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The Guest Cat
The Guest Cat
The Guest Cat
Audiobook3 hours

The Guest Cat

Written by Takashi Hiraide

Narrated by David Shih

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

About this audiobook

A bestseller in France and winner of Japan's Kiyama Shohei Literary Award, The Guest Cat, by the acclaimed poet Takashi Hiraide, is a subtly moving and exceptionally beautiful novel about the transient nature of life and idiosyncratic but deeply felt ways of living. A couple in their thirties live in a small rented cottage in a quiet part of Tokyo; they work at home, freelance copy-editing; they no longer have very much to say to one another. But one day a cat invites itself into their small kitchen. It leaves, but the next day comes again, and then again and again. Soon they are buying treats for the cat and enjoying talks about the animal and all its little ways. Life suddenly seems to have more promise for the husband and wife-the days have more light and color. The novel brims with new small joys and many moments of staggering poetic beauty, but then something happens . . .

As Kenzaburo Oe has remarked, Takashi Hiraide's work "really shines." His poetry, which is remarkably cross-hatched with beauty, has been acclaimed here for "its seemingly endless string of shape-shifting objects and experiences,whose splintering effect is enacted via a unique combination of speed and minutiae."
LanguageEnglish
TranslatorEric Selland
Release dateDec 27, 2016
ISBN9781515986171
The Guest Cat
Author

Takashi Hiraide

Takashi Hiraide was born in Moji, Kitakyushu in 1950. He has published numerous books of poetry as well as several books of genre-bending essays, including one on poetics and baseball. His other work includes a novel called The Guest Cat, a biography of Meiji poet Irako Seihaku, and a travelogue that follows the traces of Kafka, Celan, and Benjamin in Berlin. His poetry book Postcards to Donald Evans is published by the Tibor de Nagy Foundation. Hiraide is a professor of Art Science and Poetics as well as a core member of the new Institute for Art Anthropology at Tama Art University. His poetry book For the Fighting Spirit of the Walnut won the Best Translated Book Award for poetry.

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Reviews for The Guest Cat

Rating: 3.5513888466666668 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

360 ratings25 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wow. I feel like this is the story of me and my little "white cat with lampblack blotches"! Just like Chibi "little one" in the story, my cat started out as a "guest cat" or "visitin' kitteh". Luckily, *our* story has a much happier ending.

    Like others have mentioned, there is no action. There is no character development. If you need either, do not bother with this book. If you want a heartfelt story about the effect an animal can have on a human life, or if you yourself have a strong connection with an animal, this book is for you.

    I'm glad I stopped to read Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance's review. Otherwise, I might not have discovered this book.

    Now please excuse me while I go give my little girl some extra scritches and kisses.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A heartwarming story of how one became a cat lover and dealing with the loss of a pet
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    ‘Then she told me about a philosopher who said that observation is at its core an expression of love which doesn’t get caught up in sentiment’. An unsentimental love story about Chibi, the cat who ignores boundaries? An elegy for the days spent living in a tiny guest house with access to the main property’s perfect garden? Or a reflection on a time of change in Japanese society? Whichever way you look at it, a short and lovely book. An impulse purchase I’m glad of. This novella may take just a day to read, but goes on resonating.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I received this book as a gift, and when I read the summary on the back of the book I was like "... the cat dies, doesn't it." I was not wrong. The writing is lovely (all due credit to the translator for rendering it so elegantly in English, as well), and it's a quick read, but I was done with "human's life is enriched by cute animal which then dies" stories by the fifth grade or thereabouts, so it wasn't to my tastes.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As an animal person...(anything except spiders)...and having been owned by several cats...I was interested in this little gem. I really expected there to be more story to the story...but what there was was touching. It's an account of how a little cat entered the hearts of a Japanese couple and brightened up their sterile lives. The cat chose to spend half its life with them and when it died they realized how much it had impacted them. If you've been owned by a cat ever in your life you can relate to how typical this is of these independent little creatures. We make them part of our families but never doubt for a moment that they are the ones who chose you and allowed you to be a part of their lives. All in all...it's a light and "fluffy" little book that's quick and easy to read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Somewhat disappointing. I heard a very positive review on a podcast, but to me it failed in many ways. The story needed the attention of a good editor, I reckon. It read too much like a series of short articles without the continuity necessary to make it into a novel. Maybe it's actually meant to be just that - a sries of not-well-connected shortstories. Or maybe I just don't understand the way Japanese poets think (yes, that's highly likely), but I didn't really find a lot of empathy with any of the characters - including the cat.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    For some reason, when I first started this book, I thought "The Guest Cat" was a novel, but I soon realised my mistake. While I enjoyed the lush descriptions of the gardens and the humorous antics of Chibi, the guest cat who became a regular visitor at the author and his wife's home, the rest of the book left me cold. By just over the halfway mark, Chibi was dead and "The Guest Cat" was basically informing the reader of the author's search for a new house. There was too much detail about unnecessary things such as the zigzagging alleyway near their house and the guesthouse itself. I now know where every window was located in their home whether I wanted to, or not!Thankfully, "The Guest Cat" was a very short book because it lacked depth and emotion, and the ending was just weird. If you're a cat lover looking for a heartwarming story about a feline companion, then don't bother with this book. It was a waste of time.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Touching story about a young Japanese couple's love for a neighborhood cat . Good, but I feel that I missed a lot of shades and meanings.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The three word review: "Not enough cat." This is an odd but interesting little book that I picked up about two years ago. At the time it was a newly published translation of a short Japanese novel from 2001. "A New York Times BESTSELLER" is on the front cover. Actually I'm not sure if it is actually a novel or a true memoir. Much of it has the feel of an expanded diary kept by someone - it is rather disjointed in places, but I really enjoyed the descriptive details of Japanese gardens and spaces, and the cat. Just wish there was more cat. The story is about a couple in their mid 30's who become attached to a neighborhood cat who visits them. Oddly, most of the book seems concerned with things other than the guest cat. Ruminations on fate and Machiavelli, wanting to work as a writer, a sort of midlife crisis and ruminations on passing the mid 30's in age and what a cruel thing that was after the man spends every day for four months visiting a dying acquaintance. We also get copious detail observing the world through the windows of the cottage, some of which work like camera obscuras. Still, I enjoyed parts of this, though it does get sad halfway through. OK, I'll spoil - the dearly loved cat dies midway through the book. The couple who was visited by the cat then must deal with their grief.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Best for: Anyone who likes gorgeous, evocative writing and simple but deep stories.

    In a nutshell: A writer and his wife ‘share’ custody of a neighborhood cat.

    Line that sticks with me: “The garden just didn’t seem the same. It wasn’t our garden anymore. It had lost all its energy and spirit.”

    Why I chose it: It was on the ‘popular with our readers’ shelves at the local bookstore and looked pretty cute.

    Review: This is a very short (136 pages in a small-form book) little story that I found to be lovely, sweet, honest, and sad. Spoiler - the cat dies at some point. But that is just part of the story, and while it is sad and definitely colors the parts of the story that follow, I didn’t find myself wracked in sobs or anything, as the author is not attempting to manipulate my feelings to that degree.

    The narrator and his wife live in what used to be the guest house on the edge of the grounds of a large estate, which is occupied by an elderly couple. They also have a set of neighbors, who ‘own’ Chibi, an independent and playful female cat. Chibi takes to wandering through the small neighborhood, and has a profound impact on the narrator and his wife. The story follows how Chibi enters their world, changes their world, and then leaves their world.

    There is very little dialog in this book - but there is tons of rich scene setting. I can picture the gardens, the home, and of course this cat. I really enjoyed this writing - it is very different from what I usually read - and think anyone who loves any type of animal will likely enjoy this book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    So I think some people struggled with this book because of how descriptive it is.

    I've read a few Japanese books before so I'm a little more accustomed to how descriptive and methodical Japanese novels can sometimes be.

    I liked this book. I enjoyed it, but if you're looking for a book with a lot of plot and a sense of adventure then this just isn't the book for you.

    It focuses on a cat, a man and his wife and the lives of their neighbours that live near the house. It's a very slow-moving book, but I found it easy to read and a quick little book to finish.

    I liked that it built very slowly and finished well, but it's a tricky book to talk about, because it's all about how the book made you feel.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The joints only show faintly through this short book comprising previously published magazine articles stitched together into a whole. A stray cat becomes the dominant elemenbt of a suburban couple's life. Told in a matter of fact superficially emotionless way that nevertheless has a depths of personality.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Much as I love cats, this book did nothing for me. The narrator, a thirty-something writer, and his wife rent a guest house on a large Japanese estate. They are visited by a neighbor's cat, whom they call Chibi. The wife gets attached to the cat and gets upset when it goes to other homes. About 2/3 through the book, it gets hit by a car and dies. The wife is depressed. Lots of esoteric discussiuons about ownership, attachments, art, light, angles, landscaping, etc. Blah, blah, blah. Whatever the author was trying to achieve, it didn't work for me.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What an odd book. IS it just scenes described? Lots of minutia, details about the garden, how light reflects through fence knotholes, shape of streets, size of rooms, and more,. Then there's the cat. Not the author's cat, but a feline that infiltrates itself, as cats can, into the life and space of the author and his wife. It was at about this point, one-third of the way through this novella, that I realised I had slowed down my pace to match Haraide's relaxed way. It's a slow burn. Even then without much heat. The images and events seem to hover like an angora blanket settling over your bed and into your head. There is a narrative here, even a few thin plot lines. But there's something else poetic and beautiful. And it's not only about the cat.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Guest Cat is a very lyrical novel about a husband and wife. He's a writer/editor and she is a copywriter. They don't have children or pets and they are okay with that since the husband isn't really into animals anyway. One day a cat wanders into their lives and while the woman is pleased, for she has an affinity with all things growing, the husband insists the cat is a guest. In order to better appreciate the story (besides just for those cat lovers out there) one must have an understanding, and some appreciation for, Japanese culture. I pictured this story building like a piece of music first the violins representing the couple with the appearance of Chibi like an oboe and the end something like a contrabassoon and viola fading off into our subconscious mind simmering with the question at the end of the story and if we agree with the narrator's outlook on life.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A novella and a gentle tale narrated through the eyes of the main male character. Chiba, next door's cat, comes into his life and he meditates on the effects of having Chiba around on him and his wife. A contemplative story which is very understated in the writing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A couple in their 30s live in a small house on the property of a larger, older house. Childless, they spend their days working from home, writing and editing, and not interacting all that much. Then one day the neighbor’s cat comes into their house like it belongs there. The next day it returns. And again after that. While she won’t let them pick her up and she won’t get in a lap, she does accept offerings of cat food and fried mackerel. She becomes what I call a time share cat. And she changes their lives. Not in any sudden, large, ways, but slowly they begin to interact and to see the beauty in the garden their house sits in. She is ephemeral in their lives but lasting in her effect on them. It’s a precious little story (the book is quite short). The book itself seems precious; the size of an old style pocket book, albeit thinner, with a wonderful ink drawing of a cat peering over a table’s edge. It’s like a little jewel, and yet contains so much in a subtle way: aging, death, relationships, spirituality, and being in the moment. Sit in a quiet place and read this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Reviewers have said 'lyrical' and 'elegant.' Agreed. A short but therapeutic read, like a hot foot bath. Not recommended if you don't like cats. Duh. Some of my favorite quotes:

    "But as soon as she attempted to touch it, the cat quickly slipped off, avoiding contact at all costs. The cat's manner of rejection was like cold, white light."

    "The first time we entered this silence, a strange peace came upon me, as if a loving hand had placed itself gently upon my chest."

    "As April came round, gossamer-winged butterflies covered the garden, dancing just above its surface and coloring it a blue-gray."

    "It was small and white, with eyes wide open, like a bird striking a lighthouse."
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a charming book which was a quick read. However, I feel perhaps I should have taken a bit more time with it. I felt that I could sense that the writer was a poet, even in translation; his imagery was evocative. On the surface, this is a simple story of a couple who meet and eventually fall in love with a neighbor's cat. I happen to be a cat person so I could relate to the descriptions of the cat's play and habits; I think though that the cat & her habits were also a metaphor for a part of Tokyo & a way of life that was disappearing in the 1980s and 90s. My knowlege of Japan is slim so I am just guessing...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was very cute. Not as much about the cat as I had expected, more a rambling of the author's life. But still, a fun and quick read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a thoughtful, philosophical tale about the impact an animal can have on people, even when they don't own the animal. It captures the aloof exploitative nature of a cat who charms a couple with its independence and seeming unavailability. When the cat disappears from their lives, it leaves them bereft and causes friction between them and their neighbour, the cat's true owner. Set on the cusp of change, from Shōwa to Heisei, from economic bubble to slump, it inhabits a calm space bound by feline comings and goings.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    An interesting book - gentle and focussed on things which might otherwise not get written about. The descriptions of the dragonflies were exquisite. I was surprised in the end that the couple took on another cat when they were not supposed to have cats.It verges on what reads as autobiography - I found myself thinking that it was the author's life that was being described.Pity about the translation - it is very rough in parts. For example on p.83 he uses the word 'missus' for the lady neighbour. This term is usually used by a man for his own wife often when he wants to acknowledge who is the decision maker in the relationship or even maybe a little disparagingly. Some of the sentences are incredibly long and hard to understand because of that.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What an odd little book. The couple's obsession for a guest cat changed their lives. The came to know the woman who owned the estate on which they lived and became even more estranged from the cat's owners.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a quiet, soft, poetic story of a young couple renting an apartment in a guest house in Japan. Their life is made all the more sweet by an occasional visit from a neighbor's cat named Chibi. As time passes, changes take place which affect the homes and lives of the man, his wife, the landlady, and the visiting cat.I enjoyed this story very much, but I would not recommend it for someone who wants plot and action. It is much more into the quiet ways that sould intermesh - those of humans, the ambience of home and garden, and pets. I especially liked the gentleness of this story although the ending left me sad and puzzled.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A young Japanese couple rent a small house in a quiet Japanese suburb and decide to work from home. The husband is a writer and his wife is a copywriter. Their rather boring lives, with few surprises and fewer excitement, is disrupted by the appearance of a little cat who belongs to a neighbor's little boy. The cat, named Chibi, takes it upon itself to explore their garden and eventually makes its way into their house.Before long, the couple find themselves not only looking forward to these visits for Chibi, but they make room for it in their home, feeding it and providing it with a second home whenever it is not with the boy next door. Their world suddenly becomes more interesting and colorful. They begin to notice and enjoy life anew. But then something unexpected happens.This slim novel about alienation and taking the time to enjoy life's fleeting moments is beautifully written.