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Joined: Jan 12, 2004 Posts: 102 Location: New York, USA
Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 1:11 pm Post subject: Let's discuss: The cat who could read backwards
This was a fine book and all the books that follow in the "The Cat Who Could..." series. Qwill, a reporter who befriends a cat who then helps him to catch the bad guys.
I'm a cat-person myself so I fully believe the story Sometimes you get a better answer when you talk to a cat rather than talking to yourself.
Reading the story now gives even more flavor to the book which was published in 1966. Cars, food, drink and smoking have changed quite a bit; except for cats.
I do consider this one as a "set-up" story for all the others that followed to establish the characters and settings; the press room, housing situations... etc.
Anyone else care to chime in on this book?
Cheers!
Niko _________________ "Avoid making irrevocable decisions when tired or hungry." -- Robert Heinlein
I'd just like to start by saying I'm really happy with the book club choices so far (take that Oprah!). I read novels regularly, but don't really gravitate towards mysteries. I've really enjoyed both of the mysteries we've read so far, and I never would have read them if not for this little reading group.
I enjoyed the book. It moved along at a good pace and kept me interested, and kept me guessing. As I said, I don't read a lot of mysteries, so for me, there were enough potential who-done-it candidates in the book that I didn't guess the outcome...spoiler alert: it wasn't the cat.
I'm not a cat person (but I'm not anti-cat either). I think that makes my enjoyment of the book slightly less than it would be for a cat-lover. It also makes me less likely to read the other 952 books in the series.
Like you said Niko, it adds some flavour to it that it's published in the 60's. It wasn't that long ago, but some things have certainly changed in the last 40 years.
Strangely, given the subject matter, I found this quite a gentle book perhaps it's the cat's calming influence. It flowed at an easy pace and unlike many mystery novels I've read it isn't hurried to a conclusion in the last few pages. Having said that I think some of the artifices in the story were a little unbelievable.
The setting in the sixities is very evocative of a completely different time - even if it is in my own lifetime - and reminds me of Raymind Chandler's novels. But it is interesting to compare the "art scene" as described 40 years ago and that same "industry" now - as I write this I'm waiting for a "Desert Island Discs" broadcast with Grayson Perry, a controvertial artist - seems not a lot has changed!
I wonder why I have never run across Qwill before - has there been a TV version? It seems quite televisual.
Dignan you're up next what have you chosen for us? _________________ John
I am what I am
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Sometimes you get a better answer when you talk to a cat rather than talking to yourself.
