury, Connecticut.
Born Gladys Bagg on April 12, 1899 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, she was the middle child and only one to survive to adulthood. Her parents were Rufus Mather Bagg, who could trace his ancestry back to Cotton Mather, and the former Grace Sibyl Raybold. An older sister, Majel, had died at the age of six months while a younger brother Walter died at 15 months. During her childhood, she moved frequently as her father accepted various teaching posts until they finally settled in Appleton, Wisconsin. Gladys graduated from Appleton High School and enrolled at Wellesley College, receiving her bachelor’s degree in 1920. She returned to her hometown and earned a master’s in 1921 from Lawrence College, where her father was on faculty. The following year, she married Frank Albion Taber, Jr., giving birth to their daughter on July 7, 1923.
Mrs. Taber taught English at Lawrence College, Randolph Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, and at Columbia University, where she did postgraduate studies. She began her literary career with a play, Lady of the Moon (Penn), in 1928, and followed with a book of verse, Lyonesse (Bozart) in 1929. Taber won attention for her first humorous novel, Late Climbs the Sun (Coward, 1934). She went on to write several other novels and short story collections, including Tomorrow May Be Fair ( Coward, 1935), A Star to Steer By (Macrae, 1938) and This Is for Always (Macrae, 1938). In the late 1930s, Taber joined the staff of the Ladies’ Home Journal and began to contribute the column “Diary of Domesticity.”
By this time, she had separated from her husband and was living at Stillmeadow, a farmhouse built in 1690 in Southbury, Connecticut, sharing the house with Eleanor Sanford Mayer, a childhood friend who was often mistakenly identified as her sister. Beginning with Harvest at Stillmeadow (Little, Brown, 1940), Taber wrote a series of books about her simple life in New England that possessed homespun wisdom dolled out with earthy humor and an appreciation for the small things. She published more than 20 books related to Stillmeadow, including several cookbooks.
In 1959, she moved from Ladies’ Home Journal to Family Circle, contributing the “Butternut Wisdom” column until her retirement in 1967. In 1960, her companion, Eleanor, died and Taber decided to abandon life at Stillmeadow. Having spent some summers on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, she decided to relocate to the town of Orleans where she would live out the remainder of her days. While a resident of Orleans, Taber contributed “Still Cove Sketches” to the Cape Cod Oracle . Her final book, published posthumously, was Still Cove Journal (Lippincott, 1981).
Gladys Taber had divorced her husband in 1946 and he later passed away in October 1964. She died on March 11, 1980 in Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts at the age of 80.
Born Gladys Bagg on April 12, 1899 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, she was the middle child and only one to survive to adulthood. Her parents were Rufus Mather Bagg, who could trace his ancestry back to Cotton Mather, and the former Grace Sibyl Raybold. An older sister, Majel, had died at the age of six months while a younger brother Walter died at 15 months. During her childhood, she moved frequently as her father accepted various teaching posts until they finally settled in Appleton, Wisconsin. Gladys graduated from Appleton High School and enrolled at Wellesley College, receiving her bachelor’s degree in 1920. She returned to her hometown and earned a master’s in 1921 from Lawrence College, where her father was on faculty. The following year, she married Frank Albion Taber, Jr., giving birth to their daughter on July 7, 1923.
Mrs. Taber taught English at Lawrence College, Randolph Macon Women’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, and at Columbia University, where she did postgraduate studies. She began her literary career with a play, Lady of the Moon (Penn), in 1928, and followed with a book of verse, Lyonesse (Bozart) in 1929. Taber won attention for her first humorous novel, Late Climbs the Sun (Coward, 1934). She went on to write several other novels and short story collections, including Tomorrow May Be Fair ( Coward, 1935), A Star to Steer By (Macrae, 1938) and This Is for Always (Macrae, 1938). In the late 1930s, Taber joined the staff of the Ladies’ Home Journal and began to contribute the column “Diary of Domesticity.”
By this time, she had separated from her husband and was living at Stillmeadow, a farmhouse built in 1690 in Southbury, Connecticut, sharing the house with Eleanor Sanford Mayer, a childhood friend who was often mistakenly identified as her sister. Beginning with Harvest at Stillmeadow (Little, Brown, 1940), Taber wrote a series of books about her simple life in New England that possessed homespun wisdom dolled out with earthy humor and an appreciation for the small things. She published more than 20 books related to Stillmeadow, including several cookbooks.
In 1959, she moved from Ladies’ Home Journal to Family Circle, contributing the “Butternut Wisdom” column until her retirement in 1967. In 1960, her companion, Eleanor, died and Taber decided to abandon life at Stillmeadow. Having spent some summers on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, she decided to relocate to the town of Orleans where she would live out the remainder of her days. While a resident of Orleans, Taber contributed “Still Cove Sketches” to the Cape Cod Oracle . Her final book, published posthumously, was Still Cove Journal (Lippincott, 1981).
Gladys Taber had divorced her husband in 1946 and he later passed away in October 1964. She died on March 11, 1980 in Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts at the age of 80.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 16, 2021
This was a strange book. My neighbor kindly gave it to me for my birthday, I think because I have a new cat named Ember and he looks a tiny bit like the Amber on the cover of this book. Taber waxes philosophical often, and goes off on tangents that she seems ill qualified to discuss (like the benefits to women of childcare centers...what does that have to do with her cat??) She sometimes comes of as pretentious (I can't possibly go into town now, I must wait till I have leisure time! - But as far as I can tell, she didn't work, so??)
I was most surprised to learn that Taber died in 1980 only 2 years after this work was published in 1978. How strange to read the thoughts of a woman not long for this world, but not knowing when her demise would come. She seemed very able to write at least. What happened to her cat, Amber, when she died??? I wish I could find that out!
She also calmly describes seeing a unicorn.
And talking to her cat, who talks back.
I don't think I'd read another book by Taber.
I was most surprised to learn that Taber died in 1980 only 2 years after this work was published in 1978. How strange to read the thoughts of a woman not long for this world, but not knowing when her demise would come. She seemed very able to write at least. What happened to her cat, Amber, when she died??? I wish I could find that out!
She also calmly describes seeing a unicorn.
And talking to her cat, who talks back.
I don't think I'd read another book by Taber.
January 28, 2015
You have to love cats! It would be good if you lived alone! You need to here someone else in this world sees a cat the same way and in the most unusual relationship that cats provide!
I liked this book because there Gladys Taber took the time to include many of the experiences a cat person enjoys! The visitors and how cats run for the hills as they do when a vacuum cleaner comes out. The audience they enjoy when a new person enters their space and it is time to give a smooch or even a tiny meow! There is nothing in this world like the presence of a cat in our lives and we are then armed with stories for anyone willing to listen; she tells it in such a pleasant manner.
Enjoyable!
I liked this book because there Gladys Taber took the time to include many of the experiences a cat person enjoys! The visitors and how cats run for the hills as they do when a vacuum cleaner comes out. The audience they enjoy when a new person enters their space and it is time to give a smooch or even a tiny meow! There is nothing in this world like the presence of a cat in our lives and we are then armed with stories for anyone willing to listen; she tells it in such a pleasant manner.
Enjoyable!
April 26, 2016
Only Gladys Taber could get away with telling you she literally talks to her cat, and the cat talks back, and have people go "yes good very good." But I think I liked this even more than the first book; her writing is just such a comfort. This is the last book published before her death, and now more than ever it's really interesting to see what she makes of "the modern world" when she goes on her little side tangents.
July 31, 2018
Light, easy and sweet read about relationship between Amber the cat, and her human mom.
June 1, 2020
Gladys Taber and Amber: an enjoyable reading experience. The kind of book you can browse and always find something of interest to read. Amber reminds me of one of my cats!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2023
Just a lovely book, sorry it is finished. I read it slowly... savored it. This was mostly about her conversations with and companionship of her Abyssinian cat, Amber. This must have been written when Gladys was living alone and thus in her older years. It included more sweet musings and meditations on life in general as well. A very enjoyable read.
November 28, 2023
This is one of many Gladys Taber books in my own personal library. I love all of her writings.
March 9, 2024
A charming, thoughtful walk in conversation with her cat, Amber.
March 23, 2025
sweet portrait of a woman and her companion cat...some of her thoughts distanced me.
November 25, 2025
A lovely, deeply thought classic. #1555.
July 8, 2015
I loved this non-fiction story of a woman and her Abyssinian cat, their life together and their conversations together. Back in the 1970's on a coastal town on the East Coast, this pair lived on a farm and in a cottage house. She would feed Amber human food, such as Asparagus tips and Amber loved her water in a glass with ice cubes like a human. Amber was an indoor cat, but Gladys would take her outside on a leash to explore the flowers and birds, etc. Gladys was a popular author for her time writing about her life on the coast, she had authored more than 50 books, several about her and Amber, makes me want to read more about both of them. Highly recommended!
June 2, 2018
It was about a women that had a cat named Amber and she talked to her all the time.
Ok I talk to my cat and dog but I do not say they talked back to me then everyone would think I am crazy, I don't say my cat said to me that "I am bored and wanted my ball but its under the TV and I can't reach it can you get it for me." That would be insane yes animals talk to you though their eyes but it not like they are saying something directly to you.
Ok I talk to my cat and dog but I do not say they talked back to me then everyone would think I am crazy, I don't say my cat said to me that "I am bored and wanted my ball but its under the TV and I can't reach it can you get it for me." That would be insane yes animals talk to you though their eyes but it not like they are saying something directly to you.
June 12, 2011
read every one in a while philisophical--good thoughts
October 1, 2014
Such an enjoyable book! The everyday life of a woman on Cape Cod and her love for her beautiful cat, Amber, who in turn loves her owner.
March 8, 2015
Charming and refreshing, Gladys takes you for a pleasant stroll through the pages of her book, and introduces you to her dear cat, Amber!
November 6, 2024
A book that every cat lover MUST read!
September 11, 2014
You won't agree with everything Gladys Taber says but she is really good for the soul.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews