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Amber, A Very Personal Cat
An affectionate portrait of the author's Abyssinian cat interspersed with practical advice about the care of cats
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
3 people are currently reading
76 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.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 5, 2019
For cat lovers! Gladys Taber shares her very special relationship with her Abyssinian* cat, Amber, along with a good number of tips for the proper care of cats. She reinforced some of my most cherished beliefs and dispels the myths and lies concerning cats, such as, “All cats are alike,” – ridiculously untrue. Taber’s Amber had a very distinct personality, displaying some characteristics similar to one or more of the various cats I have had over my lifetime, but like none of them altogether. She was herself and sounds utterly charming! I wish I had known her.
Tabor attributes the high deaths tolls from the plagues in the middle ages (at least in part) to cats being exterminated due to their association with witches. Without a natural enemy, rats multiplied and had the rule of things. And you know the rest of the story. (Sounds plausible, but I have not verified.)
The book was written in 1970, making it almost 50 years old, so much of her advice is dated and I do not agree with all of it. For example, she was afraid to have Amber spayed because it was such a ‘complex surgical procedure’. So, she kept her indoors and just put up with her during her monthly heat episodes. I’m not sure, perhaps it was a difficult and dangerous procedure back then. It certainly isn’t anymore and responsible pet owners NEED to get their pets spayed and neutered as soon as is safely possible.
However, the real value of this book is Taber’s love of her animals. Amber came along right after Taber had just lost a beloved dog, so the author is not a ‘cat’ or ‘dog’ person. She has a great respect for all four-legged creatures. She also discusses her feelings for other creatures.
For me, it was a timely reminder that these furry little animals who live with us are so vulnerable and utterly dependent on us and our benevolence. She made me reexamine how often I am neglectful of my own sweet kitties when I get too busy and yet how lovingly responsive they are whenever I remember to play with them, give them a rub/brush, or just BE with them.
Beautiful black and white photos of Amber the Abby. 3.5 stars
*Prior to this I had never heard of Abyssinian cats! They are very ancient and beautiful.
Tabor attributes the high deaths tolls from the plagues in the middle ages (at least in part) to cats being exterminated due to their association with witches. Without a natural enemy, rats multiplied and had the rule of things. And you know the rest of the story. (Sounds plausible, but I have not verified.)
The book was written in 1970, making it almost 50 years old, so much of her advice is dated and I do not agree with all of it. For example, she was afraid to have Amber spayed because it was such a ‘complex surgical procedure’. So, she kept her indoors and just put up with her during her monthly heat episodes. I’m not sure, perhaps it was a difficult and dangerous procedure back then. It certainly isn’t anymore and responsible pet owners NEED to get their pets spayed and neutered as soon as is safely possible.
However, the real value of this book is Taber’s love of her animals. Amber came along right after Taber had just lost a beloved dog, so the author is not a ‘cat’ or ‘dog’ person. She has a great respect for all four-legged creatures. She also discusses her feelings for other creatures.
For me, it was a timely reminder that these furry little animals who live with us are so vulnerable and utterly dependent on us and our benevolence. She made me reexamine how often I am neglectful of my own sweet kitties when I get too busy and yet how lovingly responsive they are whenever I remember to play with them, give them a rub/brush, or just BE with them.
Beautiful black and white photos of Amber the Abby. 3.5 stars
*Prior to this I had never heard of Abyssinian cats! They are very ancient and beautiful.
August 8, 2013
A very quick, sweet read. It is definitely dated and I don't suggest you follow all her advice on cat care, especially the part about not spaying and neutering your pets. But, all in all and enjoyable read and a bit of interesting historical philosophy and social commentary.
June 20, 2019
Amber is such a delightful young kitten! And somehow I feel like I really got to know the author better than usual, too. I want her to be my adoptive grandmother.
June 20, 2019
This is a sweet and heartwarming story about a woman author and her cat, Amber. It tells a bit of advice, but is mostly just a sweet memoir of her beloved kitten and cat!
Read
December 19, 2014Great book, good info on owning a cat and sweet stories of Amber and her shenanigans.
October 24, 2019
It was okay. Very dated, especially in her ideas about neutering.
August 19, 2022
I am a cat lover. This book was absolutely perfect.
October 19, 2022
There is no story here. Just a woman talking about how much she loves her cat.
May 6, 2024
There is lots of cat care advice, some of it outdated since this story is a few decades old. But the takeaway is how very much love and empathy can be between a loving kitty and her devoted person.
February 1, 2010
Sometimes I'm in the mood for granny books: first-person accounts of folks who live in the country and eat supper instead of dinner. Gladys Taber is the Queen of the Granny Books (if you also like granny books, check out her books about Stillmeadow Farm), but apparently even I have my limits, as this book ABOUT HER CAT nearly did me in.
Want to read
April 15, 2015I swear I have no idea how this book found its way on one of my shelves. For its efforts, I'll give it a try. Eventually.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews