The Cat Who Came in From the Cold.THE CAT WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD. Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson. 2004. Read by Erik Steele. 3 cds. 2.75 hrs. Sound Library/BBC Audiobooks America. 0-7927-3371-1. $39.95. Vinyl; plot, author, reader notes. JS Set several thousand years ago in southern India, this is the tale of an Asian leopard cat called Billi, who observes the daily activities of the "two-foots" from his favorite branch high up in the mango orchard. As the monsoon monsoon (mŏns  n) [Arab., mausium=season], wind that changes direction with change of season, notably in India and SE Asia. season approaches, the dry, safe home of the humans looks even more desirable, but Billi has never seen another cat having any contact with them. When the monsoon ends Billi sets off on a quest to interview the animals that he saw interacting with the two-foots: the water buffalo water buffalo: see buffalo. water buffalo or Indian buffalo Any of three subspecies of oxlike bovid (species Bubalus bubalis). Two have been domesticated in Asia since the earliest recorded history. , the parrot, the cow, the dog and the mongoose mongoose, name for a large number of small, carnivorous, terrestrial Old World mammals of the civet family. They are found in S Asia and in Africa, with one species extending into S Spain. . After nine months of travel, Billi had heard little that would recommend the humans for cohabitation A living arrangement in which an unmarried couple lives together in a long-term relationship that resembles a marriage. Couples cohabit, rather than marry, for a variety of reasons. They may want to test their compatibility before they commit to a legal union. with cats or any other animal. Yet Billi remains convinced that they offer the solution to his deep loneliness. Thus Billi becomes the first cat to choose domestication domestication Process of hereditary reorganization of wild animals and plants into forms more accommodating to the interests of people. In its strictest sense, it refers to the initial stage of human mastery of wild animals and plants. . Steele is an excellent reader. He has a slight accent that is perfectly suited to this foreign fable. Particularly noteworthy is his voicing of the characters of the little girl and the parrot. Masson has written several popular books on animal psychology. Here he has captured the feline psyche: the desire for independence with the comforts offered by human companionship. Carol Kellerman, Libn/Media Spec, Santa Fe Santa Fe, city, Argentina Santa Fe, city (1991 pop. 341,000), capital of Santa Fe prov., NE Argentina, a river port near the Paraná, with which it is connected by canal. , NM J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers. S--Recommended for senior high school students. |
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