Pets were a big part of Ernest Hemingways life. The author owned several cats and dogs, and his pets appeared in many of his later books, such as The Garden of Eden and True at First Light. Fellow animal lovers will enjoy looking at Hemingways feline companions in Carlene Brennens book, Hemingways Cats: An Illustrated Biography.
Brennen introduces readers to Hemingways pet cats, starting with the many cats he grew up with during his childhood in Oak Park, Ill., and Walloon Lake, Mich. We learn about Feather Kcat, which Hemingway and his first wife owned in Toronto, and F. Puss, who lived with the authors family in Paris.
No book about Hemingways cats would be complete without mention of his polydactyl companions in Key West, Fla. We also learn about the stray cats he adopted while he lived at his Cuban farm, Finca Vigia, as well as his pedigreed pets, Princessa and Good Will.
Brennen spent over 30 years researching Hemingways life, and her familiarity with the famous author comes through in her book. As readers learn about Hemingways cats, they can put faces to names by viewing the many photos of the author with his beloved pets.
Posted: June 1, 2006, 5:00 a.m. EST