What do you think?
Rate this book
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
These lovable cat poems were written by T. S. Eliot for his godchildren and friends in the 1930s. They have delighted generations of children since, and inspired Andrew Lloyd Webber's brilliant musical Cats . This edition includes illustrations by Nicolas Bentley.
49 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 1939
About the author
T.S. Eliot
1,006 books5,208 followersThomas Stearns Eliot was a poet, dramatist and literary critic. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948 "for his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry." He wrote the poems The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, The Waste Land, The Hollow Men, Ash Wednesday, and Four Quartets; the plays Murder in the Cathedral and The Cocktail Party; and the essay Tradition and the Individual Talent. Eliot was born an American, moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 (at the age of 25), and became a British subject in 1927 at the age of 39.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.S._Eliot
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.S._Eliot
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,287 reviews
July 18, 2024
A CAT’S A CAT!
Before a Cat will condescend
To treat you as a trusted friend,
Some little token of esteem
Is needed, like a dish of cream;
And you might now and then supply
Some caviare, or Strassburg Pie,
Some potted grouse, or salmon paste -
He’s sure to have his personal taste.
A Cat’s entitled to expect
These evidences of respect.
Before a Cat will condescend
To treat you as a trusted friend,
Some little token of esteem
Is needed, like a dish of cream;
And you might now and then supply
Some caviare, or Strassburg Pie,
Some potted grouse, or salmon paste -
He’s sure to have his personal taste.
A Cat’s entitled to expect
These evidences of respect.
August 13, 2020
Someone should set this to music.
November 23, 2020
Book 5 of 30 for my 30 day reading challenge!
I don't know how to review this book. lol it was so odd.
I don't know how to review this book. lol it was so odd.
November 4, 2019
T.S. Eliot is known for masterworks of poetry like The Waste Land, but somehow also the author of this delightful collection of cat poems. The full book consists of 15 very short poems, most of which describe a distinct personality of cat. There's the cat who can never be pleased, for example, the thieving cat, the old wise cat. Each cat has a creative name which mirrors their personality.
Eliot's poems are the source material for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats which is what inspired me to pick this up. I've never seen Cats but from my understanding Eliot's poetry is heavily utilized in the musical, both as character and lyrics. I'm not surprised. The poetry has a distinctly sing-song quality to it, with some refrains repeating like choruses. Each "character" jumps off the page and presents themselves divinely for the theater.
It's been a long time since I've read T.S. Eliot, and the previous experience was much more grueling than reading this. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats is not meant to challenge the reader. It's meant to be whimsical, for children and adults alike. Even if you rarely enjoy poetry, this will surely warm your heart. A great way to spend 30 minutes, and good preparation for the new Cats movie.
Eliot's poems are the source material for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats which is what inspired me to pick this up. I've never seen Cats but from my understanding Eliot's poetry is heavily utilized in the musical, both as character and lyrics. I'm not surprised. The poetry has a distinctly sing-song quality to it, with some refrains repeating like choruses. Each "character" jumps off the page and presents themselves divinely for the theater.
It's been a long time since I've read T.S. Eliot, and the previous experience was much more grueling than reading this. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats is not meant to challenge the reader. It's meant to be whimsical, for children and adults alike. Even if you rarely enjoy poetry, this will surely warm your heart. A great way to spend 30 minutes, and good preparation for the new Cats movie.
February 16, 2021
A quite funny and brilliant book of poems about cats. I had no idea that this was the inspiration behind the Cats musical until I read the back cover!
May 26, 2024
A classic collection of poems that were the basis for "Cats", the musical. Lovely and humorous full-color illustrations in this edition. Something that always gets me when I read classics of the early 20th century though is the overt racism of the time, which was kind of jarring and sad in something meant for young readers.
September 25, 2014
To My New Feline Friend
I know an Abyssinian
her name in French is Silicate
The rest of this review is available elsewhere (the location cannot be given for Goodreads policy reasons)
December 6, 2014
If you're a cat-lover (as I am), then this is a must-read for you! This is a charming book written in verse, and each chapter is dedicated to a different kind of cat with its own kind of personality. This just goes to show how many personalities a cat can really have and I loved it :)
August 30, 2020
You now have learned enough to see
That Cats are much like you and me
Okay, after I finished reading this classic, I decided to gird the proverbial loins and watch the Tom Hooper movie for the first time. Well aware of how awful and derisive the reviews had been, I fortified myself with a good few glasses of shiraz and my TV blanket. I mean, Vanity Fair actually ran an article entitled: ‘The Cats Catastrophe: Is Tom Hooper Going to Director’s Jail?’
Much to my surprise … I kind of liked it. The ‘jellicle cats’ riff is pretty in line with the plot (as it is) of the musical. There are a lot of in-jokes and references, such as a sly nod to The Wasteland, and for some reason I kept of thinking about A Clockwork Orange while watching it.
There is a weirdness and a manic energy that is quite infectious. Admittedly the hyper-sexualisation of Eliot’s text is eyebrow-raising, and means this is certainly no Pixar movie. The casting is mainly spot-on, especially Judi Dench and Ian McKellen.
I’m not sure the CGI is entirely convincing, as these cat-human hybrids seem much more of the latter than the former (the meowing is definitely unconvincing; Dame Judi Dench throwing a ham bone made me guffaw out loud).
A lot of the scale seems off, and there is a demented aspect to the production design. All of this is definitely deliberate, and does make for one of the strangest movies I have seen in a long time, even though it is based on such a well-known book.
Nothing though will ever be able to tarnish Eliot’s magical verse. And I have to say that Hooper does a pretty good job in outdoing the bonkers quotient of the musical, which certainly is no mean feat.
That Cats are much like you and me
Okay, after I finished reading this classic, I decided to gird the proverbial loins and watch the Tom Hooper movie for the first time. Well aware of how awful and derisive the reviews had been, I fortified myself with a good few glasses of shiraz and my TV blanket. I mean, Vanity Fair actually ran an article entitled: ‘The Cats Catastrophe: Is Tom Hooper Going to Director’s Jail?’
Much to my surprise … I kind of liked it. The ‘jellicle cats’ riff is pretty in line with the plot (as it is) of the musical. There are a lot of in-jokes and references, such as a sly nod to The Wasteland, and for some reason I kept of thinking about A Clockwork Orange while watching it.
There is a weirdness and a manic energy that is quite infectious. Admittedly the hyper-sexualisation of Eliot’s text is eyebrow-raising, and means this is certainly no Pixar movie. The casting is mainly spot-on, especially Judi Dench and Ian McKellen.
I’m not sure the CGI is entirely convincing, as these cat-human hybrids seem much more of the latter than the former (the meowing is definitely unconvincing; Dame Judi Dench throwing a ham bone made me guffaw out loud).
A lot of the scale seems off, and there is a demented aspect to the production design. All of this is definitely deliberate, and does make for one of the strangest movies I have seen in a long time, even though it is based on such a well-known book.
Nothing though will ever be able to tarnish Eliot’s magical verse. And I have to say that Hooper does a pretty good job in outdoing the bonkers quotient of the musical, which certainly is no mean feat.
September 15, 2019
Favourites -
The Old Gumbie Cat
The Rum Tum Tugger
Mr. Mistoffelees
Gus: the Theater Cat.
THE RUM TUM TUGGER
The Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat:
If you offer him pheasant he would rather have grouse,
If you put him in a house he would much prefer a flat,
If you put him in a flat then he'd rather have a house.
If you set him on a mouse then he only wants a rat,
If you set him on a rat then he'd rather chase a mouse.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat—
And there isn't any call for me to shout it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!
The Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore:
When you let him in, then he wants to be out;
He's always on the wrong side of every door,
And as soon as he's at home, then he'd like to get about.
He likes to lie in the bureau drawer,
But he makes such a fuss if he can't get out.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat—
And it isn't any use for you to doubt it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!
The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious beast:
His disobliging ways are a matter of habit.
If you offer him fish then, he always wants a feast;
When there isn't any fish then he won't eat rabbit.
If you offer him cream then he sniffs and sneers,
For he only likes what he finds for himself;
So you'll catch him in it right up to the ears,
If you put it away on the larder shelf.
The Rum Tum Tugger is artful and knowing,
The Rum Tum Tugger doesn't care for a cuddle;
But he'll leap on your lap in the middle of your sewing,
For there's nothing he enjoys like a horrible muddle.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat—
And there isn't any need for me to spout it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!
The Old Gumbie Cat
The Rum Tum Tugger
Mr. Mistoffelees
Gus: the Theater Cat.
THE RUM TUM TUGGER
The Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat:
If you offer him pheasant he would rather have grouse,
If you put him in a house he would much prefer a flat,
If you put him in a flat then he'd rather have a house.
If you set him on a mouse then he only wants a rat,
If you set him on a rat then he'd rather chase a mouse.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat—
And there isn't any call for me to shout it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!
The Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore:
When you let him in, then he wants to be out;
He's always on the wrong side of every door,
And as soon as he's at home, then he'd like to get about.
He likes to lie in the bureau drawer,
But he makes such a fuss if he can't get out.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat—
And it isn't any use for you to doubt it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!
The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious beast:
His disobliging ways are a matter of habit.
If you offer him fish then, he always wants a feast;
When there isn't any fish then he won't eat rabbit.
If you offer him cream then he sniffs and sneers,
For he only likes what he finds for himself;
So you'll catch him in it right up to the ears,
If you put it away on the larder shelf.
The Rum Tum Tugger is artful and knowing,
The Rum Tum Tugger doesn't care for a cuddle;
But he'll leap on your lap in the middle of your sewing,
For there's nothing he enjoys like a horrible muddle.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat—
And there isn't any need for me to spout it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!
July 25, 2022
«گربههای اهل عمل» رو به عاشقان گربهای که اطرافتون حضور دارن هدیه بدید و لبخندهای گل و گشاد پس بگیرید :))
January 2, 2020
So I learnt something new on the first day of 2020... thanks to my Mum, I know now that this collection of fun and light-hearted poems on cats inspired the famous musical Cats. My favourite poem was the one on Macavity which was fun to read aloud and create some good rhythm to it. The rhyming for the majority of the poetry worked really well for me.
November 11, 2018
Reminiscent of A.A. Milne's poetry, with fun imagery helped along by Edward Gorey's illustrations.
i tried to prolong each page, only letting myself read one cat a day.
Poor Tim, my love, i torture you
with all my silly rhymes...
He's patient, though it has to stop,
we've lived through harder times.
odd rules of friending a cat
"don't speak til spoken to"
quite unpredictable at that
this book i'm thumbing through
dear Eliot, i love your rhymes
in couplets or in sequence.
there's much i learn
each page i turn,
you've won my cat's allegiance.
***
(so sorry)
i tried to prolong each page, only letting myself read one cat a day.
Poor Tim, my love, i torture you
with all my silly rhymes...
He's patient, though it has to stop,
we've lived through harder times.
odd rules of friending a cat
"don't speak til spoken to"
quite unpredictable at that
this book i'm thumbing through
dear Eliot, i love your rhymes
in couplets or in sequence.
there's much i learn
each page i turn,
you've won my cat's allegiance.
***
(so sorry)
January 4, 2020
Πλάκα είχε!!
Η συγκεκριμένη έκδοση μάλιστα πολύ καλή καθώς περιέχει το κάθε ποίημα και στα αγγλικά! Ωραία και η εικονογράφιση!
Η συγκεκριμένη έκδοση μάλιστα πολύ καλή καθώς περιέχει το κάθε ποίημα και στα αγγλικά! Ωραία και η εικονογράφιση!
January 9, 2024
Long before Andrew Lloyd Webber's fabled musical, I read Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats to my sons and to one of them just after he was born, though I suspect the readings have had no lasting impact on children so very young.
These feline tales by Mr. Eliot stand as an interesting counterpoint to The Wasteland and Eliot's more serious musings and they have a kind of enduring charm for me, though they may seem rather dated & even unfunny to many others.
I am reminded of Fernando Pessoa's comment that within each of us, there are many voices, a community of spirits as it were. T.S. Eliot was indeed a polymath, an amazingly profound poet & visionary in many regards.
And yet it was said that Eliot was quite content working as bank clerk at one point in his life and also very happy with his 2nd wife, someone whose level of education & social background were very much removed from his own. Similarly, I am reminded of a friend who went to the University of Oxford but once confessed that he most treasured the time he spends building & repairing model trains.
The humor in Mr. Eliot's guide to cats is rather droll, or perhaps "British" as some might term it but the poet was born & raised in Saint Louis & drew some of his images, including Prufrock, from that American river city.
So much with any form of humor depends on the way it is spun and listening to others such as Irene Worth & Sir John Gielgud translate the tales of "McCavity the Mystery Cat" or "The Rum Tum Tugger" or "Gus the Theatre Cat" or "Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat" can be an absolute treat, seeming to capture just the right cadence & tone. There is even an old recording of Eliot reading a few of these masterful cat-tales.
One of my favorites of Mr. Eliot's felines is Gus, the cat who so laments that theatrical cats today lack the finesse & training that was so common in his own prime, "back in the days when Victoria reigned", when the now elderly Gus performed as "Firefrorefiddle, the Fiend of the Fell". But I am also partial to Growltiger, also known as "The Terror of the Thames", a somewhat seedy cat with character, portrayed with a rather mangy coat, one ear somewhat missing & only one functioning eye but very much the nemesis of "designer cats".
And as an example of Eliot's unstinting sort of humor (humour), he does not spare himself:
*Within my review are two images of T.S. Eliot + one taken from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Cats while on Broadway. **"Old Possum" was poet Ezra Pound's friendly nickname for ET.S. Eliot.
These feline tales by Mr. Eliot stand as an interesting counterpoint to The Wasteland and Eliot's more serious musings and they have a kind of enduring charm for me, though they may seem rather dated & even unfunny to many others.
I am reminded of Fernando Pessoa's comment that within each of us, there are many voices, a community of spirits as it were. T.S. Eliot was indeed a polymath, an amazingly profound poet & visionary in many regards.
And yet it was said that Eliot was quite content working as bank clerk at one point in his life and also very happy with his 2nd wife, someone whose level of education & social background were very much removed from his own. Similarly, I am reminded of a friend who went to the University of Oxford but once confessed that he most treasured the time he spends building & repairing model trains.
The humor in Mr. Eliot's guide to cats is rather droll, or perhaps "British" as some might term it but the poet was born & raised in Saint Louis & drew some of his images, including Prufrock, from that American river city.
So much with any form of humor depends on the way it is spun and listening to others such as Irene Worth & Sir John Gielgud translate the tales of "McCavity the Mystery Cat" or "The Rum Tum Tugger" or "Gus the Theatre Cat" or "Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat" can be an absolute treat, seeming to capture just the right cadence & tone. There is even an old recording of Eliot reading a few of these masterful cat-tales.
One of my favorites of Mr. Eliot's felines is Gus, the cat who so laments that theatrical cats today lack the finesse & training that was so common in his own prime, "back in the days when Victoria reigned", when the now elderly Gus performed as "Firefrorefiddle, the Fiend of the Fell". But I am also partial to Growltiger, also known as "The Terror of the Thames", a somewhat seedy cat with character, portrayed with a rather mangy coat, one ear somewhat missing & only one functioning eye but very much the nemesis of "designer cats".
And as an example of Eliot's unstinting sort of humor (humour), he does not spare himself:
How unpleasant to meet Mr. Eliot!So, at some point, do give Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats a glance or two and also look for the old Caedmon recitation with Irene Worth & Sir John Gielgud as well. And just to let you know, I am very much a dog fancier but not so keen on cats. And presently, my oldest son has taken to reading Mr. Eliot's cat verse to his young daughter!
With his features of clerical cut,
And his brow so grim
And his mouth so prim
And his conversation, so nicely
Restricted to What Precisely
And If & Perhaps and But...
*Within my review are two images of T.S. Eliot + one taken from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Cats while on Broadway. **"Old Possum" was poet Ezra Pound's friendly nickname for ET.S. Eliot.
March 11, 2022
Probably the best read in the year so far!
Okay, I'm not the biggest fan of poems. However, you tell me there is a poem collection just about cats? Sign me up please!
For real, this was such a great collection! Yes, sometimes the poems was a bit odd. But brilliant at the same time!
The choice of words and the feelings you get after reading every poem about different types of cats was a pure joy! It was whimsical and a wild ride and I enjoyed every moment!
The ones that really stood out to me and I really loved was:
1) 'The Naming of Cats' -
'The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter, It isn't just one of your holiday games; You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter When I tell you, a cat must have three different names.
Absolutely brilliant! It was so much fun and creative words and it rhymed so well when reading it!
2) MR. Mistoffelees - It really stood out to me for some reason. Whimsical is the only word I can say. It's was a fun ride while it lasted.
3) The Ad-dressing of Cats - '...You now have learned enough to see That cats are much like you and me ...'
Sweet and beautiful and funny. No more needs to be said!
In the end, I dare say it was probably the funniest and best poem collection I read. Truely a joy to read and could read it over and over again!
Okay, I'm not the biggest fan of poems. However, you tell me there is a poem collection just about cats? Sign me up please!
For real, this was such a great collection! Yes, sometimes the poems was a bit odd. But brilliant at the same time!
The choice of words and the feelings you get after reading every poem about different types of cats was a pure joy! It was whimsical and a wild ride and I enjoyed every moment!
The ones that really stood out to me and I really loved was:
1) 'The Naming of Cats' -
'The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter, It isn't just one of your holiday games; You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter When I tell you, a cat must have three different names.
Absolutely brilliant! It was so much fun and creative words and it rhymed so well when reading it!
2) MR. Mistoffelees - It really stood out to me for some reason. Whimsical is the only word I can say. It's was a fun ride while it lasted.
3) The Ad-dressing of Cats - '...You now have learned enough to see That cats are much like you and me ...'
Sweet and beautiful and funny. No more needs to be said!
In the end, I dare say it was probably the funniest and best poem collection I read. Truely a joy to read and could read it over and over again!
March 29, 2021
2021 reread via Kindle editon (without illustrations):
While I missed Gorey's illustrations, the poems are still delightful. I read them aloud to my cats *grin*
-----------------
2014 review:
I had always thought of T.S. Eliot as a difficult and gloomy poet, so these poems were a revelation! Such light-hearted fun which really benefits from being read aloud & the Edward Gorey illustrations were marvelous too.
While I missed Gorey's illustrations, the poems are still delightful. I read them aloud to my cats *grin*
-----------------
2014 review:
I had always thought of T.S. Eliot as a difficult and gloomy poet, so these poems were a revelation! Such light-hearted fun which really benefits from being read aloud & the Edward Gorey illustrations were marvelous too.
June 30, 2024
This book is an absolute favorite and a treasure of English poetry, particularly well rendered in this bilingual edition.
August 5, 2019
I love, love, love this book. And of course I also love cats. I've read this book many times and was so amazed that someone took the poetry and made it into a Broadway play, which, of course, I also love. Amazing!
December 31, 2020
Shows a strong understanding of the psychology of cats.
November 17, 2017
Reto 10: Libro con un gato en la portada.
En verso juguetón , irónico, fantasioso, paródico e ingenioso T.S. Eliot traza una descripción de felinos disque domésticos. Dicen que tal vez se referia a ciertos personajes de su tiempo, tal vez a nosotros mismos, y hasta que hacia referencias a las creaciones de Kipling y Conan Doyle. Y , sin duda, que le debe ahora el ser mucho más conocido al musical de Lloyd Weber.
Pero, sea como sea, arranca reconocimiento a cualquier conocedor de gatos -amante o no de estos - y una sonrisa.
A algunos les causó extrañeza que Eliot, censurado por algunos poemas, escribiese algo para niños, pero , claro, un gato tiene más de un nombre. De hecho tiene tres: el que le dan y todos conocen, después uno peculiar que le da orgullo, y luego está aquel, el secreto, que solamente éste conoce...
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
En verso juguetón , irónico, fantasioso, paródico e ingenioso T.S. Eliot traza una descripción de felinos disque domésticos. Dicen que tal vez se referia a ciertos personajes de su tiempo, tal vez a nosotros mismos, y hasta que hacia referencias a las creaciones de Kipling y Conan Doyle. Y , sin duda, que le debe ahora el ser mucho más conocido al musical de Lloyd Weber.
Pero, sea como sea, arranca reconocimiento a cualquier conocedor de gatos -amante o no de estos - y una sonrisa.
A algunos les causó extrañeza que Eliot, censurado por algunos poemas, escribiese algo para niños, pero , claro, un gato tiene más de un nombre. De hecho tiene tres: el que le dan y todos conocen, después uno peculiar que le da orgullo, y luego está aquel, el secreto, que solamente éste conoce...
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
June 7, 2018
I am not going to deny that T.S. Eliot can write well. He can.The cats are cute and enjoyable. But it's really hard for me to get past the racist elements within this text. I understand that some people see it as a product of the times and the lack of political correctness, but I can't get past it regardless of those factors.
June 4, 2024
Kitty Litter-ature
Two intersecting paths brought me to read T.S. Eliot's whimsical 1939 book of poetry, "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." First, I have been reading poetry the past few weeks and was browsing the library for a short, unusual work. Second, I adopted a pet cat -- a little calico -- some months ago after more that 15 years without one. I had almost forgotten how companionable a cat could be. The new kitty inspired my reading of a so-so book or two. Then, the poetry and the cat led me to T.S. Eliot. In his book of practical cats, Old Possum, (1888 -- 1965), a great modernist poet, let his hair down.
This little book, consists of 15 poems with the last one, "Cat Morgan Introduces Himself", added in 1952. The poems are short, rhythmical and rhymed. Eliot intended them for young children. They are delightful poetry in their own right with varied use of language and phrasing and poetic devices.
The book became a famous musical and it is about a varied, eccentric menagerie of cats. The cats are recognizably feline and also manage to stand in for human types. The fourteen original poems tell an organized story with the first poem, "The Naming of Cats" setting the stage and the now penultimate poem, "The Ad-dressing of Cats" summarizing the story and bringing matters to a close. In between are 12 poems featuring a range of now famous cat characters.
Every cat has "THREE DIFFERENT NAMES" we are told in the first poem: its given name, its particular name, and the name the cat keeps to itself. Which of the three names does Eliot use in the poems which follow? The poems tells the stories of cats with names such as Jennyanndots, the old Gumbie cat, the ill-fated Growltiger and his lady Griddlebone, and the obstinate Rum Tum Tugger. Eliot says of Rum Tum Tugger
"For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it"!
Further named cats include Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, full of destruction and mischief, Old Deuteronomy, the GREAT RUMPUSCAT, who defuses a dog fight, Mr. Mistoffelees, Macavity, the Mystery Cat,Asparagus, Bustopher Jones, the man about town, and Skimbleshanks, the railway cat. With the possible exception of (Aspara)gus, these names appear to be particular rather than given names of the creatures.
Then, Eliot returns in the 14th poem to offer thoughts on the nature of cats, and their difference from dogs:
"Before a cat will condescend
To treat you as a trusted friend,
Some little token of esteem
Is needed, like a dish of cream:
XXXXXXX XXXXXX
A Cat's entitled to expect
These evidences of respect.
And so in time you reach your aim,
And finally call him by his NAME."
These poems are a treat to read. I was able without much effort to project them on to my cat. The poems also reminded me of my young far away granddaughters. I hope to take and read this little book to them on my next visit.
Robin Friedman
Two intersecting paths brought me to read T.S. Eliot's whimsical 1939 book of poetry, "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." First, I have been reading poetry the past few weeks and was browsing the library for a short, unusual work. Second, I adopted a pet cat -- a little calico -- some months ago after more that 15 years without one. I had almost forgotten how companionable a cat could be. The new kitty inspired my reading of a so-so book or two. Then, the poetry and the cat led me to T.S. Eliot. In his book of practical cats, Old Possum, (1888 -- 1965), a great modernist poet, let his hair down.
This little book, consists of 15 poems with the last one, "Cat Morgan Introduces Himself", added in 1952. The poems are short, rhythmical and rhymed. Eliot intended them for young children. They are delightful poetry in their own right with varied use of language and phrasing and poetic devices.
The book became a famous musical and it is about a varied, eccentric menagerie of cats. The cats are recognizably feline and also manage to stand in for human types. The fourteen original poems tell an organized story with the first poem, "The Naming of Cats" setting the stage and the now penultimate poem, "The Ad-dressing of Cats" summarizing the story and bringing matters to a close. In between are 12 poems featuring a range of now famous cat characters.
Every cat has "THREE DIFFERENT NAMES" we are told in the first poem: its given name, its particular name, and the name the cat keeps to itself. Which of the three names does Eliot use in the poems which follow? The poems tells the stories of cats with names such as Jennyanndots, the old Gumbie cat, the ill-fated Growltiger and his lady Griddlebone, and the obstinate Rum Tum Tugger. Eliot says of Rum Tum Tugger
"For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it"!
Further named cats include Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, full of destruction and mischief, Old Deuteronomy, the GREAT RUMPUSCAT, who defuses a dog fight, Mr. Mistoffelees, Macavity, the Mystery Cat,Asparagus, Bustopher Jones, the man about town, and Skimbleshanks, the railway cat. With the possible exception of (Aspara)gus, these names appear to be particular rather than given names of the creatures.
Then, Eliot returns in the 14th poem to offer thoughts on the nature of cats, and their difference from dogs:
"Before a cat will condescend
To treat you as a trusted friend,
Some little token of esteem
Is needed, like a dish of cream:
XXXXXXX XXXXXX
A Cat's entitled to expect
These evidences of respect.
And so in time you reach your aim,
And finally call him by his NAME."
These poems are a treat to read. I was able without much effort to project them on to my cat. The poems also reminded me of my young far away granddaughters. I hope to take and read this little book to them on my next visit.
Robin Friedman
February 3, 2020
Adorei os gatos, adorei os poemas e adorei as ilustrações 😍
July 5, 2018
خب این جذاب ترین کتاب غیرجدی از یه نویسندۀ جدی بود. کلی شخصیت داده بود به گربه ها که همه شون قابل تصور بودن. و از همین جا هزاران بوس به کادودهنده ش.
من ترجمه فارسیش رو دارم به اسم «گربه های اهل عمل» از جواد دانشآرا، نشر نیلوفر. به غایت ترجمه بد و مزخرفیه. شانس آوردم دوزبانه بود و انگلیسیش رو خوندم فقط. :)) اگه می خوای شعر وزن و قافیه داشته باشه، حداقل وزن و قافیه بلد باش. بعد حداقل کلمه هات یه کم هماهنگی داشته باشن. شما این رو به عنوان نمونه ببینید:
so for old Gumbie cat let us now give three cheers-
On whom well-ordered households depends, it appears.
پس سه هورا برای او بکشیم گربه گامبی پیر هر که که هست
چون همه خانهزندگانی ما به وجود شریف او بسته ست
زبان به شدت ثقیلی داره ترجمه ش و از کلماتی استفاده کرده که اصلا تو روزمره به کار نمی بریم. این شعرها، شعرهای فانن که آدم برای بچه ها می تونه بخونه. ولی آدم بزرگش هم نمی فهمه ترجمه فارسیش چی می گه. یه کاری که الیوت می کنه تو کتاب ساختن کلمه ست. هر جا می خواد کلمه ای می سازه که با توجه به صوت و صداش یه معنی ای بده. مثلا همین مثالی که بالا زدم. گامبی معنی مشخصی نداره ولی یه جورایی گربه یه ذره چاق و محبوب خونواده رو تو ذهن میاره. مترجم میاد سعی می کنه براساس ریشه کلمه ای که الیوت ساخته کلمه رو ترجمه کنه. اما به این توجه نمی کنه که الیوت به آوای کلمه و وزنی که با این کار می سازه، هم اهمیت می ده.
من ترجمه فارسیش رو دارم به اسم «گربه های اهل عمل» از جواد دانشآرا، نشر نیلوفر. به غایت ترجمه بد و مزخرفیه. شانس آوردم دوزبانه بود و انگلیسیش رو خوندم فقط. :)) اگه می خوای شعر وزن و قافیه داشته باشه، حداقل وزن و قافیه بلد باش. بعد حداقل کلمه هات یه کم هماهنگی داشته باشن. شما این رو به عنوان نمونه ببینید:
so for old Gumbie cat let us now give three cheers-
On whom well-ordered households depends, it appears.
پس سه هورا برای او بکشیم گربه گامبی پیر هر که که هست
چون همه خانهزندگانی ما به وجود شریف او بسته ست
زبان به شدت ثقیلی داره ترجمه ش و از کلماتی استفاده کرده که اصلا تو روزمره به کار نمی بریم. این شعرها، شعرهای فانن که آدم برای بچه ها می تونه بخونه. ولی آدم بزرگش هم نمی فهمه ترجمه فارسیش چی می گه. یه کاری که الیوت می کنه تو کتاب ساختن کلمه ست. هر جا می خواد کلمه ای می سازه که با توجه به صوت و صداش یه معنی ای بده. مثلا همین مثالی که بالا زدم. گامبی معنی مشخصی نداره ولی یه جورایی گربه یه ذره چاق و محبوب خونواده رو تو ذهن میاره. مترجم میاد سعی می کنه براساس ریشه کلمه ای که الیوت ساخته کلمه رو ترجمه کنه. اما به این توجه نمی کنه که الیوت به آوای کلمه و وزنی که با این کار می سازه، هم اهمیت می ده.
March 20, 2022
Really enjoyed this. Really colourful poems of cats. New fav.
January 1, 2018
Something in my imagination has been restless. I have craved world building, esoteric codes, political machinations, something to offset the Bob Corkers of my mind. Treading along in endless bureaucracy with handymen and adjusters, I long for the Epic.
My wife and I have been rewatching every episode of Game of Thrones for the last two weeks or so. I am enjoying it much more when the narrative is compacted. I reflect on Delbruck and Braudel while listening to Tyrion.
I read a story by Scott Lynch last week and I really liked it. I was hoping for more with his Gentleman Bastards series. That has been a flat experience so far. What does it lack? It lacks the sparkle of the Book of Practical Cats. These are wonderful spirits. They bubble and gesture with aplomb.
My wife and I have been rewatching every episode of Game of Thrones for the last two weeks or so. I am enjoying it much more when the narrative is compacted. I reflect on Delbruck and Braudel while listening to Tyrion.
I read a story by Scott Lynch last week and I really liked it. I was hoping for more with his Gentleman Bastards series. That has been a flat experience so far. What does it lack? It lacks the sparkle of the Book of Practical Cats. These are wonderful spirits. They bubble and gesture with aplomb.
December 1, 2018
It always raises a smile when I finally get to read something that has had so much influence and been referenced so many times and yet I had NOT a clue about it. True I knew it was from T S Eliot and that it was written for his younger family member but beyond that it was limited to the hype around the stage show and that was about it.
However once you start digging in to it you see so many more connections. Now ironically the copy I stumbled across was connected to the stage show however for me it were the cats which caught my attention.
there are so many famous names here and not just made famous from the likes of Elaine Paige but the fact that many of the names have now seeped in to common culture. Now how many stories for younger family members can claim that sort of heritage.
But I think there is more to this - here you find insight in to the world of T S Eliot- from the source of those rather special names for the cats (and dogs) to the fact that London town would not be the same with out those feline characters making it their own.
The fun thing is that I have cats myself - and I am starting to wonder if there is little but of their in this book (or this book in them).
However once you start digging in to it you see so many more connections. Now ironically the copy I stumbled across was connected to the stage show however for me it were the cats which caught my attention.
there are so many famous names here and not just made famous from the likes of Elaine Paige but the fact that many of the names have now seeped in to common culture. Now how many stories for younger family members can claim that sort of heritage.
But I think there is more to this - here you find insight in to the world of T S Eliot- from the source of those rather special names for the cats (and dogs) to the fact that London town would not be the same with out those feline characters making it their own.
The fun thing is that I have cats myself - and I am starting to wonder if there is little but of their in this book (or this book in them).
June 27, 2013
So, I'm really more of a dog guy, and I don't know if that's the reason or if it was the horribly ridiculous musical or what, but despite considering T.S. Eliot as one of my favorite poets during my college days and despite owning a copy of this book for at least fifteen years, I'd never read these poems until today.
I'm curious what motivated Eliot to write these funny and clever little ditties for kitties--the writer feels more like Edward Lear than the elusive, erudite author of "The Hollow Men" and "Journey of the Magi"--but there's a perfect sort of precision to the meter and language, even if the subject is playful and quaint to the point of silliness. Or maybe that's just the loutish dog lover in me coming out; as Eliot writes, "The usual Dog about the Town / Is much inclined to play the clown, / And far from showing too much pride / Is frequently undignified."
But even if that's me, I'm glad I finally got around to reading about Rum Tum Tugger, Old Deuteronomy, and Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat. And Edward Gorey's illustrations make Eliot's poems even more fun to read!
I'm curious what motivated Eliot to write these funny and clever little ditties for kitties--the writer feels more like Edward Lear than the elusive, erudite author of "The Hollow Men" and "Journey of the Magi"--but there's a perfect sort of precision to the meter and language, even if the subject is playful and quaint to the point of silliness. Or maybe that's just the loutish dog lover in me coming out; as Eliot writes, "The usual Dog about the Town / Is much inclined to play the clown, / And far from showing too much pride / Is frequently undignified."
But even if that's me, I'm glad I finally got around to reading about Rum Tum Tugger, Old Deuteronomy, and Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat. And Edward Gorey's illustrations make Eliot's poems even more fun to read!
January 29, 2022
2011 October 24
Because the combination of snarky poetry about cats and the illustrations of Gorey is magnificent.
***
2020 July 12
I know I have read this more times than I have dates for, so this mayn't be surprising, but I wanted there to be more variety. I want some young cats, and some very affectionate ones, and more lady cats. Actually, what I want is a collection of light verse by lots of different people: Lin Manuel Miranda and Kate Bush and Childish Gambino and Adele (I can think of a number of lyricists, but I am not up at all on actual poets as such). Wouldn't that be delightful?
***
2022 January 29
Every reading brings me closer to loathing Eliot, whilst my respect for Gorey grows. This time it was Eliot's casual racism that got to me. Now that my copy is starting to fall apart, I'm considering breaking it up and just keeping the illustrations. But the paper is crappy and discolored, and often the illustrations are back-to-back, so I'd probably get bleed through too.
Personal copy
Because the combination of snarky poetry about cats and the illustrations of Gorey is magnificent.
***
2020 July 12
I know I have read this more times than I have dates for, so this mayn't be surprising, but I wanted there to be more variety. I want some young cats, and some very affectionate ones, and more lady cats. Actually, what I want is a collection of light verse by lots of different people: Lin Manuel Miranda and Kate Bush and Childish Gambino and Adele (I can think of a number of lyricists, but I am not up at all on actual poets as such). Wouldn't that be delightful?
***
2022 January 29
Every reading brings me closer to loathing Eliot, whilst my respect for Gorey grows. This time it was Eliot's casual racism that got to me. Now that my copy is starting to fall apart, I'm considering breaking it up and just keeping the illustrations. But the paper is crappy and discolored, and often the illustrations are back-to-back, so I'd probably get bleed through too.
Personal copy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,287 reviews