Takeshi Hiraide
Fiction 2001 (English translation 2014) | 140 pages
Our friend Pam, on her last night with our book club in late November, gave us each a book written by her favorite Japanese authors, and asked us to share them with each other. She opened my eyes to some learning about cultural differences, as expressed in writing and story telling.
The Guest Cat is a beautifully introspective novella that explores love, loneliness, connection, and the nature of life through the lens of a couple's relationship with a stray cat.
The couple lives in a small, rented cottage in Tokyo, and find themselves visited by a cat named Chibi. The husband and wife, both freelance writers, experience a deepening emotional connection as they care for the cat, which brings new joy and meaning to their otherwise quiet existence. The narrative is rich with imagery and reflects on the fragility of life and the beauty found in everyday moments.
Hiraide's writing is poetic and lyrical. This is a serene and meditative book. There is no real plot, and there is no drama, mystery, or thrilling components. It is simply the story, as told by the husband, of their developing relationship with the cat who lives next door, but spends much of its time with the couple. Interestingly, the only creature in this book who has a name is Chibi.
The gentle but beautiful prose is like reading a mindfulness meditation. Every time I opened this novella and began to read a sentence, I felt my shoulders drop, my breathing slow, and my blood pressure drop (since I have low blood pressure, this MAY not be a good thing!)
Yes, I suggest you read this short NYT best seller.
I had an important insight reading The Guest Cat. I am attending an eight-day writing retreat in February. I have no specific goal for this adventure ... just thought I might learn something. I realize now that I would like to learn to write in a manner that elicits similar feelings in others: gentleness, calm, relaxation, going inward, finding a place of meditation.
December 2025
Adding this to my TBR list.
Few years ago we had a neighborhood cat at visiting us a few times a week. Caesar (the name we gave him) was a friendly tom carrying numerous battle scars from his encounters with other cats and woodland critters. After a month or so of visiting, Caesar disappeared. The cat was a nighttime roamer. No one knows where he came from. No one claimed it was their cat. We think he finally lost a battle. We miss him.
We would have a cat if not from my allergies.
I never knew this! Thanks for sharing…