Fred in Love

by Felice Picano

    In the early 1970s, when he was still an aspiring, unpublished writer, Felice Picano began a remarkable relationship with an extraordinary a days-old kitten slated for euthanasia who refused to perish.  Rescued, named, and trained, Fred became an extraordinarily intelligent companion, ally, teacher, and constant wonder to the author as he began his ascent through the Bohemian circles of Greenwich Village, among musicians, actors, curious characters, and even the famous British actress in hiding right next door.
    But when an acquaintance brought his female cat to be serviced by Fred, an entire new set of experiences opened up for the cat-and for Picano, who'd never had the nerve to befriend her owner, his ideal man.  The course of love seldom runs straight for cats or for men, and this time would prove (hilariously) no different.
    This is another of Picano's distinguished portraits of a vanished era, when a new gay domain was solidifying only a few years after the Stonewall Riots, and the still nascent gay literary world that Picano would help invent was just a conception. Fred in Love is a charming, nostalgic, funny, gossipy, involving, and ultimately enlightening story about how we learn and grow, and how we love-whether the object of our affection is a cat or another human being.  It's sure to take its place next to Picano's now classic literary memoirs Ambidextrous , Men Who Loved Me , and A House on the Ocean, a House on the Bay .

Genres: Gay Fiction, Fiction

100 pages, Hardcover

First published February 11, 2005

About the author

Felice Anthony Picano was an American writer, publisher and critic who encouraged the development of gay literature in the United States. His work is documented in many sources.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful little book that is less a story with a clear narrative, and more like sitting with the author in a cozy armchair with a few drinks in a long, meandering conversation about his life, structured around his recollections of the cats he has known. The titular Fred takes up maybe two thirds of the pages. It was enjoyable and, as the book jacket promised, a look into life as a gay man in Grenwich Village in the 60s and 79s.

Note this book is not for those squeamish about an earlier time's cavalier attitude towards outdoor cats. (Fred is not neutered because the author finds it "more natural," and suffice it to say that only one cat in his life died at home of old age.)

[Jessica O · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book hoping for a kitty cat memoir but it was really more of a person memoir with a series of cats as supporting characters. I suppose if I were a fan of the author's other works or of gossipy name-dropping type memoirs, I'd have enjoyed it more. There were definitely smile-worthy moments, so I don't feel I wasted my time with it (especially considering how short it was). Not bad, not great. Thus the 3 stars.

[Frederick W Benner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great short story based on of all things, cats. I enjoyed the read from one of my favorite authors, Felice Picano

[Carlos Mock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fred in Love by Felice Picano

This is a wonderful novella, narrated from the first person point of view in which we discover the author's proclivity towards the feline population.

Starting with Chloe, the first cat Felice was ever introduced as a child while living at home, then Puppy, a cat that thought it was a dog, then Gustave, Felice's first solo cat.

Not only does Felice tells us about the cats, but he associates them to the events occurring in his life. Therefore, his boyfriend, Walter introduces Felice to the infamous Frescobaldi, later named Fred. And it is through Zeb Freedman - another friend - that Fred will fall in love as Zeb brings his female cat, Jennie, who's in heat so that Fred will service her.

After that there are only two more cats: Tally, later named Miss Cat, and Max - but none as special as Fred.

A wonderful easy read for anyone who loves cats...

[Brianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I'm being less generous with my star ratings lately.

Regardless, I didn't feel very attached to the protagonist. Maybe it's because I have a hard time empathizing with someone who has cats but isn't a cat lover. I have no doubt the he loved Fred, and a couple other cats he had over the years, but I didn't get the sense that he was a lover of four-legged creatures overall.

I was able to start and finish this book within an afternoon, which was a plus. But I don't feel like anything really stuck with me.

[Aymee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really sweet memoir detailing the early years of writer Felice Picano's life via the cats he had and loved. I would have liked to have met Fred, he seemed like a great cat, full of life and personality. And, in addition, I now want to dig into more of the author's novels. His voice is light and familiar, welcoming and warm.

[J.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute memoir about a man and his cat, told through little vignettes about his looking for love and the cat's own sexual prowess (or lack thereof). More nonfiction than I thought going into it. Good, fast read.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

You would think a lesbian wrote this, but a cute fag did and its about the cats he had over his young gay sexin' life.

[Wils Cain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was hoping for so much more but Picano didn't really seem sure what he wanted this book to be about.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoy Picano's short stories, but this was just meh.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Best thing about the book is it's length.