Bono: The Amazing Story of a Rescue Cat Who Inspired a Community, by Helen Brown. Citadel Press, 2018

After a bout with cancer, Australian author Helen Brown decides she needs something more out of life than what she’s getting. She gets an invite from her editor to come to New York City for a while, for the US release of her book, Cats & Daughters. I guess I should say, she asked her editor to ask her. She has been longing for the bustle and energy of the city that never sleeps; her marriage, while happy, (her husband is a jewel) is routine, and her days banal. So it’s arranged; Brown will go to New York with her daughter (in hopes of making that relationship better). She visualizes endless shopping, art, and Broadway shows. Then her editor throws her a curveball: since Brown’s new book is about cats, why not be the temporary foster parent for a shelter cat? That’s not what the author had in mind, but she figures it’ll work. She envisions a cuddly lap cat who dozes a lot, and, besides, what are the chances of actually finding a short term dwelling that allows cats?

Neither dwelling nor cat are what she expected. The dwelling is a dump when she gets there. It cleans up well enough, though. Then she goes to get the cat. He is Bono, a black long haired refuge from hurricane Sandy. Except his hair isn’t long now- due to horrible matting, he’s been shaved except for his head, the tip of his tail, and his paws. And he seems hyperactive. And he’s a special needs cat- he needs medication daily. Not the low maintenance cat Brown had in mind at all.

The story tells the adventures of capturing the cat, getting him to take his pills, and allow human contact are part of the story. The majority of the story, though, is about Brown and her daughter’s- and later, just Brown’s when the daughter leaves- adventures in New York. There is also a good bit about Brown’s relationship with her daughter, and how it changes during their stay. In the end, the book is more about these things than it is about Bono and finding him a forever home. While the book is good, I would have preferred more cat and less relationships- or, at least, an equal amount. Four stars out of five.

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The Ruined House, by Ruby Namdar. Harper Collins, 2017

Middle-aged academic Andrew Cohen has it all; his girlfriend is half his age, his academic reputations is great, he has flawless style. He and his ex get along; he has a good relationship with his daughters; his students love him; his girlfriend asks nothing of him. He’s got everything designed and choreographed. Everything he has is the best quality. No human frailty stirs the still surface of his life.

Until it does.

Little things start going wrong. He gets ill. He gets dirty. He develops a paunch. His girlfriend and ex both get cranky. The article he is writing just won’t gel, no matter how many tries he makes at it. He even takes delivery of a nine pound piece of tenderloin that looks like an uncircumcised penis and he sees as some albatross he can’t get rid of. He starts to have powerful visions that leave him shaken to the core. The surface of his life- and he’s all surface, he’s not real with anyone- is not just rippled but shattered.

It’s a story about a midlife crisis. It’s also a story about academic life. But is it a story about mystical visions, as the sections between chapters (pseudo Talmudic pages) hint at (he is a Cohen, after all, and the visions have a priest possibly making a terrible mistake during a ritual), or is he having a nervous breakdown or even a psychotic break? Whatever it is, it takes a hard toll on him, and help is a long time coming. The isolation of modern people is another theme in the book.

The writing is very nice, but the book is slow going. I really couldn’t work up much care for Andrew, although I did find myself compelled to keep reading to find out what the devil was happening to him. The other characters have no depth to them at all; we never see them except in relation to Andrew. It’s like they just stop existing when not in contact with him. It’s an odd book; I didn’t particularly enjoy it while I was reading, but in the end I *did* feel it was good, as I think about it and tease bits of it out from the mass of prose. It’s grown on me. Four stars out of five. 

The above is an affiliate link. If you click through and buy something- anything- from Amazon, they will give me a few cents. 

I received this book free from the Amazon Vine program in return for an unbiased review.

Neither of  these things influenced my review.  

Romancing the Crone: 100 Ways to Make This the Happiest Time of Your Life! By Gail Elaine.

A short, cute book of good suggestions, but not very deep or original. It’s a good introduction, though, to how to deal with life without becoming bitter; renewing family ties (elder, young, in-law), the importance of friendship, volunteering, pets, avoiding negative people, meditation and visualization, dealing with on the job problems, sex, taking up new things, health, beauty, setting boundaries, etc. Each of the 100 topics has its own very short chapter with a cute little cartoon. Might make a good “Welcome to menopause” gift for the woman who is fearful of aging! 

This was a free Kindle ebook. There is no link available for it.