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A Cat:
Cat lovers take to cat books like cats take to tuna. This particularly delicious guide--filled with lovely line drawings and illuminating commentary about that most mysterious and compelling species--offers a fitting tribute to the animal that provokes the imagination and touches the spirit more deeply than any other on Earth. "As subtle and sly and often as funny as cats themselves."--Alice Adams.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
5 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Leonard Michaels
47 books108 followersLeonard Michaels was an American writer of short stories, novels, and essays, and a Professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
April 11, 2025
Normally I’d pick a favorite line or two to quote here, but this is one of those books where every sentence is one you’d want to underline, every page worthy of dog-earring.
Keep a copy of this to take with you on those solitary trips to the coffee shop.
Keep a copy of this to take with you on those solitary trips to the coffee shop.
July 6, 2017
For those who enjoy cats in their lives this book will be one of those rare treasure-finds. The author does a wonderful job of composing a poem that isn't quite a poem that discusses the traits and qualities of the cats in such a way that the author seems to have become a cat for the mere writing of this book.
The writing is beautiful and fluid - both simplistic yet at the same time complex. You explore within the beautiful words such subjects as "cat space", the features of the little cat's face, how he steps, how he sneaks and how he flows to fit the world just to mention a few ideas. There is a bit of a return in some subjects further down the line but it doesn't bother the writing at all.
Finally the book is illustrated by line drawings of cats where for the most part you get a beautiful outline of the cat that celebrates the cat's lines as it goes around doing kitty things. Very few of the pictures have anything like eyes or nose or even mouth but they don't need those features to call to the sight that it is a cat you are celebrating.
Together with T.S. Eliot's "Practical Cats", this book will be one for a shelf that celebrates cats in their own element and for the beautiful yet mystic creature they are.
The writing is beautiful and fluid - both simplistic yet at the same time complex. You explore within the beautiful words such subjects as "cat space", the features of the little cat's face, how he steps, how he sneaks and how he flows to fit the world just to mention a few ideas. There is a bit of a return in some subjects further down the line but it doesn't bother the writing at all.
Finally the book is illustrated by line drawings of cats where for the most part you get a beautiful outline of the cat that celebrates the cat's lines as it goes around doing kitty things. Very few of the pictures have anything like eyes or nose or even mouth but they don't need those features to call to the sight that it is a cat you are celebrating.
Together with T.S. Eliot's "Practical Cats", this book will be one for a shelf that celebrates cats in their own element and for the beautiful yet mystic creature they are.
August 9, 2020
Cats are spawns of Satan, but I loved reading this. I wanna be a cat now. Meow!
July 28, 2023
I wanted this book to be poetry or humorous stories or little known facts. It was none of those, but paragraphs seemingly trying to tell someone who had never met a cat, what cats are like. The line illustrations were beautiful.
March 1, 2025
Cats
Wonderful observation and love of cats. A very nice book that inspires further understanding and appreciation of cats. Just a delight.
Wonderful observation and love of cats. A very nice book that inspires further understanding and appreciation of cats. Just a delight.
November 28, 2018
Quite a lovely little read. Very fast reading, but you want to drink every page.
May 9, 2019
Loved the illustrations.
November 7, 2019
An utter delight.
December 1, 2018
Cat lovers will rejoice that Tin House Books has reissued "A Cat," the delightfully whimsical 1995 celebration of the contradictory nature of felines by the late novelist and short story writer Leonard Michaels ("The Men's Club"). Michaels's spare, witty and persuasive text begins with two sentences that are the foundation of understanding a cat: "A cat is content to be a cat," and "A cat is not owned by anybody."
One of the joys of living with these independent creatures is their self-sufficient nature and contrary emotions. Michaels hilariously captures this with his statement, "A cat weighs about as much as a baby and it sleeps most of the day; but if a cat were fifteen pounds heavier, it wouldn't seem cute, and it could tear your throat out." Michaels writes with poetic brevity that resonates sly truths. "A cat's fury, like a meteor hissing across the sky, is gone before you take it in."
Frances Lerner's simple and elegant line drawings contribute greatly to the book's massive appeal. Although the cats in her drawings rarely possess any facial details, the delicate but confident outlines depict feline movements, motivations and sensibilities. Lerner's 50 illustrations capture an array of emotions (and, like possessive cats, are seldom willing to share the same page as text). Sigrid Nunez's revealing introduction remembers her friend Michaels's "natural dry wit and a wicked sense of humor" and darker moods. He said "A Cat" was written with love. It's true. His affection and perception shines throughout this perfect book for cat lovers.
An absolutely charming celebration of cats that melds Leonard Michaels's witty and poetic text with Frances Lerner's elegant and emotive illustrations to create an ideal gift for feline lovers.
One of the joys of living with these independent creatures is their self-sufficient nature and contrary emotions. Michaels hilariously captures this with his statement, "A cat weighs about as much as a baby and it sleeps most of the day; but if a cat were fifteen pounds heavier, it wouldn't seem cute, and it could tear your throat out." Michaels writes with poetic brevity that resonates sly truths. "A cat's fury, like a meteor hissing across the sky, is gone before you take it in."
Frances Lerner's simple and elegant line drawings contribute greatly to the book's massive appeal. Although the cats in her drawings rarely possess any facial details, the delicate but confident outlines depict feline movements, motivations and sensibilities. Lerner's 50 illustrations capture an array of emotions (and, like possessive cats, are seldom willing to share the same page as text). Sigrid Nunez's revealing introduction remembers her friend Michaels's "natural dry wit and a wicked sense of humor" and darker moods. He said "A Cat" was written with love. It's true. His affection and perception shines throughout this perfect book for cat lovers.
An absolutely charming celebration of cats that melds Leonard Michaels's witty and poetic text with Frances Lerner's elegant and emotive illustrations to create an ideal gift for feline lovers.
January 17, 2022
A charming little book. I strongly recommend this to lovers of cats. The book is a collection of statements about cats, accompanied by illustrations (line drawings?) of cats...
A cat is content to be a cat.
A cat is not owned by anybody.
Some animals are secretive; some are shy. A cat is private.
A cat would sooner die than pee in public.
A cat is beautiful, and no cat is far more appealing than most. Cole Porter wouldn't have written, "Though your face is charming, it's the wrong face," about a cat.
February 17, 2021
a cute little book that made me love my cats even more (if that’s possible. it’s full of wonderful, deep insights that give meaning to the importance of their existence.
“a car can move so slowly that it seems not to move at all, or somehow to move by not moving, which is a metaphysical feat, crucial to stalking prey. a buddhist asks: ‘which is moving, the flag or the pole?’ you might ask: ‘which is moving, the cat or the world?’”
“a car can move so slowly that it seems not to move at all, or somehow to move by not moving, which is a metaphysical feat, crucial to stalking prey. a buddhist asks: ‘which is moving, the flag or the pole?’ you might ask: ‘which is moving, the cat or the world?’”
July 3, 2018
Connection: I work at Tin House, which is publishing this edition soon. I got my scuffed-up uncorrected proof copy from the galley room.
I read this in two sittings. The entire book is just some nice cat doodles and descriptions of what a cat is. Couldn't been better at doing that. An amazing explanation into what a cat is through poetic bites.
I read this in two sittings. The entire book is just some nice cat doodles and descriptions of what a cat is. Couldn't been better at doing that. An amazing explanation into what a cat is through poetic bites.
January 8, 2022
This small book, beautifully bound, is a coffee table book non-the-less. It has a thought about cats, or just one cat, on each page and leaves you to ponder. It's one you can pick up and enjoy for just a minute. And it is indeed sly and witty. I got it to give as a gift but want to keep it around!
June 17, 2025
I love cats, and there were a lot of cute and interesting observations about cats in this book. However, it didn't flow from one idea to the next. It kept circling back to something observed before. It was very random. Also, there was nothing really insightful or scientifically enlightening. It was just one person's jumbled ramblings about cats.
May 17, 2022
A wonderful little book for cat lovers. There are so many moments of recognition about the ways of cats in the short, wry and illuminating words of Leonard Michaels. Michaels was a favorite short story writer of mine, and this book is an extended pleasure of his good works.
March 4, 2019
"Watch a cat closely enough for a long time and you will begin to wonder if it isn't conscious of being watched, playing a role, pretending to be a cat."
March 16, 2019
Cute, quick read!
December 3, 2019
3.5 rounded up because, duh, it's about cats.
October 17, 2020
This is a love letter to cats. Cute, keen observations paired with beautiful line drawings by Frances Lerner make for a book any cat lover will adore.
March 21, 2021
feels like reading bored panda captions
July 6, 2022
Enjoyable read for anyone who has ever lived with a cat.
December 10, 2022
A must read for any cat parent or anyone who likes cats 🐱 💕🥰
June 17, 2023
If you are a cat lover, you will love this book!
March 5, 2025
Cute & quirky 🐱
September 2, 2011
Charming line illustrations of cats and various little witticisms about living with a cat, and the nature of cats. Obviously very different than Leonard Michael's fiction. Now I am curious as to what cat or cats inspired this book to be created. A quick, sweet read.
May 12, 2011
Poetic and cute. A delight for cat lovers!
November 25, 2016
A pithy collection of meditative observations about the nature of cats. They are accompanied by simple, stylised illustrations by Frances Lerner. Cat lovers will enjoy this short read.
March 12, 2008
Pleasant, but not a wowser.
April 1, 2019
3.5, i love cats
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews