Cats I've Known

By Barbar Bowers

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• ISBN: 097022771X
• ISBN13: 9780970227713
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: ArtSmart Books, Inc.
• Length: 195 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Key West's Cats get their due.

I had an immediate personal connection to this book. Raised in Key West just one block away from Barbara Bowers' compound, I was blown away by her rich descriptions of my stomping grounds. Her "cats" - both human and feline friends and neighbors - are brought blazingly to life in this honest, captivating meditation on Key West's diverse cast of characters. Anyone interested by the multi-textured life in Key West, those who find solace and joy in the natural world, and/or feline-philes in general will surely enjoy Bowers' excellent prose and touching storytelling.

An envious cat lover

I just finished "Cats I've Known" and KWPC gets my vote for the best cat ever. I do not mean to diminish the importance of the other characters (cats) as they have unique personalities too but he was the best. Being a cat lover myself, you sure have had some great cats in your life and that is to be envied. He should have been Mayor of Key West. Thank you for a great story that makes everyone just plain feel good when reading. I will look forward to more books from you lady. Bill

The Artist's Life

It's hard to categorize this delightful book by Key West author and artist Barbara Bowers. The title, "Cats I've Known," gives some clue: Its protagonists are the multiple "cats," both human and feline, who have occupied her subtropical world (she's an apartment owner in The Last Resort) for the past 15 years. Some of her human cats are even famous, among them her good friend and neighbor, the late author and poet Shel Silverstein. The book is much more than an insider's romp through the USA's southernmost city, however. Primarily, it's the memoir of a woman who took the road less traveled in search of a meaningful life. As Ms. Bowers recounts numerous entertaining anecdotes about her daily existence, she also reveals her inward journeys regarding all manner of the things that concern her -- art, gardening, hurricane preparation (especially timely), friendship, family, romance, sex, animal welfare and behaviorism, scientific advances, small-town politics, world events, and coming to terms with one's past, among others. The book's a blast to read, and will have you laughing out loud, but it's also a revealing glimpse into an artist's rich internal world and her attempt to find her place in the larger one outside. Ms. Bowers writes beautifully (and hilariously) about her quest to lead a passionate and compassionate life. Anyone who loves art, animals, and modern tales about The South will lose themselves in this little gem, as I did.