I bought this book because two of my favorite things in life are felines and classic literature (Hemingway's cats, how appropriate!). I was surprised to see that the author called this a novel, when it was more like a picture book. The pictures are cool but this is a way shorter read than a novel.

The book was pretty dull at moments, and it quickly switched back and forth from a biography of Hemingway's life to seemingly relevant correlations regarding his love of cats. A lot of the information about Hemingway's life was interesting, but I could have found these facts in a normal Hemingway biography. Perhaps the author was struggling to compose an entire novel about just Hemingway and his cats. As a cat lover, I was deeply touched by moments where Hemingway had to deal with the death of his pets and to me those were the strong points of the book. I'm glad I read this, but I was still a little disappointed.

Not particularly well edited, but, if you are a Hemingway fan, wondering about the cats and/or are visiting or going to visit Key West - get a used copy and indulge yourself.

I am a fan of E.H. and a lover of cats so the cover was irresistible. I enjoyed the book overall, and the biography of the individual felines and other animal buddies was particularly fun as I could relate to my own experience with cats. However, I found parts of the book to be somewhat melancholy if not outright depressing.

Nevertheless, glad I found it in the bargain bin!

A perfect example of the author never becoming the "Hemingway hero" he so desperately craved. He was troubled, depressed for most of his life and his love for cats allowed him to treat his depression in a kinder, more loving way than the self-medicating alcoholism which ultimately took his life. His love of cats was beautiful, an almost acceptable way of getting the love he needed. Possibly weak for the "hero" he sought, yet so Hemingway.
I've always loved Hemingway for his self-despised vulnerability. I love all cats for their embodiment of the "hero" and their endless supply of love. Key West is the closest I've ever been to heaven.
This book is a heart-wrenching look at the artist. Couldn't take all of the emotion it provoked in one sitting.

Photos were excellent, stories were well researched and extremely insightful, but ultimately I wasn’t crazy about her writing. Nevertheless, this will be enjoyed by any cat fan.

6/10

I can’t believe im actually saying this, but I loved this book (perhaps because it wasn’t written by Hemingway himself). I would literally rather be water-boarded than read another one of Hemingway’s works, but I can’t help but feel we would have been friends. As the title suggests, this book cataloged the many animal companions, especially feline, Hemingway had throughout his life. His constant, unwavering selflessness he showed to all wildlife he encountered, especially stray animals he would find on the streets and promptly adopt, is nothing short of admirable.

Unfortunately, I can’t give this book 5 stars simply due to some of the editing errors and whatnot, but overall this was a charming and humanizing account of Hemingway and his cats.

Mixed feelings on this. For some reason I found it occasionally dull and strangely depressing. Loved the pictures and the stories though.

Lovely for any cat lover!

My mom brought this book back from Key West for me. I finally got around to reading it during quarantine and it was better than I expected.

I was surprised to find this book in the local Kenmore library and hadn't known of Hemingway's love of cats. Interesting to see how he interacted with them in his final home. Some nice photos

As a cat lover I found this book very sweet and interesting. It discussed his many cats and dogs, had loads of photos and gave me a good insight into Hemingways life, marriages, homes and his love of his animals. Rather than being just a "coffee table" book, it actually was a very interesting read.

The one negative is that his Key West home is barely mentioned. I hope to visit there in the not too distant future and wanted info about the house and cats there. I will thus have to go to another source for that info.
If you are a cat lover, you will enjoy this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It is not just about Hemingway's Cats (and a couple of dogs). It is also about the women in his life that he loved. Great black and white pictures, too.