Sally906 reads 100 in 2011

Discussie100 Books in 2011

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Sally906 reads 100 in 2011

Dit onderwerp is gemarkeerd als "slapend"—het laatste bericht is van meer dan 90 dagen geleden. Je kan het activeren door een een bericht toe te voegen.

1sally906
jan 2, 2011, 6:18 am

G'day

Just bagging my position here. Will be back to introduce myself.

2sally906
jan 2, 2011, 6:28 am

Ok introduction over. Time to talk books. My first book up this year is a non fiction book Cleo By Helen Brown. I am enjoying the ride although started as a tear jerker

3sally906
jan 2, 2011, 10:53 pm

I have finished Cleo:How an Uppity Cat helped heal a family by Helen Brown. The touchstone title is different from the one on my edition.

Haven't done my review yet but looks at how a kitten helps her new family recover from the trauma of a 9 year old child being knocked over and killed. That kitten is Cleo and over the next 24 years she continues to help her family. Is a 4 star read.

4wookiebender
Bewerkt: jan 3, 2011, 2:55 am

I've seen Cleo in the bookshops, but it definitely looked too much like a tear jerker to me! 24 years! Wow, that's a long lived cat.

Welcome back to the group, Sally!

Edited because I just realised that Sally's new here! Silly me. *blush*

5sally906
jan 6, 2011, 4:41 am

I've done my review for Cleo: How an uppity Cat helped heal a family by Helen Brown - am reproducing here:

Opening Sentence: “…’We’re not getting a kitten,’ I said, negotiating our stationwagon around a bend the shape of a pretzel.…”

Helen Brown took her animal loving son Sam to see a litter of kittens as he badly wanted one for his upcoming tenth birthday. The only kitten left is the runt, a tiny little scrap of black fur. Naming her Cleo it is arranged that the kitten would be dropped off to Sam in a few months time when she was old enough to leave her mother.

Sam’s love and total fascination in animals leads to a horrific accident. Shortly after his birthday while rushing an injured bird to a vet’s, he runs out in front of a car and is killed. The family is devastated – for Helen the grief is almost too much to bear. A few weeks later there is a knock on the door and Cleo is delivered. Helen insists that the kitten be taken away as she is no longer wanted but when Helen turns around and sees her younger son Rob smiling and cuddling Cleo she agrees to keep the kitten. Cleo is like a little whirlwind leaping from one moment of mischief to another, doing what comes naturally to kittens – ruling the roost. Yet in amongst the impishness, there is wisdom and compassion beyond human ken in this tiny furry companion. She knows when cuddles are needed, she knows when to distract from the depths of despair. After a while she not only heals their hearts, but allows them to move on with their lives. Rob is convinced Cleo tells him stuff in his dreams, that he will find friends and everything will be ok. It certainly appears that for the whole of her 24 years of life Cleo brings the right people into their lives at the right time. As a marriage ends, a career blossoms, love blossoms and illness strikes, Cleo is right there front, centre and in their face.

Helen Brown writes with a down-to-earth approach and never allows the story to get overemotional or melodramatic, even when tragic events occur. Helen’s story is about recovering after personal tragedy and the power of animals in that process; it is both heart-rending and very funny, sometimes on the same page. But it is honest and from her very soul. I recommend CLEO: HOW AN UPPITY CAT HELPED HEAL A FAMILY as it brings to the forefront the uncanny knowledge of our furry friends, the patience and restorative power of animal love.