Cat lovers will rejoice that Tin House Books has reissued A Cat, the delightfully whimsical 1995 celebration of the contradictory nature of felines by the late novelist and short story writer Leonard Michaels (The Men's Club). Michaels's spare, witty and persuasive text begins with two sentences that are the foundation of understanding a cat: "A cat is content to be a cat," and "A cat is not owned by anybody."
One of the joys of living with these independent creatures is their self-sufficient nature and contrary emotions. Michaels hilariously captures this with his statement, "A cat weighs about as much as a baby and it sleeps most of the day; but if a cat were fifteen pounds heavier, it wouldn't seem cute, and it could tear your throat out." Michaels writes with poetic brevity that resonates sly truths. "A cat's fury, like a meteor hissing across the sky, is gone before you take it in."
Frances Lerner's simple and elegant line drawings contribute greatly to the book's massive appeal. Although the cats in her drawings rarely possess any facial details, the delicate but confident outlines depict feline movements, motivations and sensibilities. Lerner's 50 illustrations capture an array of emotions (and, like possessive cats, are seldom willing to share the same page as text). Sigrid Nunez's revealing introduction remembers her friend Michaels's "natural dry wit and a wicked sense of humor" and darker moods. He said A Cat was written with love. It's true. His affection and perception shines throughout this perfect book for cat lovers. --Kevin Howell, independent reviewer and marketing consultant