This was an absolute delight, and a must-read for anyone who lives with little furry cat friends. I found myself chuckling at parts, and nodding along thinking, "Yep, that's [insert cat] to a T," at others. And I admit I may have gotten a little teary, too. Plus, there are pictures!

The Bear (the title's "most melancholy cat") is a cat who can see into your soul. He's the wise old philosopher of the bunch, who can give the best hugs. Ralph likes to meow his own name at the top of his lungs ("Raaaaaaaalph.") I had to wonder if he got that name before or after his penchant for shouting became clear. Janet is actually a male cat. Rodent-hunter extraordinaire. Also tends to catch his tail on fire walking by candles. Shipley is a mouthy fella, with a bit of attitude. The cure: flip him upside down and he'll turn to putty. Roscoe is a cute little tuxie who is still learning to meow.

Though the book centers around Tom Cox's life with these four cats, a few more make appearances throughout, making for a rather interesting cast of characters. Also appearing, in no particular order: toads, frogs, hedgehogs, dogs, foxes, horses, heron, koi . . . and other humans. If you're looking for a good, pretty quick read, love cats, enjoy memoirs, and/or like reading about England, I would very highly recommend this one.