Cleveland Amory's Compleat Cat 1-3: Cat Who Came for Christmas / Cat and the Curmudgeon / Best Cat Ever

Compleat Cat #1-3

by Cleveland Amory

The humorous and heartwarming adventures of the sublime Polar Bear and his crafty owner, Cleveland Amory, originally published in three volumes: The Cat Who Came for Christmas, The Cat and the Curmudgeon, and The Best Cat Ever. All three volumes were huge national bestsellers: more than 500,000 total copies sold. Originally published in 3 volumes at $55.85.

Genres: Animals, Cats, Fiction, Literature

812 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Cleveland Amory was an American author, journalist, television critic, and prominent animal rights activist. He gained early recognition with The Proper Bostonians (1947), a witty examination of Boston’s elite, and continued to satirize high society with The Last Resorts and Who Killed Society? Over a long career, he contributed to major publications, including The Saturday Evening Post, TV Guide, and Parade, and was a commentator on NBC’s Today show until his outspoken views on animal rights led to his dismissal.
A passionate advocate for animal welfare, Amory founded the Fund for Animals in 1967 and played a key role in several high-profile animal rescues, including the relocation of burros from the Grand Canyon. He also established the Black Beauty Ranch, a sanctuary for abused and abandoned animals. His best-selling Cat trilogy, beginning with The Cat Who Came for Christmas (1987), chronicled his life with a stray cat named Polar Bear and further cemented his legacy as a defender of animals. Recognized as a pioneer of the modern animal rights movement, he influenced legislation and public awareness while enlisting celebrities in his campaigns.

Reviews

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cleveland Amory’s ‘Compleat Cat’ is three books in one: ‘The Cat Who Came for Christmas’, ‘The Cat and the Curmudgeon’, and ‘The Best Cat Ever’. Only the first book is truly about Polar Bear, describing how Amory found him sick and dirty in an alley, and then how the dog-person Amory found himself naming and owning Polar Bear, keeping him when he intended to give him to an animal shelter. The next two books are more of a memoir of Amory’s life, with occasional stories about Polar Bear. The last book speaks of Polar Bear’s death only at the beginning and end of the book. Strangely, for me, Polar Bear suffered from arthritis, and died of the same disease, kidney failure, as did my own cat of fifteen years. Those sections were very bittersweet for me.

Cleveland Amory was a Boston aristocrat of some sort, I guess, coming from a wealthy family. He met a lot of movie stars, genuine aristocrats like King Edward VIII, and important political figures, so he did have a life of which he could write an interesting memoir. However, the last two books have been advertised as if they were about Polar Bear, and they are not except on the periphery of most of the chapters when Amory came home to his apartment. Most of the time Amory was traveling or involved in his real work as a journalist and as an animal rights activist.

I have copied Wikipedia’s biography:

Cleveland Amory (September 2, 1917 – October 14, 1998) was an American author, reporter, television critic, commentator and animal rights activist. He originally was known for writing a series of popular books poking fun at the pretensions and customs of society, starting with The Proper Bostonians in 1947. From the 1950s through the 1990s, he had a long career as a reporter and writer for national magazines, and as a television and radio commentator. In the late 1980s and 1990s, he was best known for his bestselling books about his adopted cat, Polar Bear, starting with The Cat Who Came for Christmas (1987). Amory devoted much of his life to promoting animal rights, particularly protection of animals from hunting and vivisection; the executive director of the Humane Society of the United States described Amory as "the founding father of the modern animal protection movement.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clevela...

Most of the last two books were interesting insider comments about certain incidents of Amory’s life, some of what are included briefly in the biography on Wikipedia. One of the most interesting chapters were about Amory’s stay with Edward VIII and his wife, Wallis Simpson. Apparently, the ex-king was completely dominated by Simpson to the point of their relationship being one of dominatrix and slave (my impression of Amory’s impressions). All of the book’s are interesting, but those interested in reading about a cat and his owner will find only the first book is as advertised.

[W.B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could say Cleveland Amory is an acquired taste, but whenever that cliche comes to mind I instantly think of Harry Dean Stanton's smart-ass riposte to (was it Crispin Glover?) in Almereyda's Twister: "It seems to me you can acquire a taste for anything, but the question is, why would you want to?" That's not the movie with the cows flying around. That's the schlub Twister. And so it is with Amory. One wonders why one is bothering to try to acquire a taste for an author who is a self-admitted curmudgeon and who resorts to such cheap tricks as making a cute cat (always prominently featured on the cover) the sugar candy to draw you close enough to his book to possibly check it out, and then, KA-CHING!, make the purchase. Well, the strategy works, as this is one in a series of very successful books, which are really autobiographical. Human autobiographical, that is. Polar Bear (the titular kitty) does make an appearance every now and then, but one quickly gets the impression Mr. Amory is mostly conducting his assay of Polar Bear's character via the psychological mechanism of projection. Polar Bear is getting old. Mr. Amory is getting old. Polar Bear is intolerant of most of humanity. Mr. Amory is intolerant of most of humanity. Polar Bear is constipated. Mr. Amory is constipated. And so on. This installment in the series focuses mostly on aging, both feline and human, and Amory reflects on his long and sometimes lucky life in a somewhat acerbic style. He is occasionally funny. He is occasionally quotable. But mostly this remains Reader's Digest humor. It's certainly a safe book to give to that aunt or uncle who disapproves of most of your dicey reading. ("Who is this Genet, dear? Might I enjoy his books?") Amory was the president of two major animal societies, one of which (Fund for Animals) he founded. The other one he helmed was the Anti-Vivisectionist Society (ewww, you probably are saying here, and I can't blame you--who still does vivisections?!) He seems to have led a charmed life, many failed marriages notwithstanding, and had several careers besides this feline franchise, including stints as a somewhat successful t.v. writer. One gets the impression that he feels much of his life happened to him by accident, but he remains amused by this state of affairs, which renders him a somewhat likeable narrator. The book could have used more Polar Bear and a little less Cleveland Amory, but since he had a number of famous and wealthy friends (The Hepburn family, for example) there is some gossip, which is rarely titillating but sometimes pleasantly distracting. By now you probably realize this is pretty much a bathroom book or bathtub book, a book to read on a day when you're down with the flu and the television offerings suck. He hasn't any great insights into the workings of life and won't venture a guess about any ultimate or higher meaning to the thing, but he might make you smile or giggle occasionally.(He pretty much avoids life when possible. He is a bit of a window licker.) And you'll probably feel a little like a nerd, since you'll be aware of how Reader's Digest this sort of humor is. I mean if you actually laugh at it. I admit I did. Occasionally. What I continually marveled at is the fact that Mr. Amory at the time of writing this book is a superannuated, fussy man living alone with a cat, a man who is, miraculously, NOT gay. I kept waiting for some detail to give it all away and drop the G bomb, but it never happened. He is a straight fussbucket in fuzzy slippers. Would I read another of the books in this series dedicated to the hagiography of kitties? I hate to admit that the answer is in the affirmative. I too have fuzzy slippers and enjoy a good cat every now and then. But I execrate Reader's Digest humor in general, and think Reader's Digest should be brought up on charges in an International Court for the atrocities they committed when they published those millions of abridged books. That was a low point in human history. Just because meals can be turned into t.v. dinners doesn't mean books have to undergo the same fate.

[Elise Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think it's respectful to give a deceased author a bad review. I mean, his book was published after all, as were so many more he wrote. I will say, when he wasn't lost in the weeds and got back on track with moving the story forward, I really enjoyed how he brought Polar Bear to life intellectually. PB will always have a place in my heart. If you are patient with the author's ramblings, it is a great story overall.

[Ericka · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories about his cat are amusing and relatable as a cat-staff member myself, but the rest of the book's stories are kind of dull. He will usually track his rambling stories about his other work, his friends, his opinions, or his personal experiences back to his cat, Polar Bear, but sometimes it's a huge stretch and the cat is barely involved.

What's nice, though, is that you get three full books, and it's only at the end of the third book that the cat finally passes away. Too many animal memoirs are short affairs which, though they do focus entirely on the animal's impact on the human's life, always end too soon with the animal's demise.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super-nice collection of Cleveland Amory's three Polar Bear books. The only complaint is that it is thick and heavy when reading it.

[Lynn Regan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book because I loved Polar Bear and his owner. The author did go off on tangents a little too long to hold my interest. I do appreciate his efforts to aid animals.

[bohemian_wildflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three books in one. Overall I liked most of it.
I think he was a really good storyteller and writer. I liked his personality. I liked most of the stories. There could have been more stories about his cat, I will agree with that.
But overall, it was a nice read and mostly amusing. He seemt like an interesting person with a very interesting life honestly.
I am glad I read this book and got to know about him.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is three in one, which is why it took me a bit of time to get through it (I had to read other books in between as a sort of palate cleanser). Each book is different, so if you get tired of the discussion of Polar Bear's endless antics (as charming as they may be), never fear, the entire set is not devoted to that specific thread. I love animals and books about animals, but there was something about the pacing of The Cat Who Came for Christmas that dragged at the end. And the beginning of The Cat and the Curmudgeon did little to assure me that things were going to pick up. So I put it down for quite awhile. Fortunately for me, however, I am on a mission to get rid of my copious collection of books and I needed to finish this rather large one to get it out the door and make me feel like there might be a chance I could actually succeed at reading through my own library. Anyway, I forced myself to pick up where I left off in The Cat and the Curmudgeon and it ended up being delightful. So delightful, in fact, that I raced through The Best Cat Ever in record time. The latter is only barely about the cat and mostly about Amory's exploits during his distinguished career. The middle book is mainly about various animal issues and rescues Amory took part in, mostly through his organization The Fund for Animals. All in all, it is a great trilogy and I am the better for having read it. It's a great series about a wonderful cat (aren't they all), the plight of animals in today's society, and some juicy details about famous people who ran in Amory's social circles. Most surprising to me, I even grew fond of his love of puns and wordplay, something I usually don't find that funny.

[Jen Howie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh man. To be fair I have had this book sitting on my shelf for almost two decades and it's been almost that long since I've tried to read it. The reason I own a copy is because in 1995 we had a white cat and I am a cat fanatic and an avid reader so my husband thought I needed to read this book. I maybe made it halfway thru and gave up. My goal is to pick it back up again the the new year and start from scratch. I can't ever remember what it's about only that this book has been a joke for so long in my house that my husband pretends to feel hurt that I never read the book he gave me for Christmas twenty years ago!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amory was the founder of the Fund for Animals in New York City and president of the New England Anti-Vivisection League.
The 3 books included in this volume are all fantastic and can be read independently, but if you read them in order (The Cat Who Came for Christmas, The Cat and the Curmudgeon, The Best Cat Ever)...you're in for a treat. You will get caught up in the story of this rough and tough man who melts when he saves Polar Bear, a stray he found in the rain.
Some smiles...but alas, as in real life, there is inevitable death at the end - so bring Kleenex! Lots of Kleenex.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the best book ever. Three books in one that I loved so much that I read it twice and liked it even more the second time. Cleveland Amory's satire is so genius that even though he never met me he wrote this book specifically to me and for me. Clearly non-cat dog people may not "get" all of the inside jokes but any animal lover will appreciate Cleveland Amory's contribution to saving animals around the world and the US (he is the original creator of our Humane Society).

[Anne Teensma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not care for these books at all. They seemed less about the cat than they were about the author using the cat as a segue into unrelated anecdotes. There were many, many tangents that literally took pages upon pages to get back to the original topic.

Polar Bear, for the little I heard of him, seemed adorable.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Combining a wit reminiscent of P.G. Wodehouse with a compassion all his own, Cleveland Amory is a good pick not only for cat lovers, but anyone who cares about animals. Though he tends towards repetitiveness (a little Amory goes a long way), his humor and heart are evident throughout.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would strongly recommend these books to ANY animal lover. Even if you are a dog person, Cleveland Amory smart but witty humor gives a descriptive idea of what you don't think of when you adopt an animal.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book at all. I did not find it entertaining it was more like reading a text book. I love my cats, but this guy is one of those freaky obsessed cat people, that I just can't relate to.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must for cat lovers/animal lovers everywhere

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fiction

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story about Cleveland Amory's snowy white kitty, who when found, was so dirty, he thought it was gray at first.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are adorable. They are about a curmudgeonly bachelor and his car Polar Bear. Cleveland Amory was an extraordinary man who founded Black Beauty Ranch.

[Chris Bowles]

Cleveland Amory's compleat cat : three volumes in one by Cleveland Amory (1995)

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

i just love cats

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a cat lover, I couldn't help but love this book. It's been awhile since I've read it, but I do remember enjoying it.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of my favorite books of all-time. You have to love cats to like it, but I do. The things he says in this book and the stories he tells have stuck with me for years and years.

[Megan]

Cleveland Amory's Compleat Cat by Cleveland Amory (1995)

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up on impulse and fell in love with it. The writing style of Mr Amory is just wonderful and pulls you right in.

[Siren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brings back good memories and warm fuzzy feelings.

[Margaret Nahmias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the three, I liked the first and third the best. The second gets too much off topic. These books show the bond between cat and man.

[Ronna]

Ronna passed away before she could finish this book.

[Serena]

My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.