The Secret Diary of Adrian Cat by Stuart and Linda Macfarlane is a very funny book based on the life of one, Adrian Cat, who lives with his human family: Trousers, Skirt and Brat. Brat 2 joins the family and occasionally Wrinkly Skirt comes to visit. There is an elderly neighbour called Grey Fur who features as well.
Its life from a cat’s point of view and his observations, both on his humans’ activities and those of the felines around him – and life in general – are both very insightful and humorous. Take the ‘delights’ of love for example. Having met the most beautiful cat in the whole world and fallen head over paws in love with her – he finds a rough diamond in the form of a free-spirited nomadic stray and then has a dilemma. Should he commit to a life with Snowball, who is quite vain and only wants the finer things in life, or should he chance his paw with Gypsy who isn’t materialistic and just enjoys life from a simplistic point of view? Decisions, decisions – what’s a poor cat to do?
Adrian writes something everyday for a whole year beginning with his New Year’s Resolutions and evaluating them at the end of the year and how he means to go on. I loved this book. Set in Scotland where the cats are tough and the mice are terrified, Adrian sometimes strolls through life, but oftentimes bumbles his way along. He makes various friends across all species as he goes about his daily business from a little tiny robin to a mouse and a fox. It deals with the thorny issues of gangs and bullying and of course love. There are various underlying themes running through the main story which are written well and the reader is carried along triumphantly on the shoulders of the victors when there are moments of conflict.
Adrian is a very likeable cat, with good qualities and I am sure this book will appeal to people of all ages – anyone who loves cats, in fact!
Stuart and Linda also wrote Utterly Adorable Cats and a sweet little book – now out of print but you may be able to hunt it down called ‘The Little Book of Calm for Cats’ which is beautifully illustrated by Erika Oller.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Cat is published by Nartea Publishing/DNA Press, LLC
and comes in hardback. The ISBN is: 1933255-23-4
Read an interview with Stuart MacFarlane here:
Dogs Come when Called
"Dogs come when called. Cats take a message and get back to you."
"Of course, every cat is really the most beautiful woman in the room."
Edward Verrall Luca (essayist)
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