John GrayFeline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life

If you had to read only one book for the rest of your life, let this be it. Brilliant !

I love this little book about cats and philosophies of life. There is more in these pages about people, but constantly refers back to cats and all things feline. We have cats as deified in ancient Egypt, Montaigne’s musing on his relationship with his cat, anecdotes of cats in literature, and most of all comparison with cats’ and humans’ approaches to life and to death.The main point of the book is that cats, free of self constructed and societal stories about what their life has been, is, and will be, are much less stressed and much, much less concerned with their own mortality than we humans.This book is just over 100 pages long, packed with interest, ideas for further reading and lots of cause for thought. I absolutely loved it, and look forward to reading it again soonHighly recommended

I love all of John Gray's writing. Sometimes it can be bleak (as with Straw Dogs) even though Gray himself always seems so cheerful. Feline Philosophy helped me to see why he remains cheerful, and I really found it very consoling. Gray's books are consoling in the way Adam Phillips's books are. This bookr eally changed the way I look my life.

A real little gem of a book. It’s best summed up in the author’s own words in the last chapter ‘Cats and the meaning of life’ where he says: ‘If cats could understand the human search for meaning they would purr with delight at its absurdity.’ Well written in a concise style, it’s a pleasure to read – no two- or three-page long sentences here. The writer’s theme is that cat’s are not as domesticated as some people like to think, and that we could do a lot worse than seek to imitate their stoic independence and stop worrying about things that may never happen. Reflexions on, and stories about, cats are interspersed with an easy-to-understand commentary on various philosophers’ thoughts that are relevant to the life of cats, and of the human animal too. For a book written by a philosopher it’s a delight to read for someone like me, who doesn’t always take things as seriously as I perhaps should.

Oh dear. Not what I'd expected. A seriously tedious philosophical treatise.

Very clever book which I bought for my brother and cat loving wife and daughters'. Not every ones cup of tea - its written to academics' but if you like cats ou will love this book