Gwen Cooper (1) (1971–)

I listened to the audiobook version of Homer's Odyssey, and I laughed, cried, and laughed again. I have always had at least one cat in my life since I got out of college and started living on my own, but Homer's Odyssey has made even me see all cats in a new light. Cats live in the here and now. Cats are honest and never lie to you. I laughed at Gwen's description of Scarlet: "Scarlet isn't afraid of people. Scarlet doesn't *like* people." I've always suspected that my female cats preferred show more the attention of men, and now I know, having met Vashti. And Homer. What can I say about Homer that hasn't already been said? Homer is a miracle. He has something to teach all of us about life, love, living in the moment, taking blind leaps of faith, and never, ever letting anyone tell us what our limitations are. show less

Love Saves the Day by Gwen Cooper caught my eye because the cat on the cover vaguely reminded me of my cat, Kit (Miss you every day, KitKit). The image of that cat combined with the title pulled me right in. I barely scanned the book description. As I started reading, I immediately fell in love with Prudence, the cat who narrates her experiences. Cooper convinced me to see the world through Prudence’s eyes even though I initially resisted the idea. I loved the Prudence chapters and felt show more the Sarah and Laura chapters served to bolster the Prudence chapters. I felt a roller coaster of emotions as I read Love Saves the Day even crying a few times. Cooper weaves despair, hope, love, and rebellion together in a story of complex family dynamics. Love Saves the Day is a story of mothers and daughters, of living on one’s own terms, and of the pain we inflict on others and ourselves when we don’t communicate. show less

I really can't believe I read a cat book. But it was our monthly book club selection. I like animals, but I'm more a dog person than a car person. The only cat I ever liked was a little black creature named Lightning. And even though he wasn't blind, he's who I pictured while reading this book.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like it. But I did. I more than liked it. This book is funny. And
The stories are so relatable to any pet owner, but I imagine even more so for cat owners.

On more than show more one occasion I'd stop, go back & re-read a section out loud that was too good not to share! And at one point I sat on my toilet crying. Because, hey, just cuz I had to pee didn't mean I was putting the book down! Gwen does a great job at making Homer come to life for the reader. Her stories & the great detail are beautiful!

This book was the first time I've heard anyone describe first hand what it was like to be so close to Ground Zero after 9/11. I was freaking out with her. Frantic. Angry at the officials.

This book is a gift. So thank you, Gwen Cooper for writing it. show less

A friend and fellow cat lover gave me this book for Christmas last year, and I admit I put off reading it because I feared cuteness overload. But after two less than satisfying reads, I was in the mood for something very different. This fit the bill, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

Gwen Cooper was a young aspiring author when she adopted Homer, a kitten who lost both his eyes because of a severe infection. She was experienced with rescue cats, but not with a special needs cat like show more Homer. But Homer quickly demonstrated he didn't need sight to live a full life. He got along well with Gwen's two other cats, and easily found his way around her apartment, relying on hearing and smell to find things. He was playful and affectionate in a way uncommon to cats, and endeared himself to all who met him.

What Gwen didn't realize, as she cared for Homer's basic needs, was how much he was supporting her journey into adulthood. As she struggled to find consistent employment, Homer was there for her. He defended her against danger (really! I'm still not sure how they made it through that situation safely). When Gwen decided to pull up stakes and move from Miami to New York City (no small feat with three cats in tow), Homer helped Gwen to see that sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith, and not let others limit your potential. The one area where he wasn't much help was in her relationships with men, most of whom seemed put off by a woman who had three (count 'em!) cats. But eventually, that all works out, too.

As I said, this book could have suffered from cuteness, but it didn't. It also could have suffered from pretentiousness, but it didn't, mostly. Her writing is good, if a bit repetitive. There was one point where it seemed Gwen was going to pull out all the melodramatic stops and I thought, "oh, don't go there!" But this turned out to be one of the best-written sections of the book, where Gwen faced a stressful, life-changing situation beyond anything I can imagine. For a while there, I couldn't put it down.

And the best part: it all ends well. The book ends in 2010, when Homer is twelve years old and still living a full life. And he's still alive today. So you can keep the tissues on the shelf and just enjoy reading about the life of a pretty remarkable cat. show less