1986 edition of Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats written by T. S. Eliot in the 1930s for his godchildren.
Written and illustrated by T. S. Eliot. Reprinted 1986. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers.
In the 1930s poet T. S. Eliot, a cat lover, wrote a series of poems about the nature of cats in letters to his godchildren, who knew and loved him as Old Possum. The poems were published in 1939 with his own illustrations and republished in 1940 fully illustrated by Nicolas Bentley. Other editions were illustrated by Edward Gorey and Axel Scheffler.
Can you guess, if you don't already know, why O.P.'s Book of Practical Cats is still so beloved? Here are some clues.
"The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter, it isn't just one of your holiday games. ..."
"I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots..."
"Growltiger was a Bravo Cat, who lives upon a barge..."
"The Rum Tum tugger is a Curious Cat..."
"Jellicle Cats come out tonight, Jellicle Cats come out come all..."
"Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer were a very notorious couple of cats..."
"Old Deuteronomy's lived a long time..."
"You ought to know Mr. Mistoffelees!..."
"Macavity's a Mystery Cat: He's called the Hidden Paw..."
"Gus is the Cat at the Theatre Door..."
"Bustopher Jones is not skin and bones..."
"There's a whisper down the line at 11.39
When the Night Mail's ready to depart,
Saying Skimble where is Skimble has he gone to hunt the thimble? ..."
Now you've met the original cats that inspired the musical Cats, you should read the original poems.
T. S. Eliot (1888 - 1965) was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1948 "as one of the most daring innovators of 20th C. poetry".
Nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1948/eliot-bio.html
Condition*: Fine/Good. The dust jacket has two tears, front and back. Very nice classroom copy!
*Based on guidelines of the Independent Online Booksellers' Association.
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