A review by ellie_gard_1998
Poets Square: A Memoir in Thirty Cats by Courtney Gustafson

emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

Compassionate, entertaining, and very inspiring; the sort of book that asks you to please be a better person. This memoir is about cats (far more than thirty) but it's about so much more; with a self-awareness that's aspirational, Gustafson discusses housing and income inequality, poverty cycles, mental illness, abuse and trauma, and what we still strive to give when we have nothing to give. She talks about the imperative of mutual aid and community action, and how so much tragedy goes unnoticed, unseen because of carelessness and the failures of those who hold the power. 

The book never feels like too much, though it did give me a lot of feelings. This is a great read for anyone who has an animal they love in their life, but it's also a wonderful gift for anyone who engages in social or volunteer community work, and anyone who struggles with a sense of helplessness in the face of failed systems, limited resources, and apathy.