17 Oct 2010 21:37:44
In "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World," published in 2008, Myron told the story of Dewey Readmore Books, the bright orange fur-ball abandoned in the book return drop-box in the public library of Spencer, Iowa, in the middle of winter.
Myron had recently become director of the library. After nursing the nearly frozen kitten back to health, she decided that Dewey was just what the library — and the small town of Spencer — needed. When Dewey died in 2006, his obituary ran in more than 250 newspapers, and Myron's book became a best-seller.
In "Dewey's Nine Lives," Myron revisits her now-famous cat's life through the eyes of some of his fans. The book includes nine very personal stories about the courage, love and companionship of pets that left a lasting impression on their owners.
Some of the stories relate to Dewey, like the story of Yvonne Barry, a very soft-spoken library patron who was drawn to Dewey because of her relationship with her cat, Tobi. Tobi was like Yvonne in many ways: "She was a quiet cat. She was gentle and ... she never wanted to get in any trouble with anybody, she just wanted to live and let live, you know what I mean?" Yvonne treasured her relationship with Dewey because the cat seemed to understand her loss when Tobi died.
Other stories are written by Dewey fans who lived far away.
After reading Myron's first book, Mary Nan decided to write to the author about her own adventures with felines. Nan and her husband, Larry Evans, lived in Sanibel Island, Fla., where they managed a resort. The couple adopted 28 feral cats, and Evans spent most of his day dispensing pounds and pounds of cat food to dishes located throughout the property, happily humoring his wife's desire to feed every stray on the island.
"Dewey" is more than a story about cats. It's a heart-filled tale of love. The nine stories are interlaced with loss and personal hardship, but what they all have in common is the healing power of having a solid, judgment-free relationship with a devoted animal.
Myron had recently become director of the library. After nursing the nearly frozen kitten back to health, she decided that Dewey was just what the library — and the small town of Spencer — needed. When Dewey died in 2006, his obituary ran in more than 250 newspapers, and Myron's book became a best-seller.
In "Dewey's Nine Lives," Myron revisits her now-famous cat's life through the eyes of some of his fans. The book includes nine very personal stories about the courage, love and companionship of pets that left a lasting impression on their owners.
Some of the stories relate to Dewey, like the story of Yvonne Barry, a very soft-spoken library patron who was drawn to Dewey because of her relationship with her cat, Tobi. Tobi was like Yvonne in many ways: "She was a quiet cat. She was gentle and ... she never wanted to get in any trouble with anybody, she just wanted to live and let live, you know what I mean?" Yvonne treasured her relationship with Dewey because the cat seemed to understand her loss when Tobi died.
Other stories are written by Dewey fans who lived far away.
After reading Myron's first book, Mary Nan decided to write to the author about her own adventures with felines. Nan and her husband, Larry Evans, lived in Sanibel Island, Fla., where they managed a resort. The couple adopted 28 feral cats, and Evans spent most of his day dispensing pounds and pounds of cat food to dishes located throughout the property, happily humoring his wife's desire to feed every stray on the island.
"Dewey" is more than a story about cats. It's a heart-filled tale of love. The nine stories are interlaced with loss and personal hardship, but what they all have in common is the healing power of having a solid, judgment-free relationship with a devoted animal.
