3.73 AVERAGE

emotional inspiring slow-paced
fast-paced

The first book featuring Dewey, the cat that won millions of readers over was such a huge success that author Vicki Myron was not planning on writing another book but knew she could not just leave readers hanging. This time as most of Dewey’s story was told in the first book, Mrs. Myron decided to show case nine stories from readers and their cats.

The stories were endearing and some sad. It was nice to get to read about other readers’ stories and to get to know their cats. Cats like any other animal are people in my eyes too. While, I thought the stories featured were interesting I never fully became immerged into the stories. Though, I can assure you that I will never forget Mr. Sir Bob Kittens, Spooky, Cookie and all the rest of the cats. The pictures of the cats are great. There is one thing about this book and that is Dewey and his magic lives on in all of us.

 Cute, wholesome and moving 

I received this book and was a bit afraid to read it. I'm always afraid these types of books will be too sad. While there were a few sad parts, I found the stories to be very heartwarming. The cats in these stories all filled a void and played an important role in someone's life just as Dewey did. Each story is unique and touching. My favorite story was about a cat who rode a motorcycle, truly a remarkable cat! Also there a couple of new Dewey stories included in the book. If you love cats or pets, I think you will be touched and love each story as much as I did. It was so moving that I read the whole book in one sitting.
emotional sad slow-paced

This is a follow up book to Dewey, the true story of an orange tabby who was found in the book return box of the library on a cold winter's morning. The library staff adopted him and he became a part of the library, greeting guests, giving snuggles, and always knowing when someone needed attention or was feeling down. I was obsessed with this book when I was little because it combined two things that I loved: books and cats. With having it read to me by parents, listening to it on audiobook, and reading it myself, I must have read it at least four times. So when I saw this at the bookstore I had to have it, for nostalgia reasons.

Dewey's Nine Lives is supposed to be a collection of short stories showing how Dewey impacted others' lives, but really it was a tribute to cats and humans who had a special connection. My favorite was the story of Spooky, the cat who survived an owl attack, a swipe from a bear, a coyote attack (with help from his human) and rising up 10 feet in the air on the back of a goose.

Cats aside, it was really interesting to hear people's life stories. What I didn't care for was the author dissecting each cat/human relationship at the end of the chapter. I loved reading about these people's lives and the cats in them, but I didn't like the author psychoanalyzing them. It often got really cheesy and I didn't care for it. I think it's mostly a personal preference thing, but it just went on for so long! Yeah, get a little cheesy, that's fine, but several pages?? Too much for me, thank you.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I'm glad I read it.
emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Natuurlijk had ik al gehoord over Dewey de bibliotheekkat, kan niet anders want ik ben al ruim 15 jaar een bibliothecaris. Ik geloof dat zijn naam standaard wel ergens opduikt in het leven van bibliothecarissen overal ter wereld. Maar het heeft tot nu geduurd voordat ik zijn hele verhaal en dat van zijn baasje en zijn vriendjes, in de vorm van de twee boeken die over hem zijn geschreven, heb gelezen. Getriggerd doordat een collega die ik erg waardeer het eerste boek in maart dit jaar noemde als mustread in de rubriek 'Favorieten van...' in de IP vakblad voor informatieprofessionals.

De boeken zijn melodramatisch geschreven. Echt Amerikaans. Maar dat maakt het niet minder leuk om te lezen over de katten en hun baasjes. Lief en speels en vanuit het hart. Een lach en een traan. En een mooie combinatie van een kattenleven, een mensenleven, het stads/dorpsleven. Vlot beschreven. Met een duidelijke boodschap: zoek de plek waar je thuishoort, wees gelukkig met wat je hebt, behandel iedereen goed en leid een goed leven. En natuurlijk gaat het ook over bibliotheken en het mooiste beroep ter wereld. De auteur beschrijft het, al in 2010, treffend: bibliothecarissen zijn geen dames met een knotje die altijd 'sssst' zeggen. We zijn hoogopgeleide mannen en vrouwen die een zaak leiden. We strijden tegen censuur. We werken al lang met e-books en computernetwerken. We verhandelen, onderwijzen, creëren. Ons werk is uitdagend en complex.

Beide boeken zijn aanraders voor kattenmensen, bibliothecarissen, zoekenden, gelukkigen, kortom voor iedereen die van een goed boek houdt. Erg jammer dat de plannen om Dewey, de bibliotheekkat te verfilmen met Meryl Streep in de hoodfrol niet zijn doorgezet. Ook jammer dat de kinderboeken over Dewey niet in het Nederlands zijn vertaald, mijn dochter heeft net de juiste leeftijd.

The stories of people and their cats are great. The parts where Vicki Myron draws parallels between her life and the stories of the others in book are not. Cats! I want to hear about the cats, not how you were a single mom.

Favorite: kitten who was dropped by an owl onto the roof of a car and survived.

* I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher *