This website, as well as the two books of the same title, are all about learning from our cats, so The Zen of Cat: An A-Z of Japanese Feline Philosophy was a natural fit for a review. In her book, Carla Francis shares facts and stories about Japan, Zen philosophy, and of course, cats.
From the publisher:
There’s no doubt cats are a meaningful feature of Japanese life: from folklore to fashion, they’ve left a giant paw print on the culture. …But what can we learn from these philosophical felines? Surely they can teach us a thing or two, through the wisdom gleaned over the centuries residing in ancient temples and co-existing with artists, courtesans, monks and writers.
Each of the 26 chapters in the book is dedicated to one letter of the alphabet and a corresponding Japanese word, such as annei (peace and tranquility,) ikigai (life’s purpose,) and torimodosu (bouncing back.) The chapters are short, and lend themselves purrfectly as a daily reading practice. I often found myself reflecting on the content of the chapters I read through the rest of the day.
This is the purrfect book for anyone wanting to learn more about Japanese culture and Zen Bhuddism.
The Zen of Cat is available from Amazon.
Purrs of Wisdom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This means that if you decide to purchase through any of our links, we get a small commission. We only spread the word about products and services we’ve either used or would use ourselves. I received this book from the author. Receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. All reviews on Purrs of Wisdom will always reflect my honest opinion, or, as the case may be, Allegra’s honest opinion.
Sounds interesting. I like how it teaches a little bit of the Japanese language too. My former mother-in-law lived in Japan for quite a while and she told me of their love for cats. She brought back lots of cat figurines and decorations. I always admired them. After she passed, my ex gave me several of them.