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My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me
The #1 bestselling author of The Alienist, Caleb Carr , tells the extraordinary story of Masha, a half-wild rescue cat who fought off a bear, tackled Caleb like a linebacker—and bonded with him as tightly as any cat and human possibly can.
Caleb Carr has had special relationships with cats since he was a young boy in a turbulent household, famously peopled by the founding members of the Beat Generation, where his steadiest companions were the adopted cats that lived with him both in the city and the country. As an adult, he has had many close feline companions, with relationships that have outlasted most of his human ones. But only after building a three-story home in rural, upstate New York did he enter into the most extraordinary of all of his cat Masha, a Siberian Forest cat who had been abandoned as a kitten, and was languishing in a shelter when Caleb met her. She had hissed and fought off all previous carers and potential adopters, but somehow, she chose Caleb as her savior.
For the seventeen years that followed, Caleb and Masha were inseparable. Masha ruled the house and the extensive, dangerous surrounding fields and forests. When she was hurt, only Caleb could help her. When he suffered long-standing physical ailments, Masha knew what to do. Caleb’s life-long study of the literature of cat behavior, and his years of experience with previous cats, helped him decode much of Masha’s inner life. But their bond went far beyond academic studies and experience. The story of Caleb and Masha is an inspiring and life-affirming relationship for readers of all backgrounds and interests—a love story like no other.
Caleb Carr has had special relationships with cats since he was a young boy in a turbulent household, famously peopled by the founding members of the Beat Generation, where his steadiest companions were the adopted cats that lived with him both in the city and the country. As an adult, he has had many close feline companions, with relationships that have outlasted most of his human ones. But only after building a three-story home in rural, upstate New York did he enter into the most extraordinary of all of his cat Masha, a Siberian Forest cat who had been abandoned as a kitten, and was languishing in a shelter when Caleb met her. She had hissed and fought off all previous carers and potential adopters, but somehow, she chose Caleb as her savior.
For the seventeen years that followed, Caleb and Masha were inseparable. Masha ruled the house and the extensive, dangerous surrounding fields and forests. When she was hurt, only Caleb could help her. When he suffered long-standing physical ailments, Masha knew what to do. Caleb’s life-long study of the literature of cat behavior, and his years of experience with previous cats, helped him decode much of Masha’s inner life. But their bond went far beyond academic studies and experience. The story of Caleb and Masha is an inspiring and life-affirming relationship for readers of all backgrounds and interests—a love story like no other.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published April 16, 2024
About the author
Caleb Carr
36 books3,240 followersCaleb Carr is an American novelist and military historian. The son of Lucien Carr, a former UPI editor and a key Beat generation figure, he was born in Manhattan and lived for much of his life on the Lower East Side. He attended Kenyon College and New York University, earning a B.A. in military and diplomatic history. He is a contributing editor of MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History and writes frequently on military and political affairs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
April 29, 2024
I reviewed this memoir earlier this month for the Washington Post. It's fantastic: curmudgeon novelist Caleb Carr is actually a wonderful softie at heart. . .at least when it comes to Masha, the cat he rescued from a shelter in Vermont and with whom he would live for over a decade and a half in upstate New York. It was just the two of them, and this memoir chronicles their love for each other and how much they needed each other as they battled bears and age and, alas, cancer. Be prepared for all the feels in this beautiful chronicle of how much we, humans, need our companion animals.
April 16, 2024
I requested this as I love cats and stories about cats. However, after reading the prelude, I stopped reading. *Note that all the opinions the author stated in my review are in an arc of this and may not be in the final release of the book.* The author talks down on people who don't let their cats outside, saying you are giving them a less fulfilled life, keeping them inside all the time. Instead he believes cats should go outside to face all kinds of dangers(disease, cars, fights with other cats, people poisoning cats,getting lost/picked up and taken to a shelter, etc) and the detriment outside cats are to the wildlife(birds, squirrels, chipmunks, etc). I have had cats for 14 years, and they have all been very content and happy as inside only cats with no interest in going outside. My husband had a childhood cat who was also indoors only and very happy/content with that and was 18 to 19 when she passed away. My husband and I also worked at an animal shelter and saw the shitty things some people did to outside/stray cats.
Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown for an arc of this.
Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown for an arc of this.
February 11, 2024
This is a difficult one to rate. It's not often you find a book all about cat(s) from a literary writer so I was quite interested to get this ARC, and thank you for the approval. I have not read any of Caleb Carr's other novels, however, I do know his name from The Alienest, which was a bestseller. It was a big enough seller that Carr was able to build an enormous house in the wilds of upstate New York with his royalties. Good for him. (Does this happen anymore? Maybe to Colleen Hoover.)
Carr, who grew up in a chaotic, alcoholic household with an abusive father and a neglectful mother (the pair were an integral part of the "Beat Generation" and Carr was privy to all their drunken, violent, and emotionally explosive shenanigans). As a result, he grew to bond deeply with the cats of his household (his parents sound like crap parents but liked animals). However, as they were all indoor-outdoor cats, the vast majority of them eventually disappeared on their nightly rovings, as tends to happen with indoor-outdoor cats (I know, I grew up with them too).
Carr's history with cats was beautifully delineated, and I can't think of many other books that so well describe the powerful hold that a beloved cat can have over you. And how Carr learned that his cats were the only creatures who would love him unconditionally. Not surprisingly, Carr grows up to be a rather reclusive man who has lots of professional success, but simply doesn't have the capacity for a long-term relationship, and is determined to not have children so he doesn't inadvertently pass down the abuse he himself suffered as a child.
If he were a woman, he'd be called a "crazy cat lady," But he's a man so he gets a big book deal writing about his love of cats. But that's another story.
The problem for me comes in with Carr, much as he loves his cats, refusing to do the most responsible, loving thing he can do for a cat, which is keep it inside. Despite all his childhood cats dying outside, despite the cat he has right before Masha being eaten alive outside by some predator, he goes to a shelter, adopts a cat, and immediately lets her outside. (Shame on the Vermont shelter who not adopted to Carr but didn't even interview him!)
Carr waxes on about cats as if he knows alllll about them, but much of his waxing is wrong and even laughable. He clings tightly to the notion that his cat Masha is "wild" and also gets it into his head that she is a purebred Siberian, even though the cover shows a very ordinary domestic long-haired cat. I've been rescuing cats from the outdoors for 30 years and all of them are perfectly happy inside. Perhaps it is different in the countryside but even so once your cat gets eaten, you'd think you'd learn your lesson with the next one, and keep it inside.
Carr drip feeds the reader info about how much he allows the cat out- at first telling us it is just the perimeter of house, and only when he is with her. Then we learn she is hanging by a stream where predators drink and his last cat died. Then we learn the cat is seen by his brother at the very edge of his 11-acre property. Finally, Masha is getting stuck up trees and BITTEN BY BEARS.
Yes, he has to rush his cat to the vet after she is nearly eaten by a bear. (The vet very oddly seems to think this is hilarious. Not a vet I would recommend.)
Carr's solution to Masha's near-demise in the worst way imaginable is to keep her inside for a "couple of days."
At this point, I did not wish to read what was going to be the eventual painful and horrific demise of Masha, so I DNF'd.
Caleb, please do not get any more cats.
Three stars for the writing only. One star for Carr not having any common sense.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Good luck, Masha.
Carr, who grew up in a chaotic, alcoholic household with an abusive father and a neglectful mother (the pair were an integral part of the "Beat Generation" and Carr was privy to all their drunken, violent, and emotionally explosive shenanigans). As a result, he grew to bond deeply with the cats of his household (his parents sound like crap parents but liked animals). However, as they were all indoor-outdoor cats, the vast majority of them eventually disappeared on their nightly rovings, as tends to happen with indoor-outdoor cats (I know, I grew up with them too).
Carr's history with cats was beautifully delineated, and I can't think of many other books that so well describe the powerful hold that a beloved cat can have over you. And how Carr learned that his cats were the only creatures who would love him unconditionally. Not surprisingly, Carr grows up to be a rather reclusive man who has lots of professional success, but simply doesn't have the capacity for a long-term relationship, and is determined to not have children so he doesn't inadvertently pass down the abuse he himself suffered as a child.
If he were a woman, he'd be called a "crazy cat lady," But he's a man so he gets a big book deal writing about his love of cats. But that's another story.
The problem for me comes in with Carr, much as he loves his cats, refusing to do the most responsible, loving thing he can do for a cat, which is keep it inside. Despite all his childhood cats dying outside, despite the cat he has right before Masha being eaten alive outside by some predator, he goes to a shelter, adopts a cat, and immediately lets her outside. (Shame on the Vermont shelter who not adopted to Carr but didn't even interview him!)
Carr waxes on about cats as if he knows alllll about them, but much of his waxing is wrong and even laughable. He clings tightly to the notion that his cat Masha is "wild" and also gets it into his head that she is a purebred Siberian, even though the cover shows a very ordinary domestic long-haired cat. I've been rescuing cats from the outdoors for 30 years and all of them are perfectly happy inside. Perhaps it is different in the countryside but even so once your cat gets eaten, you'd think you'd learn your lesson with the next one, and keep it inside.
Carr drip feeds the reader info about how much he allows the cat out- at first telling us it is just the perimeter of house, and only when he is with her. Then we learn she is hanging by a stream where predators drink and his last cat died. Then we learn the cat is seen by his brother at the very edge of his 11-acre property. Finally, Masha is getting stuck up trees and BITTEN BY BEARS.
Yes, he has to rush his cat to the vet after she is nearly eaten by a bear. (The vet very oddly seems to think this is hilarious. Not a vet I would recommend.)
Carr's solution to Masha's near-demise in the worst way imaginable is to keep her inside for a "couple of days."
At this point, I did not wish to read what was going to be the eventual painful and horrific demise of Masha, so I DNF'd.
Caleb, please do not get any more cats.
Three stars for the writing only. One star for Carr not having any common sense.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Good luck, Masha.
Read
February 16, 2024I just could not read anymore. He was just so irresponsible with his beloved cat's life.
April 18, 2024
Wow! I thought this was an amazing story! I got the audiobook on Tuesday and couldn't put it down! I never review books, but this was one of the best memoirs I've read in a long time. I started listening because I love cats and I heard the author on NPR, but I really think the story would resonate with anyone!
Per the comments about the cat going outside, I think you should give the book another shot beyond the prelude, it was really incredible, especially if you like cats. And the author is not suggesting that all cats should be allowed outside, just that his should, and I think given his specific circumstance he is correct (although I would never let my cat out). If you're put off by that and don't read it, I think you'll be missing out.
Per the comments about the cat going outside, I think you should give the book another shot beyond the prelude, it was really incredible, especially if you like cats. And the author is not suggesting that all cats should be allowed outside, just that his should, and I think given his specific circumstance he is correct (although I would never let my cat out). If you're put off by that and don't read it, I think you'll be missing out.
March 9, 2024
I have never read a book where someone was able to so identify with a beloved pet. Because of their earlier shared trauma, the author and his beloved cat developed a strong, beautiful relationship where they could understand each other better than most people. The stories of what happened to both Caleb Carr himself and the pets he had throughout his life broke my heart, but this relationship with his Masha was like a reward he earned. I haven't cried so hard over anything for years.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.
February 18, 2024
I really had to slog through this book. After all, what’s not to like? Great author telling an animal tale is right up my alley. But I struggled in reading this. It was a combination of writing style, his know it all attitude about cats, and the incredible minutiae about the landscape around his mountain home that just fried my brain. It all led me to DNF at 49%.
My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.
My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.
May 18, 2024
Over the years I have enjoyed Caleb Carr’s historical fiction immensely. THE ALIENIST, THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS, and SURRENDER reflect his commitment to his craft integrating an accurate approach to history and exceptional character development. His latest book is a total change from what he has written previously. MY BELOVED MONSTER: MASHA, THE HALF-WILD RESCUE CAT WHO RESCUED ME maintains his superb writing and as far as character development it continues in his latest work, this time with a feline. Being a cat lover myself, having had deep relations with the feline species over the years, including KC who was with me and my family for over nineteen years, and our current duo of Kota and Shelby who we rescued over ten years ago, I greatly enjoyed Carr’s dual biography of Masha and Caleb. I have learned a great deal about Carr’s life and views on society, which makes his historical novels more interesting. But, from a cat person’s viewpoint I learned a great deal about felines through Masha’s life story, both about Masha and my own cats.
Carr’s recounting of his relationship with Masha is presented on a number of levels. First, it provides insights into how humans and felines bonded. I can relate to a great deal of what Carr recounts, but he adds a dimension I have never thought off – how a cat’s neurological, heredity, and species development impacts their choice of whom to bond with and try to manipulate. Second, if you are a cat person you realize early on that they control you, not the other way around. As Carr explains they are able to get you to do what they want easily, but once you gain their trust you can impact their behavior as opposed to controlling it. Third, Carr’s ability to decode much of Masha’s inner world.
In a sense Carr has written a love story that is like no other. He describes how each participant in the relationship projects their needs and how they are met. Carr and Masha had been together for seventeen years and most of the time they were inseparable. Masha is a Siberian Forest cat which presents its own issues that domesticated cats do not present. Carr adopted her after her previous owner locked her in an apartment. When they met, a cat’s intuition was on full display as somehow she knew that Carr was a perfect match, especially when she was taken home to a three story home in rural upstate New York. She would have the best of two worlds; outside where her instincts could be tested; and inside where she could control her environment and also her relationship with Carr.
Masha had to be special as she replaced Suki, Carr’s previous cat who he also had a strong relationship with. According to Carr cats are independent and are never responsive to punishment or negative reinforcement as forms of discipline and training. They do not need us, but rather make use of us. “Their loyalty depended on mutual respect and decent treatment.” Carr carefully relates how his own life, in part, paralleled that of Masha. At a very early age he drifted away from people and forged his closest bonds with cats. As a boy he believed he had been a cat in a previous life and wanted to return to that life. He grew up with an abusive father with two alcoholic parents who were somewhat violent. Carr feared his father would kill him and he evolved into a very angry person. He would turn to cats for compassion. Cats taught him how “to give and receive not simply a talent for survival but compassion, affection, love, and joy.” As the two of them bonded over the years Carr expressed surprise at their shared childhood traumas, shared physical ailments that included arthritis, neuropathy probably caused by the physical violence of their younger years. For Carr illness added a new intensity to his connection with Masha as he wondered if he would outlive his companion. When Carr was ill he returned to Masha who like many cats knew exactly how to care for her friend.
The number of astute observations Carr makes is astounding. Among the many that I can relate to are cats usually bond with just one human, not several, no matter how well socialized they might be – I have witnessed this firsthand as my wife Ronni and I share two cats, Kota and Shelby. Interestingly, Kota gravitates to me and would spend her entire day, sleeping, playing, and just keeping me company. Shelby is attached to Ronni and is content to stay on the right side of our bed where Ronni sleeps, and Kota dominates the left side with me – in fact, we had to buy a king size bed to accommodate all four of us! Many cat owners believe that cats stick around so long as food is available and that cats are aloof, at times, finicky. In fact, what they want is attention, interaction, and play – and if they do not receive it they can become lethargic and obese as food becomes their only option.
As Chris Bohjalian writes in his Washington Post review “what makes the book so moving is that it is not merely the saga of a great cat. Libraries are filled with books like that, some better than others. It’s the 17-year chronicle of Carr and Masha aging together, and the bond they forged in decline. (As Philip Roth observed, “Old age isn’t a battle; old age is a massacre.”) He chronicles their lives, beginning with the moment the animal shelter begs Carr to bring the young lioness home because the creature is so ferocious she unnerves the staff — “You have to take that cat!” one implores.”* Through the struggles that life presents all of us from illness, happiness, and sadness.
Trust is the key in any relationship and cats are no exception, but the trust level between Carr and Masha reaches an incredible level. Whether Carr is discussing his own health history or that of his feline companion their synergy amazes. How they support each other is nothing less than extremely unusual, but if you are a cat owner and have had an injury or an illness you have experienced the sensation of being cared for by your furry friend. I can speak to this from knee to hernia surgeries or my wife’s knee replacements – there is always a cat present to cheer one up, indirectly lessening one’s pain.
For all of Carr’s insights into Masha’s behavior there is one area I would question – her language skills. Carr goes a little overboard when discussing his verbal interactions with Masha, particularly the idea that she is sounding out words. I do believe cats do understand a series of words, but to go as far as a conversation between a human and a feline I have my doubts. In the end Carr has authored a marvelous book delving into his lifelong relationship with cats and focusing on Masha in particular. Carr has written a love story which can only bring a smile and tears to the reader.
*Chris Bohjalian. “Libraries are full of books about great cats. This one is special.” Washington Post , April 13, 2024.
To learn more about Caleb Carr and his latest book check out the following article from the Los Angeles Times:
‘Alienist’ author Caleb Carr — grieving his late cat — reflects on his life amid battle with cancer
Caleb Carr considered his late cat Masha, the subject of his new book, the love of his life.
By Chris Vognar
April 15, 2024 3 AM PT
My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me
By Caleb Carr
Little, Brown: 352 pages, $32
Caleb Carr visits the grave of his beloved Masha, whom he considers the love of his life, every day. “We have a little chat,” said Carr, best known for his 1994 crime novel “The Alienist,” during a video call from his home in upstate New York. It’s late at night — Carr is a longtime night owl who does most of his work after it gets dark — and the author, who now has a long white beard, is thinking about grief and dying — subjects that linger over his new nonfiction book, “My Beloved Monster,” and loom over what might be the final months of his life.
Masha, the beloved monster, was a Siberian forest cat whom Carr rescued from a shelter and built a life with in his mountainside home in Cherry Plain, N.Y. Animals, particularly cats, had long been a source of companionship and comfort for Carr, an antidote of sorts to a chaotic, abusive childhood in New York’s Lower East Side. As Carr writes in the new book, his father, the Beat poet, journalist and convicted manslaughterer Lucien Carr, had a habit of knocking his son down flights of stairs. “I began to understand that he was trying to kill me,” Carr writes. “And while I didn’t yet know about his past” — Lucien Carr stabbed David Kammerer to death in 1944, later claiming that Kammerer came on to him sexually and offering a “gay panic” defense — “I certainly recognized, from the horrifying and even gleeful expressions that would enter his face when he came after me, that he was capable of killing.”
“I have been living with the idea of death since I was a small kid because my father taught me about it,” he said. But death has become much more than an idea of late. Carr, 68, has cancer, which started in his prostate and has spread throughout his body.
“If I could be around when the book is published, that would be really nice,” he said in late January. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when, but it’s not going to be good. I always knew cancer moved fast, but boy, when it starts to move, it starts to eat you. Madness. Just madness.” “My Beloved Monster” will be released on Tuesday.
It was Masha’s death on April 5, 2022, and Carr’s subsequent despondence, that led him to write “My Beloved Monster,” which reads as a love story, a tribute and a reminder that, in some instances, the uncomplicated love of animals helps humans keep going.
A blond, long-haired beauty with a wild side who had been rescued from a cat hoarder, Masha initially greeted Carr, as he writes, with “one of the most communicative gazes I’d ever seen in a cat, a look facilitated by the structure of her face: the eyes were oriented fully forward, like a big cat’s rather than a domestic’s, and seemed to comprehend everything she was studying — especially me — only too well.” Carr writes about cats with a tender vividness that might make you see your own pets through new eyes.
As a child Carr lived in an environment where people couldn’t be trusted, with wild parties and everyday life descending into violence. He lived in a neighborhood so rife with drugs and prostitution that it provided the shooting location for the climax of Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver.” But he always had animals: dogs, gerbils, fish, rabbits and, most to the young Carr’s liking, cats. The family cats would join him in cowering from the domestic turmoil, and comfort him as he reeled from another beating. They seemed to understand him.
Carr would go on to a career as a military historian, journalist and novelist, reaching a wide audience with “The Alienist” (and its 1997 follow-up, “The Angel of Darkness”). The books put his darkness into words as he told the story of a late 19th century forensic psychiatrist on the trail of a serial killer. But he never really forgot his four-legged friends. When he met Masha, he quickly realized he had found a soulmate.
“Animals fulfill something that was damaged in all of us when we were very young and can’t be fixed by people,” Carr said. “We can go on to have relationships with people, but those wounds need a different kind of treatment than people can provide, and that causes trouble when you have to explain that very carefully to whatever girlfriend or whatever significant other you have. I never lasted as long with a woman as I did with Masha, God knows, and no woman ever did for me what she did, which sounds crazy even to me. But it’s really true.”
Carr was actually contracted to write another “Alienist” book, but the spirit did not move him. He was deep in grief and needed to get it onto the page. He began cranking out the story of his life with Masha and sent a draft to his editor, Bruce Nichols, who was also the publisher of Little, Brown before he stepped down in March. Nichols was on board with Carr’s change in direction from serial killing to cat love.
“It was clearly a passion project for him, not only because of his medical situation but because he spent his whole life with cats and this one was very special to him,” Nichols said. “If you’re a cat lover and owner, or a dog person, I think it will resonate with you. And I don’t think it matters whether you care about historical fiction or military history or any of Caleb’s past experiences. It’s sui generis. It is what it is, and it’s an amazing book.”
Carr certainly hopes to tap into the pet community (and perhaps see if any “Alienist” fans are Catster subscribers). He also hopes to win over skeptics who might doubt whether one can love and grieve a beloved animal with the intensity usually reserved for another human.
“I’m hoping that some people will learn from this, and maybe even catch themselves almost thinking of Masha as a person,” Carr said. “That’s really what we have to do as a society much more: Think of these animals as our equals. That’s what they are.”
Carr’s recounting of his relationship with Masha is presented on a number of levels. First, it provides insights into how humans and felines bonded. I can relate to a great deal of what Carr recounts, but he adds a dimension I have never thought off – how a cat’s neurological, heredity, and species development impacts their choice of whom to bond with and try to manipulate. Second, if you are a cat person you realize early on that they control you, not the other way around. As Carr explains they are able to get you to do what they want easily, but once you gain their trust you can impact their behavior as opposed to controlling it. Third, Carr’s ability to decode much of Masha’s inner world.
In a sense Carr has written a love story that is like no other. He describes how each participant in the relationship projects their needs and how they are met. Carr and Masha had been together for seventeen years and most of the time they were inseparable. Masha is a Siberian Forest cat which presents its own issues that domesticated cats do not present. Carr adopted her after her previous owner locked her in an apartment. When they met, a cat’s intuition was on full display as somehow she knew that Carr was a perfect match, especially when she was taken home to a three story home in rural upstate New York. She would have the best of two worlds; outside where her instincts could be tested; and inside where she could control her environment and also her relationship with Carr.
Masha had to be special as she replaced Suki, Carr’s previous cat who he also had a strong relationship with. According to Carr cats are independent and are never responsive to punishment or negative reinforcement as forms of discipline and training. They do not need us, but rather make use of us. “Their loyalty depended on mutual respect and decent treatment.” Carr carefully relates how his own life, in part, paralleled that of Masha. At a very early age he drifted away from people and forged his closest bonds with cats. As a boy he believed he had been a cat in a previous life and wanted to return to that life. He grew up with an abusive father with two alcoholic parents who were somewhat violent. Carr feared his father would kill him and he evolved into a very angry person. He would turn to cats for compassion. Cats taught him how “to give and receive not simply a talent for survival but compassion, affection, love, and joy.” As the two of them bonded over the years Carr expressed surprise at their shared childhood traumas, shared physical ailments that included arthritis, neuropathy probably caused by the physical violence of their younger years. For Carr illness added a new intensity to his connection with Masha as he wondered if he would outlive his companion. When Carr was ill he returned to Masha who like many cats knew exactly how to care for her friend.
The number of astute observations Carr makes is astounding. Among the many that I can relate to are cats usually bond with just one human, not several, no matter how well socialized they might be – I have witnessed this firsthand as my wife Ronni and I share two cats, Kota and Shelby. Interestingly, Kota gravitates to me and would spend her entire day, sleeping, playing, and just keeping me company. Shelby is attached to Ronni and is content to stay on the right side of our bed where Ronni sleeps, and Kota dominates the left side with me – in fact, we had to buy a king size bed to accommodate all four of us! Many cat owners believe that cats stick around so long as food is available and that cats are aloof, at times, finicky. In fact, what they want is attention, interaction, and play – and if they do not receive it they can become lethargic and obese as food becomes their only option.
As Chris Bohjalian writes in his Washington Post review “what makes the book so moving is that it is not merely the saga of a great cat. Libraries are filled with books like that, some better than others. It’s the 17-year chronicle of Carr and Masha aging together, and the bond they forged in decline. (As Philip Roth observed, “Old age isn’t a battle; old age is a massacre.”) He chronicles their lives, beginning with the moment the animal shelter begs Carr to bring the young lioness home because the creature is so ferocious she unnerves the staff — “You have to take that cat!” one implores.”* Through the struggles that life presents all of us from illness, happiness, and sadness.
Trust is the key in any relationship and cats are no exception, but the trust level between Carr and Masha reaches an incredible level. Whether Carr is discussing his own health history or that of his feline companion their synergy amazes. How they support each other is nothing less than extremely unusual, but if you are a cat owner and have had an injury or an illness you have experienced the sensation of being cared for by your furry friend. I can speak to this from knee to hernia surgeries or my wife’s knee replacements – there is always a cat present to cheer one up, indirectly lessening one’s pain.
For all of Carr’s insights into Masha’s behavior there is one area I would question – her language skills. Carr goes a little overboard when discussing his verbal interactions with Masha, particularly the idea that she is sounding out words. I do believe cats do understand a series of words, but to go as far as a conversation between a human and a feline I have my doubts. In the end Carr has authored a marvelous book delving into his lifelong relationship with cats and focusing on Masha in particular. Carr has written a love story which can only bring a smile and tears to the reader.
*Chris Bohjalian. “Libraries are full of books about great cats. This one is special.” Washington Post , April 13, 2024.
To learn more about Caleb Carr and his latest book check out the following article from the Los Angeles Times:
‘Alienist’ author Caleb Carr — grieving his late cat — reflects on his life amid battle with cancer
Caleb Carr considered his late cat Masha, the subject of his new book, the love of his life.
By Chris Vognar
April 15, 2024 3 AM PT
My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me
By Caleb Carr
Little, Brown: 352 pages, $32
Caleb Carr visits the grave of his beloved Masha, whom he considers the love of his life, every day. “We have a little chat,” said Carr, best known for his 1994 crime novel “The Alienist,” during a video call from his home in upstate New York. It’s late at night — Carr is a longtime night owl who does most of his work after it gets dark — and the author, who now has a long white beard, is thinking about grief and dying — subjects that linger over his new nonfiction book, “My Beloved Monster,” and loom over what might be the final months of his life.
Masha, the beloved monster, was a Siberian forest cat whom Carr rescued from a shelter and built a life with in his mountainside home in Cherry Plain, N.Y. Animals, particularly cats, had long been a source of companionship and comfort for Carr, an antidote of sorts to a chaotic, abusive childhood in New York’s Lower East Side. As Carr writes in the new book, his father, the Beat poet, journalist and convicted manslaughterer Lucien Carr, had a habit of knocking his son down flights of stairs. “I began to understand that he was trying to kill me,” Carr writes. “And while I didn’t yet know about his past” — Lucien Carr stabbed David Kammerer to death in 1944, later claiming that Kammerer came on to him sexually and offering a “gay panic” defense — “I certainly recognized, from the horrifying and even gleeful expressions that would enter his face when he came after me, that he was capable of killing.”
“I have been living with the idea of death since I was a small kid because my father taught me about it,” he said. But death has become much more than an idea of late. Carr, 68, has cancer, which started in his prostate and has spread throughout his body.
“If I could be around when the book is published, that would be really nice,” he said in late January. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when, but it’s not going to be good. I always knew cancer moved fast, but boy, when it starts to move, it starts to eat you. Madness. Just madness.” “My Beloved Monster” will be released on Tuesday.
It was Masha’s death on April 5, 2022, and Carr’s subsequent despondence, that led him to write “My Beloved Monster,” which reads as a love story, a tribute and a reminder that, in some instances, the uncomplicated love of animals helps humans keep going.
A blond, long-haired beauty with a wild side who had been rescued from a cat hoarder, Masha initially greeted Carr, as he writes, with “one of the most communicative gazes I’d ever seen in a cat, a look facilitated by the structure of her face: the eyes were oriented fully forward, like a big cat’s rather than a domestic’s, and seemed to comprehend everything she was studying — especially me — only too well.” Carr writes about cats with a tender vividness that might make you see your own pets through new eyes.
As a child Carr lived in an environment where people couldn’t be trusted, with wild parties and everyday life descending into violence. He lived in a neighborhood so rife with drugs and prostitution that it provided the shooting location for the climax of Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver.” But he always had animals: dogs, gerbils, fish, rabbits and, most to the young Carr’s liking, cats. The family cats would join him in cowering from the domestic turmoil, and comfort him as he reeled from another beating. They seemed to understand him.
Carr would go on to a career as a military historian, journalist and novelist, reaching a wide audience with “The Alienist” (and its 1997 follow-up, “The Angel of Darkness”). The books put his darkness into words as he told the story of a late 19th century forensic psychiatrist on the trail of a serial killer. But he never really forgot his four-legged friends. When he met Masha, he quickly realized he had found a soulmate.
“Animals fulfill something that was damaged in all of us when we were very young and can’t be fixed by people,” Carr said. “We can go on to have relationships with people, but those wounds need a different kind of treatment than people can provide, and that causes trouble when you have to explain that very carefully to whatever girlfriend or whatever significant other you have. I never lasted as long with a woman as I did with Masha, God knows, and no woman ever did for me what she did, which sounds crazy even to me. But it’s really true.”
Carr was actually contracted to write another “Alienist” book, but the spirit did not move him. He was deep in grief and needed to get it onto the page. He began cranking out the story of his life with Masha and sent a draft to his editor, Bruce Nichols, who was also the publisher of Little, Brown before he stepped down in March. Nichols was on board with Carr’s change in direction from serial killing to cat love.
“It was clearly a passion project for him, not only because of his medical situation but because he spent his whole life with cats and this one was very special to him,” Nichols said. “If you’re a cat lover and owner, or a dog person, I think it will resonate with you. And I don’t think it matters whether you care about historical fiction or military history or any of Caleb’s past experiences. It’s sui generis. It is what it is, and it’s an amazing book.”
Carr certainly hopes to tap into the pet community (and perhaps see if any “Alienist” fans are Catster subscribers). He also hopes to win over skeptics who might doubt whether one can love and grieve a beloved animal with the intensity usually reserved for another human.
“I’m hoping that some people will learn from this, and maybe even catch themselves almost thinking of Masha as a person,” Carr said. “That’s really what we have to do as a society much more: Think of these animals as our equals. That’s what they are.”
April 15, 2024
Carr has had a difficult life, and his relationship with his beloved cat Masha is complex & utterly devoted. Not always an easy read, but interesting.
Read
April 15, 2024The book description did not set up the right expectation for the book, which has a LOT of very disturbing events.
After hearing the author on NPR I decided to give it another try. I still could not handle the true but disturbing events of Carr's life.
After hearing the author on NPR I decided to give it another try. I still could not handle the true but disturbing events of Carr's life.
May 10, 2024
Crying forever.
March 25, 2024
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love cats, and stories about them, and this book did not disappoint. Masha was a wonderful cat, and this book is full of her cattitude.
If you enjoy a good tale well told, you'll enjoy this. And besides learning about Masha, you'll learn about Mr. Carr.
I love cats, and stories about them, and this book did not disappoint. Masha was a wonderful cat, and this book is full of her cattitude.
If you enjoy a good tale well told, you'll enjoy this. And besides learning about Masha, you'll learn about Mr. Carr.
December 18, 2023
A very powerful book. I plan to write more soon, once I have had some time to think about it.
April 30, 2024
This is what I imagine would be written if David Sedaris wasn’t funny, didn’t use a florid language, lived rurally, and wrote 352 pages about his cat.
May 3, 2024
I’m only 4% in so far and I absolutely love it!! Beautiful writing and yes, I get this kind of love and respect for a cat!!
May 1, 2024
Beautifully written. A very touching story. I only wish the author had acclimated Masha to being an indoor cat.
April 28, 2024
Oh, Masha… ❤️
April 20, 2024
Read my mini-review HERE.
April 30, 2024
Wow! Poignant and moving. A beautiful bond between feline and human. As a cat dad of many felines over my life this book truly hit home. Each one and each relationship was different, though they all end the same with the heart wrenching decision to let them go. I’ve always hoped I’ve given them at least some of the joy they’ve given me. Thank you Mr Carr.
May 16, 2024
I wanted to love it. It did make me cry. But even with all of his descriptions, I didn’t feel very close to the kitty. Maybe it’s bc he had a different kind of affection for the cat than I usually do for our cats. Writing felt a little ostentatious.
April 25, 2024
Caleb Carr has written a deeply moving account of his bond with Masha, his rescue cat. My Favorite Monster is a profound, exposition of the very raw physical and emotional struggles of the author, and how cats played a crucial role in his sanity—and survival. Most pet owners can understand the bond that exists between human and domestic animal, and the whole concept of being chosen as their human. I felt a similar bond with a cat. He ‘chose’ me. We had 14 wonderful years together, and his loss was shattering.
As a fan of The Alienist and its sequel, I was surprised at this turn toward memoir, but was thankful Caleb Carr shared his personal story with the world.
As a fan of The Alienist and its sequel, I was surprised at this turn toward memoir, but was thankful Caleb Carr shared his personal story with the world.
May 1, 2024
Listened to audio book on long trip. Great book to listen to, except I was driving thru a big city at the end when Masha died and it was hard to cry and drive at the same time.
May 2, 2024
If you love cats, read this.
A true story of love and devotion between man and feline. I believe that a lot of magic was involved in the relationship.
But it's heartbreaking.
A true story of love and devotion between man and feline. I believe that a lot of magic was involved in the relationship.
But it's heartbreaking.
April 29, 2024
Beautiful story
I laughed and cried while raising this story.masha had the best she deserved. I will recommend my friends and family reach this touching book.thanks caleb.. I'm a cat lover myself..
I laughed and cried while raising this story.masha had the best she deserved. I will recommend my friends and family reach this touching book.thanks caleb.. I'm a cat lover myself..
April 29, 2024
I can't begin to describe how much this book moved me. As a lover of felines myself, it was both so very sad but with the happiness that comes with such an intense bond between two entities.
April 20, 2024
4 1/2 Stars
She will always be the only thing
That comes between me and the awful sting
That comes from living in a world that’s so damn mean.
- Mark O. Everett, “My Beloved Monster”, 1996
That passage has incredible meaning for author Caleb Carr and will probably ring true for anyone who has been fortunate enough to take solace in their furry family member that provides unconditional love. In Carr’s case, it has always been about special cats, and there was none more special to him than his Masha.
First of all, let me confirm that this is THE Caleb Carr --- the author of the beloved literary classics THE ALIENIST and ANGEL OF DARKNESS. This memoir is set in the Misery Mountains, part of the Taconics that surround him in his Hudson Valley, New York home. It is in this cabin home in the woods that he leads a solitary life. The subject of this memoir is the 17 years spent with Masha, his sole companion outside of occasional guests.
MY BELOVED MONSTER: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me is a heart-warming, stunningly realistic depiction of the symbiotic and special relationship between a human and his pet. However, for those who are pet lovers or have ever had a special feline in their lives, you recognize that the bond is much deeper than mere companionship and co-habitation. Carr found Masha at an animal shelter in Rutland, VT. It was clear that she was probably a year or two old. The back story he received, one which he could not initially comprehend, was that her owners had left her behind in an apartment when they moved. It was only Masha’s cries and other noises she could muster that alerted other tenants that a hungry, lonely cat was still there.
Carr brought her back to his cabin the Hudson Valley, at the foot of Misery Mountain, and made the decision to allow her to be an indoor/outdoor cat, within certain parameters to avoid the many forest predators in the area. Mash was a beautiful, feisty Siberian light-colored cat with a majestic tail that resembled a feather duster. She was quite vocal and active, so Carr had no worries about interactive life with her. They were immediately a family. Masha right away to charge of the house and all the daily activities.
Carr would have guests every once and a while who would stay overnight. One of the funniest quirks of Masha’s was her penchant for stealing socks. The Mystery of the Missing Socks plagued the house for quite a while, that is until Carr found Masha’s stash hidden inside a compartment of her cat tree. Being a cat who may have been abused by her first owners was something made apparent to Carr by a Vet who pointed out issues with her hips and some arthritis settling in. This would be just the start of a myriad of maladies faced by Masha that also included surviving both a bear and fisher weasel attacks. The latter, regrettably, cost Masha most of that majestic tail --- but she was a fighter!
Carr and Masha were made for each other --- especially as Carr’s own medical maladies were serious and required constant attention --- spinal issues, neuropathy, and pancreatitis. These often put him down physically and mentally, but Masha was there to service him spiritually. Masha ended up developing feline neuropathy and, as her age approached 18 or 19, Carr had to face the reality that her quality of life may be limited. The ending is one that millions of pet owners have faced, but Carr tells it in such an honest, respectful manner that you will have a difficult time holding back the tears. He put this experience so perfectly: ‘…these are the most difficult and indeed cruel questions that one faces during a life with creatures who do not, finally, speak our language, no matter how correctly we may think we are interpreting their actions and gestures.’
Caleb Carr is quite a writer and no fictional story can reach the amount of emotional grace he showed in sharing this life of his beloved companion, Masha.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
She will always be the only thing
That comes between me and the awful sting
That comes from living in a world that’s so damn mean.
- Mark O. Everett, “My Beloved Monster”, 1996
That passage has incredible meaning for author Caleb Carr and will probably ring true for anyone who has been fortunate enough to take solace in their furry family member that provides unconditional love. In Carr’s case, it has always been about special cats, and there was none more special to him than his Masha.
First of all, let me confirm that this is THE Caleb Carr --- the author of the beloved literary classics THE ALIENIST and ANGEL OF DARKNESS. This memoir is set in the Misery Mountains, part of the Taconics that surround him in his Hudson Valley, New York home. It is in this cabin home in the woods that he leads a solitary life. The subject of this memoir is the 17 years spent with Masha, his sole companion outside of occasional guests.
MY BELOVED MONSTER: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me is a heart-warming, stunningly realistic depiction of the symbiotic and special relationship between a human and his pet. However, for those who are pet lovers or have ever had a special feline in their lives, you recognize that the bond is much deeper than mere companionship and co-habitation. Carr found Masha at an animal shelter in Rutland, VT. It was clear that she was probably a year or two old. The back story he received, one which he could not initially comprehend, was that her owners had left her behind in an apartment when they moved. It was only Masha’s cries and other noises she could muster that alerted other tenants that a hungry, lonely cat was still there.
Carr brought her back to his cabin the Hudson Valley, at the foot of Misery Mountain, and made the decision to allow her to be an indoor/outdoor cat, within certain parameters to avoid the many forest predators in the area. Mash was a beautiful, feisty Siberian light-colored cat with a majestic tail that resembled a feather duster. She was quite vocal and active, so Carr had no worries about interactive life with her. They were immediately a family. Masha right away to charge of the house and all the daily activities.
Carr would have guests every once and a while who would stay overnight. One of the funniest quirks of Masha’s was her penchant for stealing socks. The Mystery of the Missing Socks plagued the house for quite a while, that is until Carr found Masha’s stash hidden inside a compartment of her cat tree. Being a cat who may have been abused by her first owners was something made apparent to Carr by a Vet who pointed out issues with her hips and some arthritis settling in. This would be just the start of a myriad of maladies faced by Masha that also included surviving both a bear and fisher weasel attacks. The latter, regrettably, cost Masha most of that majestic tail --- but she was a fighter!
Carr and Masha were made for each other --- especially as Carr’s own medical maladies were serious and required constant attention --- spinal issues, neuropathy, and pancreatitis. These often put him down physically and mentally, but Masha was there to service him spiritually. Masha ended up developing feline neuropathy and, as her age approached 18 or 19, Carr had to face the reality that her quality of life may be limited. The ending is one that millions of pet owners have faced, but Carr tells it in such an honest, respectful manner that you will have a difficult time holding back the tears. He put this experience so perfectly: ‘…these are the most difficult and indeed cruel questions that one faces during a life with creatures who do not, finally, speak our language, no matter how correctly we may think we are interpreting their actions and gestures.’
Caleb Carr is quite a writer and no fictional story can reach the amount of emotional grace he showed in sharing this life of his beloved companion, Masha.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
April 21, 2024
She will always be the only thing
That comes between me and the awful sting
That comes from living in a world
That’s so damn mean.
— Eels, “My Beloved Monster,” 1996
These song lyrics have incredible meaning for iconic author Caleb Carr and probably will ring true for anyone who has been fortunate enough to have a furry family member in their lives providing unconditional love. In Carr’s case, it has always been about cats, and none was more special to him than Masha.
MY BELOVED MONSTER revolves around the 17 years that Carr spent with Masha, his sole companion. It’s a heartwarming, stunningly realistic depiction of the symbiotic relationship between a human and his pet. However, for those who are animal lovers or have ever had a special feline in their lives, you recognize that the bond is much deeper than mere companionship and cohabitation. Carr found Masha at an animal shelter in Rutland, Vermont. The backstory he was told, one that he could not initially comprehend, was that her owners had left her behind in an apartment when they moved. It was only Masha’s cries and other noises she could muster that alerted the tenants that a hungry, lonely cat was still there.
Carr brought Masha back to his cabin in the Hudson Valley region of New York and allowed her to be an indoor/outdoor cat, but within certain parameters to avoid the many forest predators in the area. Masha was a beautiful, feisty Siberian Forest cat with a majestic tail that resembled a feather duster. They were an instant family as Masha immediately took charge of the house and all the daily activities.
Carr would have guests every once in a while who stayed overnight. One of Masha’s funniest quirks was her penchant for stealing socks. The Mystery of the Missing Socks plagued the house for quite a while until Carr found Masha’s stash hidden inside a compartment of her cat tree. The abuse that she most likely endured at the hands of her original owners was made apparent to Carr by a vet who pointed out issues with her hips and some arthritis setting in. This would be the start of a myriad of maladies faced by Masha that also included surviving attacks by both a bear and a fisher weasel. The latter, regrettably, cost Masha most of her tail. But she was a fighter!
Carr and Masha were made for each other, especially as Carr’s own medical issues were serious and required constant attention. This often put him down physically and mentally, but Masha was there to service him spiritually. She ended up developing feline neuropathy, and as her age approached 18 or 19, Carr had to face the reality that her quality of life might be limited. The ending is one that millions of pet owners have experienced, but Carr tells it in such an honest, respectful manner that you will have a difficult time holding back the tears.
Caleb Carr is quite a writer, and no fictional story could reach the amount of emotional grace that he shows in sharing the remarkable life of his beloved feline companion.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
That comes between me and the awful sting
That comes from living in a world
That’s so damn mean.
— Eels, “My Beloved Monster,” 1996
These song lyrics have incredible meaning for iconic author Caleb Carr and probably will ring true for anyone who has been fortunate enough to have a furry family member in their lives providing unconditional love. In Carr’s case, it has always been about cats, and none was more special to him than Masha.
MY BELOVED MONSTER revolves around the 17 years that Carr spent with Masha, his sole companion. It’s a heartwarming, stunningly realistic depiction of the symbiotic relationship between a human and his pet. However, for those who are animal lovers or have ever had a special feline in their lives, you recognize that the bond is much deeper than mere companionship and cohabitation. Carr found Masha at an animal shelter in Rutland, Vermont. The backstory he was told, one that he could not initially comprehend, was that her owners had left her behind in an apartment when they moved. It was only Masha’s cries and other noises she could muster that alerted the tenants that a hungry, lonely cat was still there.
Carr brought Masha back to his cabin in the Hudson Valley region of New York and allowed her to be an indoor/outdoor cat, but within certain parameters to avoid the many forest predators in the area. Masha was a beautiful, feisty Siberian Forest cat with a majestic tail that resembled a feather duster. They were an instant family as Masha immediately took charge of the house and all the daily activities.
Carr would have guests every once in a while who stayed overnight. One of Masha’s funniest quirks was her penchant for stealing socks. The Mystery of the Missing Socks plagued the house for quite a while until Carr found Masha’s stash hidden inside a compartment of her cat tree. The abuse that she most likely endured at the hands of her original owners was made apparent to Carr by a vet who pointed out issues with her hips and some arthritis setting in. This would be the start of a myriad of maladies faced by Masha that also included surviving attacks by both a bear and a fisher weasel. The latter, regrettably, cost Masha most of her tail. But she was a fighter!
Carr and Masha were made for each other, especially as Carr’s own medical issues were serious and required constant attention. This often put him down physically and mentally, but Masha was there to service him spiritually. She ended up developing feline neuropathy, and as her age approached 18 or 19, Carr had to face the reality that her quality of life might be limited. The ending is one that millions of pet owners have experienced, but Carr tells it in such an honest, respectful manner that you will have a difficult time holding back the tears.
Caleb Carr is quite a writer, and no fictional story could reach the amount of emotional grace that he shows in sharing the remarkable life of his beloved feline companion.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
May 19, 2024
Precise, stylish writing from Caleb Carr - whose novel The Alienist I also enjoyed. I picked this up from the library because I love cats (especially my own) and I think they're psychologically interesting creatures, which proves true in Carr's case.
I shudder at Carr's childhood under the "care" of two parents who remind me of George and Martha of Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf, but I appreciate the backstory on how he came to love cats while thinking his father Lucien was trying to kill him. The animals become something more than "pets" for a child who came to believe he had been a cat in a former life.
This memoir is a sad tale, and although I enjoyed reading about the developing bond and then deep love between the author and his cat Masha, the minutia of Masha's life and behavior became a bit much for me. In spite of feeling too long and drawn out, I thought it rather hilarious that we cat people all seem to understand how intelligent and sensitive our feline family members are. When Carr describes having a "tingling sense" that he was being observed while reading papers, I laughed. We've all experienced lowering the book to see two eyes staring intently. What is the cat thinking? Hard to say. Sometimes I stare back and then suddenly my cat will suddenly start grooming his private parts as if nothing weird had occurred. Hmmm. I've also observed one of my own cats staring at the sun setting from the roof deck, and Carr describes Masha's contemplations of this same even as possible philosophical observations on the passage of time. I think his cat Masha may have been significantly cleverer than any of the cats who adopted me.
The end of the memoir was very moving.
I shudder at Carr's childhood under the "care" of two parents who remind me of George and Martha of Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf, but I appreciate the backstory on how he came to love cats while thinking his father Lucien was trying to kill him. The animals become something more than "pets" for a child who came to believe he had been a cat in a former life.
This memoir is a sad tale, and although I enjoyed reading about the developing bond and then deep love between the author and his cat Masha, the minutia of Masha's life and behavior became a bit much for me. In spite of feeling too long and drawn out, I thought it rather hilarious that we cat people all seem to understand how intelligent and sensitive our feline family members are. When Carr describes having a "tingling sense" that he was being observed while reading papers, I laughed. We've all experienced lowering the book to see two eyes staring intently. What is the cat thinking? Hard to say. Sometimes I stare back and then suddenly my cat will suddenly start grooming his private parts as if nothing weird had occurred. Hmmm. I've also observed one of my own cats staring at the sun setting from the roof deck, and Carr describes Masha's contemplations of this same even as possible philosophical observations on the passage of time. I think his cat Masha may have been significantly cleverer than any of the cats who adopted me.
The end of the memoir was very moving.
April 9, 2024
The author Caleb Carr so deeply touched me with this heartwarming wonderful book. This is one of the most outstanding books I have every read. I read this soon after the death of my own beloved cat from cancer after a long illness. My cat and I had a similar relationship and I found myself crying throughout this book and nodding yes I remember that devotion that I miss so much. My Beloved Monster is a remarkable love story of the closest companion to the author, his soul mate cat that so deeply loved his owner. A extraordinary cat that cared for him throughout illness and protected him. Their relationship was one of respect, commitment to loving each other and sharing their souls that only a true cat lover can relate to .
This is a must read for every cat parent. The touching book is so beautifully written I found myself re reading and writing down passages. I was happily consumed by this book until the very last page. It is very helpful for those grieving the loss of their own beloved cats and will lift your spirits immensely It is a book to keep in your library and refer to often. You will reflect on your relationships with your cats and remember the good times , the love and the companionship you had with your own cat through the authors words. This is a must have book to give for gifts to all your animal loving family and friends. Thank you to the author for sharing your life with your remarkable cat. Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher.
This is a must read for every cat parent. The touching book is so beautifully written I found myself re reading and writing down passages. I was happily consumed by this book until the very last page. It is very helpful for those grieving the loss of their own beloved cats and will lift your spirits immensely It is a book to keep in your library and refer to often. You will reflect on your relationships with your cats and remember the good times , the love and the companionship you had with your own cat through the authors words. This is a must have book to give for gifts to all your animal loving family and friends. Thank you to the author for sharing your life with your remarkable cat. Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher.
May 13, 2024
Historian and author Caleb Carr shares the touching story of his relationship with Masha, the Siberian Forest cat he adopted. I fell in love with the author, Masha, and their incredible story. Carr writes skillfully, sharing enough detail to draw readers into this gripping and emotional story, yet tastefully refraining from sharing too much. Some parts of the story were very sweet and made me laugh, and other parts were brutal, as both man and cat suffer abuse, injury, and illness. Be prepared to feel some anguish while reading this.
I absolutely loved reading about how Carr and Masha respected, communicated with, cared for, and protected each other. It felt like a privilege having an opportunity to witness such a deep bond, and I hope those who haven’t yet experienced such a bond can learn from this.
I know some readers will disagree with Carr’s decision to allow Masha outside, but some cats experience so much distress from being kept inside that it can actually cause or exacerbate health problems. Given Masha’s history and personality, I think he did the best he could for her, and she lived a long, happy life.
I highly recommend this beautiful cross-species love story to anyone who loves animals and enjoys well-written memoirs. This should appeal to and be appropriate for a wide audience.
I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.
I absolutely loved reading about how Carr and Masha respected, communicated with, cared for, and protected each other. It felt like a privilege having an opportunity to witness such a deep bond, and I hope those who haven’t yet experienced such a bond can learn from this.
I know some readers will disagree with Carr’s decision to allow Masha outside, but some cats experience so much distress from being kept inside that it can actually cause or exacerbate health problems. Given Masha’s history and personality, I think he did the best he could for her, and she lived a long, happy life.
I highly recommend this beautiful cross-species love story to anyone who loves animals and enjoys well-written memoirs. This should appeal to and be appropriate for a wide audience.
I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.
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