http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/...

Summary: A kitten was left in the return-books box in a library and the librarians let the cat live in the library for over a decade. One of the librarians has now written a book about the experience: Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter.

I haven't bought it yet, but you bet I'll be going and looking for it!

Dear Group,

Initially I was horrified by the thought of a kitten "dumped" into a chute.
Then I thought, at least the dumper thought of somewhere where a kitten might? be carred for.
They may have thought "...no one wants a stray..."

I have been accused of Pollyanna'ismisms.

Then I started reading the link, and all I could see was Money/fame/money/me...me...me.../crap.

I am quite sad.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World is a lovely book. Dewey sounded like he was a real sweetheart. It's been a while since I read it, but from memory there were lots of sweet stories about Dewey's adventures and the relationships he formed.

I also found it interesting to read about the hurdles faced in having a 'library cat'. I'm a librarian myself, and love the idea of library cats, so I found it a good read from that angle too.

If you're interested in more information about library cats, there's a great list of them here - http://www.ironfrog.com/catsmap.html

Message edited by its author, Apr 3, 2009, 11:55pm.

>2 Then I started reading the link, and all I could see was Money/fame/money/me...me...me.../crap.

The book is actually a love story... an entire town fell in love with a cat, but particularly the head librarian who championed him. In the 19 years Dewey lived, countless hurt, withdrawn people were pulled out of their pain by the attentions of the library cat. That love, regard and pride in Dewey is made very clear. The book explains what the outcast kitten did in return for the town that adopted him.

You might want to read the book itself before you condemn the people involved. If you don't want to buy it until you know what kind of person the author is, you can always check it out at a library. :)

>4 The book is really a love story...

I couldn't agree more. When I bought a copy of the book and read the heartwarming story of Dewey and the lady who cared so much about him,I was captivated.

>2 Please read the book,and when you have I am sure that you will agree that there is pure love here and not (as you say) me...me...me..

Yes I retract my rather harsh words, must have been "one of those days..."
I bought the book and enjoyed it.

I can recommend it.

Message edited by its author, Apr 4, 2009, 4:26am.

>6 Yes I retract my rather harsh words, must have been "one of those days..."

Aw! We all have them. You just needed a good dose of Dewey!

I loved the book. It made me cry several times. But then again I am a softy.

I read the reviews here in LT before reading it and I gotta say, most of them made me go "What were you expecting?" because they complained about how it was about the narrator and her life and not enough about the cat.

What do they expect - it was a true story about a cat, not a fantasy - and obviously since you can't get into his little head, you'd have to have some info about the people he lived with, right? I found her life interesting and rather inspirational. She went through a lot and did the best she could.

Anyhow, I enjoyed it very much and am glad I read it.

I sorta laughed - some of the reviews lamented the emphasis on the cat, and wanted more about the librarian. Others thought she talked too much about herself, and wanted it to be all about the cat. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

Ahem,
We CATS only want CAT!
People are only there to do thingies...

#8 - As one of those people who wasn't overly impressed with the book I can only say it wasn't just the fact that it was mainly autobiographical, but also the tone of said autobiographical parts that didhn't sit well with me. Yes, I have sympathy for the author, and I know she went through a lot. I also think the title of the book is slightly disingenuous. At least for Marley and Me John Grogan put that 'me' in title so people wouldn't assume the book was 100% about the dog.

#11

Must be a DOG person, I sussspect.

PS. I have read Marley etc. and have given away several copies. Thus I AM NOT A SPECIEST.

Message edited by its author, Apr 15, 2009, 9:27am.

#12 - I am an 'animal' person. ;o)

The only reason I am currently sans a cat is due to the loss of the last of my four cats about a year ago, after 26 years of cat cohabitation. (I know better than to use the word ownership.) I am still in mourning for the lot of them. No joke. :o(

I got this book for Christmas from my sister in lawa nd I had given it to her!!! Great minds think alike.
I am mom to a gray and white striped cat named Edie. She is named after the two ladies in Grey Gardens the story of Jackie Bouvier kennedy's wacky,downtrodden relatives that will be on HBO Saturday! I am suppose to be babysitting her for the two people who named her. that was 19 months ago! Guess she is a keeper. My daughter wants to get her a friend but I am so afraid of two cats not getting along. I got a sceond cat when single to keep the other company and they just tolerated eachother,never pals!
Oh,I am new to this group!

Welcome MeenieReads. Glad you liked this book. Check out the cat poetry thread, you might enjoy that.

#15

I hope this is the link you are thinking of.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/26410

Guido.

#14>>
My current two grey tabby cats are brother/sister littermates (now 3yrs old). They get along very well, they are affectionate with each other without being needy. The Siamese cat the I had for 17 years was very much an only cat.
My daughter has two different brother/sister pairs...the older pair was acquired as kittens when she first got married, the 2nd pair was aquired, as kittens, several years later, when my grandaughter was about 5. The 4 cats eventually developed their own "pecking order" and all get along well most of the time. When I need to take my two over to my daughter's house, we first put them into the guest bedroom with the door closed. After both sets of cats have checked each other out through the door, and all are relaxed, we let the visiting cats out, under supervision.

Message edited by its author, Jul 25, 2009, 5:19pm.

meow meow

There are SO many copies of Dewey in my library ... guess it's due to the location.