5 comments about Asleep in the Sun.

1. This is another winner photographed by Hans Silvester. His skill in photographing these Mediterranian cats shows his empathy & respect for these creatures. This particular book focuses on sleepy cats and the places they find to curl up and nap. The pictures are beautiful.



2. Hans Silvester is a master photographer, and here he has chosen one of his favourite subjects, cats. On many Greek Islands, cats roam free among the people, living their lives on beaches, in the public spaces, and in every nook and cranny around. These photographs, astonishing in colour and clarity, are fabulous images of familiar and emotive subjects.

   Who doesn't like to nap? Certainly, cats are renowned for this - the phrase 'cat-nap' is a standard English phrase for good reason. Cats also are creatures of comfort and joy -- they have a good talent for seeking out even the smallest sliver of sunlight to bask and enjoy. Single, double and in 'clumps', cats are portrayed in various settings here -- cliffs, beaches, stores, stairs, empty boxes, waterside -- every conceivable pose.

   These are natural shots. Silvester does not work with trained cats, and as most people know, cats are notoriously hard to 'herd'. Silvester went everywhere with his cameras, every day, and found cats doing what they do naturally, which is most often, napping. The settings on the Cyclades Islands in Greece provide a stunning backdrop. The buildings are better than any Hollywood set could ever be; from the dramatic colours of the Mediterranean to the simple white-washed stone buildings, the colours of the cats, their fur and their eyes, provide dramatic visuals, touching images, and wonderful feelings.

   Silvester is good at playing contrasts and well as blended images. The opening pages show a solid white cat at play and rest against a white-and-blue washed building in the shade -- the camoflague of the cat is subtle and effective. The calico and orange tabbies against the sandstone is also an effective blend. On the other hand, the tortoise shell cats against the green steps and the mother gray-striper with her collection of nursing kittens against the soft-coloured, light gray stone provide good contrasts.

   While the title of the book, 'Asleep in the Sun', implies something about cat behaviour and the selection of photographs by Silvester, in fact Silvester never passes up a chance at a good photograph, so we are also treated to cats at play, cats on the run, and cats in various poses such as grooming and stretching.

   There are no humans depicted in the photographs -- this is a book about the cats and their environment, although the human presence is very much a factor in the architecture and general layout of the place.

   Silvester includes a short essay at the beginning of the book, in which he praises the Mediterranean idea of siesta and relaxation that we in the north (and those descended from northern Europeans) tend to have forgotten. Cats are companions to humans with love to offer, and means of living to teach. This is a precious book.




3. "For those who would learn to siesta well, I advise taking a cat as a teacher," German photographer Hans W. Silvester writes in this book's preface. And anybody who has ever owned a cat knows that he has a point: Cats sleep up to 17 hours a day, preserving their energy for the moments when it is really needed - even if they live in an environment where they never need to hunt (there's still that all-important playing, after all!); and even if a cat's sleep is never so deep that it can't be stirred at a moment's notice (hence the term "cat nap"). While cats may change their sleeping places several times a day, they will always choose a spot that affords them equal measures of comfort and protection: warmth and soft ground or soft bedding, but also shelter from the wind and from unwanted intruders.

   Silvester is a well-known photo journalist with an established track record for environmentally sensitive reporting (including, inter alia, a widely publicized report on the destruction of the Amazonian jungle). Cats have been a part of his life for well over 40 years; and his love and intimate knowledge of his subject is quite obvious from the photos in this magnificent coffee table book, originally published in France under the title "Sieste et Tendresse" ("Siesta and Tenderness"). Although based in the Provence, for this project he traveled to the Greek Cyclades Islands, where cats are virtually omnipresent: unlike their domesticated brothers and sisters elsewhere carefree outdoor dwellers who may or may not be attached to a human family; nor, however, exclusively scrawny back-alley bags of bones. The presence of cats is an everyday fact of life in Greece; humans and felines coexist without (for the most part) human attempts to over-domesticate their feline neighbors. Cats are appreciated for their help in keeping rats and mice in check, and while the local approach to animal control can occasionally be drastic as well, overall feline life in Southern Europe (and particularly in Greece) is probably much closer to their natural existence than in many other Western societies, where they are all too often either pampered and overfed indoor dwellers or abandoned, raggedy, disease-ridden skeletons who have learned to expect nothing but evil from humans. The photos in this book depict outdoor cats in unposed, natural circumstances; and yet in positions and situations every cat lover will instantly recognize.

   On almost 130 pages, Silvester thus chronicles cats of all colors and sizes curled up with complete abandon on rooftops, windowsills, concrete and wooden stairs, balconies, flower pots, cafe chairs, benches, sofas, a fruit vendor's empty cardboard boxes, wooden boxes, trailers, fishermen's boats, the hood of a car, high grass and next to a chapel bell, stretched out in the middle of a street, next to a wooden fence, on a balustrade, a quai or a wall, squeezed into the branches of a tree or beside a building's wooden beams, perched into a corner, a group of large rocks, a spot of soft earth in the middle of a meadow, a cast-iron balcony roof grid, an abandoned tire or the wheel of a concrete mixer, piled up on top of each other, yawning, playing and exchanging little tendernesses, and even a few pictures of kittens happily feeding from their somnolent mothers. While the photographer's focus is clearly on his feline subjects, many of his pictures also show the unique flavor of the Greek islands where they were taken; the Cyclades' sun-drenched landscape, the deep blue of the Mediterranean, the white of walls and houses, and the peeling blue, green and red paint of wooden fishing boats, doors and window frames. This is a book to contemplate, smile and, occasionally, laugh out loud - a marvelous gift for cat lovers young and old.




4. This book belongs in every doctor's, dentist's, and attorney's waiting room! No one has mastered the art of total relaxation like cats, and this book just oozes tranquility. The photographs are incredibly candid and unstaged, the compositions are worthy of study for their artistic cropping and dynamic balance, and the patina of the architectural backgrounds is both beautiful and comfortable to the eye. No question about it, Silvester has take feline photography to the level of high art with this beautiful collection.



5. All of Hans Silvester's photography books of cats, dogs & kittens in the Greek Cyclades Islands are lovely examples of fine photography. As a fine art photographer myself, I respect Mr. Silvester's level of skill and artistry, and I find his other books very beautiful.

   However, when I first became aware of his books about the cats and dogs, I was thoroughly dismayed by his choice of subject matter and the way he has chosen to portray the lives of these creatures as idyllic and carefree.

   Having been to these Greek islands, I have learned firsthand that the large majority of these poor animals are ignored, injured, or mistreated by people there-anything but "respected." The photographer has omitted portraits of the true conditions for most of the stray dogs and cats in Greece-crippled, starving, dying of thirst, hurt or maimed, with the humans around them barely taking notice.

   The full horror of the story was revealed to me by locals on the islands. Each year, the cats & dogs are allowed to breed uncontrolled, because tourists are fond of seeing the cute animals around and on the beaches. At the end of each tourist season, as many of them as possible are rounded up and killed (I couldn't bear to learn how), until the following year when the ones that survived begin the cycle all over again. I found this same story on all the islands I visited, including Mykonos, and I was so appalled that I shortened my stay and left Greece altogether.

   The situation is a tragedy, and my feeling, as a photographer and animal lover, is that Mr. Silvester should not be misrepresenting the condition of cats and dogs on the Greek islands, especially when it is for monetary gain. I hope animal lovers around the world will agree, and send a message to anyone who profits in any way from the suffering of these dogs and cats in the sun.

No comments about Nathan: The Spiritual Journey of an Uncommon Cat, an Adult Parable.

2 comments about Help!: The Quick Guide to First Aid for Your Cat.

1. Dr. Bamberger, like many veterinarian authors of care text, is rightly concerned that pet owners see experts as soon as possible. The text is clear, informative, and helpful, and has some good basic techniques. They are most helpful if you have on hand veterinary supplies (sterile gauze, Ace bandages, etc)--hopefully, in an emergency situation you'll be able to put your hand on such things! Also, an awful lot of the text seems to concentrate on what NOT to do--this is important, but owners would be better served with emphasis on what can be done. This is a complaint I have about nearly all the pet first aid books I've seen. Also, since the book was published in 1993, I also wonder how up-to-date information may be. ...



2. As a "multiple cat" household we have many books around our home on cat health care, but this one is a "must buy" and a "must read" book to help you and your family prepare for an emergency with your cat friend. Not only is the text clear and understandable, there are also excellent drawings to help you implement what may be required to save your cat's life. Although we hope to never have to use what we've learned, as with first aid for humans, it's a nice skill to have, "just in case". If you have cats, please keep them indoors and spay and neuter your animals! It will help them live long, happy and safe lives!

No comments about The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Cat Breeds: A full-color photographic guide to 300 leading cat breeds of the world (Illustrated Encyclopedia).

1 comments about Step by Step Book About Siamese Cats (Step-By-Step Series).

1. On the positive side, I found that the author's love of the breed was apparent in her warm comments, and I think potential or new owners of Siamese cats would find some helpful information here. However, since this book was published in 1989, some of the information is dated, such as the statement that none of the commercial cat foods should be fed exclusively because none are complete diets. I was alarmed by the technique used for getting a cat to swallow a pill - by holding the cat upside down! Don't buy this book. There are a number of current books available on owning or, more accurately, being owned by a Siamese cat! I recommend "Guide to Owning a Siamese Cat" by Brenda Yule (1997); "The Complete Siamese" by Sally Franklin (1995); and "Siamese Cats, Everything about Acquisition, Care, Nutrition, Behavior, Health Care, and Breeding" by Marjorie McCann Collier (1992).

1 comments about A Guide to England Through a Cat's Eyes.

1. This book is wonderful for both adults and middle school aged (or older) kids...beautifully illustrated to go along with a clever text. The "lucky enough to travel" cat takes us to London, Chartwell, Kent, Wimbledeon, Cornwall, Suffolk...the list goes on and on. Gardens, stately homes, theatres, pubs, and more...this book is a treasure for those of us besotted with England. A "must read"...and a "must see". ENJOY!
   Lynda Citera

2 comments about Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul The Mini Edition (Chicken Soup).

1. Is what I ordered but not knowing what a mini edition is I was disapointed that it was very small. Granddaughter thought it was a joke. But like I said It's my fault for not being up on that sort of things. Would order other items again from the company if a need arises.



2. Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul (Chicken Soup for the Soul (Mini))This is a shame product. The original book is wonderful but this is a poor quality, deceitful imitation product driven by publisher greed!

2 comments about How to Raise a Sane and Healthy Cat.

1. By far the best source for cat care, behavior and training that's out there.

   I picked up this book the first (and only) time I saw it. I was amazed! What other 'cat care' books only hint at, this book explains. For a book that's six years old it's just a relevant as any new cat book out there.

   The book has too much good information to go into. I've never read another cat care manual that gave so much wonderful, accurate, and RELEVANT information!

   I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to any cat owner new or old. As a former adoption counselor and animal behavior specialist at a humane society, and owner of four cats myself, I can guarantee that the information is accurate and WILL improve the relationship with your cat.




2. This book is great as the first book a cat owner purchases. Its strongest sections are the ones about training, making and buying toys, and making your own kitty treats. I appreciated that the author voiced his opinion that free-feeding was a bad idea, too. It is a wealth of information, very specific info, indicating that the people writing this book were actually interested in and knowledgeable of felines.

No comments about Cats Don't Always Land on Their Feet: Hundreds of Fascinating Facts from the Cat World (Total Riveting Utterly Entertaining Trivia Series).

2 comments about Cat Artists & Their Work.

1. Brilliant!

   The team of Heather Busch and Burton Silver has done it again! I have loved their book "Why Cats Paint" for years, and had to buy "Cat Artists and Their Work". What I didn't fully understand when I bought the book, is that this is actually a book of postcards that can be removed and mailed. The book is so beautiful, and the commentary on the art is so sublime that I couldn't bring myself to tear the cards out and thus destroy the book. So, I bought a second copy of the book because the postcards are absolutely wonderful, and are great for special notes to the cat lovers in your life.

   I hope to see more work from Busch and Silver in the future, as they are able like few others to capture the intellect and simultaneous silliness of our feline friends in captivating photographs and wonderful, warm commentary.




2. This postcard collection is exactly what I was looking for after reading "Why Cats Paint," by the same authors. The paintings are unbelievable. Most of these cats paint better than I could ever wish to. I alternate between dropping my jaw, gasping in awe, and laughing out loud whenever I read the critics' descriptions of the paintings. A painting by a cat is an amazing sight to behold, especially once you realize that, yes, there is meaning behind it and, yes, it does qualify as art.

   I'm never going to mail these postcards. I need them for daily inspiration. They remind me why I love my cat -- because it is an amazing creature.