A Cat Named Darwin: Embracing the Bond Between Man and Pet

by William Jordan

Overview

In this endearing memoir, William Jordan's reluctant adoption of a stray cat leads to an unexpectedly deep bond, one that will be immediately recognizable to anyone who has ever fallen under the spell of a pet. When Jordan brings Darwin into his home, he is forced into a commitment more devoted and sincere than any he has known before. He observes Darwin not only with the lovestruck gaze of a doting pet owner but also with the keen eye of a trained scientist, and he ruminates insightfully on the complex relationship between humans and their pets. Through issues of territory and separation, sickness and health, Jordan's heartrending memoir of his relationship with Darwin is made irresistible by his "self-effacing honesty, his ever-present wit, and, above all, the unashamed nakedness of his emotions" (San Diego Union-Tribune).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780618382286
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/12/2003
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	399,456
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

William Jordan is the author of Divorce Among the Gulls: An Uncommon Look at Human Nature (1991). The Washington Post called it "a dazzling range of philosophical speculations about the meaning of life, " and Noel Perrin in the Chicargo Sun-Times described Jordan as "a major new talent," adding, "move over, Stephen Jay Gould. Make way, Barry Lopez. Here comes William Jordan to join you." Jordan has a Ph.D. in entomology from the University of California. He lives in Culver City, California.

Table of Contents

	Introduction	1
1	Picking a Human Up	11
2	A Dog's Meow	21
3	Breaking Up	32
4	Inventory in England	46
5	Nuptials	61
6	Honeymoon Prognosis	64
7	Hope, Intimacy, Jealousy	71
8	Friendship and Equality	81
9	Hospice Care	95
10	Night Walk	112
11	Home Invasion	123
12	Sweet Epiphanies	150
13	Tender Mercies	166
14	Missa Felina	174
	Epilogue	189

Editorial Reviews

"Cat fanciers will enjoy this memoir by a 45-year-old man who lived alone until his heart was stolen by an orange cat . . ." Publishers Weekly

". . . [A] perfectly pitched account that nicely balances sentiment and science . . . A perceptive and intelligent tribute to man's other best friend." Kirkus Reviews —

From the Publisher