Published: Oct. 27, 2010
Words: 59,087 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781458140760

Short description

The Tale of Thisbe chronicles 8 years in the life of a spunky, little cat named Thisbe. She experiences many adventures, some hardships, unusual friendships with a variety of animals and a unique learning experience with a resident ghost. Received an HONORABLE MENTION in the London Book Festival and the New England Book Festival in 2011.

Extended description

We meet Thisbe as a kitten slowly opening her eyes. Cuddled next to her are three more kittens, and standing over her is Mama, an orange tabby that names her Precious.

The real world suddenly clomps in through the door screaming about the mess that Pumpkin, Thisbe’s mama, made of his closet. Thisbe describes the person as “… a large, tall creature with long, wild, dark hair looming over us.” The creature finds his favorite shirt ruined, so Mama moves the new family deeper into the closet as the creature runs out screaming for his roommate Stan.

Thus begins Thisbe’s tale, which is, in fact, a memoir. (Read more) We meet Thisbe as a kitten slowly opening her eyes. Cuddled next to her are three more kittens, and standing over her is Mama, an orange tabby that names her Precious.

The real world suddenly clomps in through the door screaming about the mess that Pumpkin, Thisbe’s mama, made of his closet. Thisbe describes the person as “… a large, tall creature with long, wild, dark hair looming over us.” The creature finds his favorite shirt ruined, so Mama moves the new family deeper into the closet as the creature runs out screaming for his roommate Stan.

Thus begins Thisbe’s tale, which is, in fact, a memoir.

Following the shock of the creature, the tiny kitten meets Stan, a very kind man who names each of them. An opera student, he names Thisbe from the opera "Cinderella".

The creature returns and his name is Joe. They escape the closet and run from Joe, but Stan rescues them and takes them to his room where they live until the day comes when they are adopted.

After a painful goodbye to Mama, Thisbe is adopted by Stan’s friend Ana and Thisbe’s adventures begin. Fascinated by and curious about everything our sweet kitten finds joy in meeting other humans and animals of all sizes, shapes and species. She meets Thomas, a cat who has “. . . beautiful green eyes.” “He’s sooooo cute!” Thisbe coos.

She also meets Fester, a cat that gets a little too close, and when left alone in Ana’s apartment, she befriends a flock of pigeons that perch on Ana’s windowsill. And Toto, a dog that lives upstairs, becomes her friend, too. Her best friend is a small Chickadee. All become Thisbe’s friends because the most endearing quality she has is uncompromising friendship and love for those friends. As the tale progresses, we experience how accepting and kind she is with other animals.

That is, perhaps, what the book is about: abiding friendship and acceptance. Although Thisbe and all the other animals portrayed can talk and think and reason, they are archetypes of human beings. Each critter is unique: good, bad, happy, disgruntled, threatening–humans in fact, are the subjects of this small book, filled with more than just an endearing tale about a sweet cat and her coming of age.

The story is the world from a cat’s point of view, and that view is not what a cat’s view would be. It’s important to remember cats are born killers. Even though she is a cat and has all the necessary weapons, Thisbe is not a killer. She is just the opposite; she could not hurt anything.

It’s the ideal everyone wants to find in all people. Thisbe also has the ability to communicate with the human spirit world and gains much insight from conversations with the resident ghost in a house she comes to live in when Ana has to have her aunt babysit the cat for a time.

The story of Thisbe speaks eloquently of some truths we find only in our myths.
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Tags

adventure, cats, memoir, memoirs, memoire, magic realism, cats pets, pet, adventure animals, pet human relationships, memoir fiction biography drama, memoir adventure

Available ebook reading formats

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Reviews

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Review by: M Murray on Nov. 01, 2010 :
I highly recommend this book to anyone who really loves , understands and respects cats! Anyone who knows what it's like to live with them and communicate with them, will appreciate this book. It is filled with stories, and tidbits of life (and death) and humor..well worth reading!
Terri Cabral has done a great job!!
Maureen Murray
(reviewed within a week of purchase)

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