April Staff Picks!
"Much of the history of philosophy consists of the worship of linguistic fictions. Relying on what they can touch, smell, and see, cats are not ruled by words." --John N. Gray, Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life
April brings showers and sunshine, and cats? We're celebrating two of our staff's birthdays this month and they asked for cat-themed book recommendations! So, let the best cat book win!
Recommended by Alisa
Warriors #1: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
Game of Thrones, but they're cats. Be warned, this 97-book series had me in its clutches for over ten years!
Recommended by Anna
The Hole by Hiroko Oyamada
Asa and her husband move to the countryside for his new job. After quitting her dead end job, Asa tried to find purpose in her days but as the holes begin to appear their ideal world begins to look like a Studio Ghibli interpretation of Wonderland.
Recommended by John
Feline Philosophy: Cats and the Meaning of Life by John Gray
What is the meaning of life? Am I living life right? These are questions your cat has never asked. If you want to learn to live more like your cat, read this!
Recommended by Jordan
How to Train Your Human: A Cat's Guide by Babas
A witty new way of looking at the complex relationship between cats and their owners through the eyes of one knowledgeable cat.
Recommended by Kris
The Tatami Galaxy by Tomihiko Morimi
Four chapters, four college clubs, four alternating timelines, and four-and-a-half tatami rooms: welcome to the Tatami Galaxy.
Recommended by Llalan
Other Minds and Other Stories by Bennett Sims
People grapple with technology, art, chickens, and more in these short stories. Very little actually happens but the mental stakes are high and the atmosphere is often eerie and unsettling. Also, Sims' control of the language makes me extremely jealous. For fans of author Dan Chaon and the show Black Mirror.
Recommended by Author's Corner*
Thoughts + Pieces by rumi ryan
"I instantly formed a connection with this book. After reading it through, I developed this habit of picking it up every day only to be led to the perfect piece to read. It's cathartic. It never misses in giving me exactly what I need." --Dr. Kenny Jones, author of Comeback Season.
*The Inner Loop's Author's Corner supports local authors' independently published books by spotlighting them across all our programming and through community collaborations.
Recommended by Patrick
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Yearning for more Dune vibes? Look no further. The Foundation--a society of scientists established by a prescient ideologue--engages in high-stakes diplomacy to survive and evolve within an increasingly fractious galactic empire.
Recommended by Sara
The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety by Alan Watts
How is it possible to feel secure in a world in which the only constant is uncertainty? Just as relevant today as when it was first published over 70 years ago, this book has become one I return to again and again.
Recommended by Seth
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Yes, I know you read this in college and hated it. But this faithful rendering into modern English reinvigorates the great medieval poem of spring for the general reader. My personal favorite among these stories is by fat the raunchy and proto-feminist Wife of Bath's tale.
Recommended by Seth
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Elliot
In 1939 acclaimed poet T. S. Elliot decided to write some poems about cats. The rest is history.
Recommended by Patrick
Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
Satirical and suspenseful, Our Man in Havana follows the misadventures of vacuum cleaner salesman-turned-spy, Jim Wormold, in pre-revolutionary Cuba. In an attempt to stay relevant, Wormold fabricates intelligence, unintentionally sparking a potential geopolitical crisis.
Recommended by Kris
Fukufuku: Kitten Tales 1 by Konami Kanata
An adorable story of a cute grandma adopting a kitten and the two of them finding their rhythm and routine together as the seasons float by!
Recommended by Jordan
How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann
A darkly funny and provocative novel that reimagines classic fairy tale characters as modern women in a support group for trauma. If you liked Her Body and Other Stories this is definitely for you.
Recommended by John
Death in Venice by Thomas Mann
Do you or someone you know like weird fever dreams of a novella? Did you enjoy Albert Camus' The Stranger? This one might be for you.
Recommended by Anna
Counsel Culture by Kim Hye-Jin
A simple character study of a lonely women and how sometimes the unexpected brings exactly what is needed. In this cast, that means stray cats.
Recommended by Sofi
The Half Life of Valery K by Natasha Pulley
This book literally has something for everyone because it is part thriller, part sci-fi, part romance, part historical fiction, and part human-octopus friendship. If you like the Chernobyl miniseries on HBO Max, this is a must read.
Recommended by Alisa
Mickey7 by Edward Ashton
Imagine your body and brain are uploaded into a computer so that you can be remade, ship of Theseus style, every time you die. You're employed as the grunt on a spaceship to do the stupid, deadly tasks that come up on a multi-year interstellar voyage. That's the life of Mickey Barnes, the designated expendable, and their ship has just touched down on a hostile planet.