Connie’s Book Club
Curl up with a good cat and a good book
Walter Chandoha: The Cat Photographer
Long before the days of Instagram and Buzzfeed there was one man bringing cats to stardom: Walter Chandoha. With a commercial animal photography career that began in the 1950s, Chandoha’s highly influential photographs of cats have been featured in the pages and on the covers of countless publications, including National Geographic and Life magazines. The collection of gorgeous, captivating portraits in this overdue book showcases 50 of Chandoha’s best cat images, from the fluffiest to the adorably grumpiest, all bearing Chandoha’s signature approach of clean, coloured backdrops and glamour backlighting, a look much copied today. An interview with Chandoha (now 96!) follows the collection, offering insight into his life and work, as well as tips on taking the perfect shot. This stunning photo-book is a musthave. Buy one for yourself and one for a friend while you're at it!
{ Editor's Pick: Great Gift Idea!} Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Very Good, Very Bad Cat
This collection of 101 very funny, heartwarming, and sometimes mind-boggling stories about our feline friends and their (mis)adventures will make you laugh, cry, and probably want to give your cat an (unwanted) hug! The perfect book to curl up with on a rainy afternoon.
Tall Tail
There’s nothing like curling up with a gripping mystery novel and a cuddly cat! Lucky for us, New York Times bestselling author Rita Mae Brown is back with the latest in her Mrs. Murphy mystery series—which she coauthors with her tiger cat, Sneaky Pie! This all-new mystery features Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen and her cohort of crime-solving cats. When an unfathomable murder strikes the town of Crozet, Virginia, Harry starts investigating. It’s not long before someone confesses—trouble is no one believes the confessor is the actual culprit. What follows is a tale of deceit and deception, centuries-old mysteries, and inquisitive cats. We can’t think of anything better.
Men with Cats: Intimate Portraits of Feline Friendship
Fascinated by the unique and enduring friendships between men and their cats, David Williams started capturing these strong bonds in a series of photos that unexpectedly went viral. The book that followed, Men with Cats, is a collection of these portraits capturing intimate and offbeat glimpses into the lives of cats and their male companions. Tattoo artists, mountain men, police officers, punk musicians, bikers, opera singers, and others share stories of how their cats stole their hearts. Funny, poignant, and at times surprising, this book will steal your heart.