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Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939) This playful collection of light verse by T.S. Eliot presents a gallery of distinctive feline characters, each with its own quirks and habits. Originally written for Eliot’s godchildren, the poems portray cats such as the mysterious Macavity, the magical Mr. Mistoffelees, the theatre-loving Gus, and the refined Jennyanydots. Through rhymes, rhythms, and comic exaggeration, Eliot celebrates cats’ secret lives and suggests that behind their ordinary domestic faces lurk hidden talents, crimes, and adventures. The book blends humour, wordplay, and a gentle mock-heroic tone, turning everyday animal behavior into miniature dramas and character sketches. While seemingly lighthearted, the verses show Eliot’s mastery of meter and persona, offering both entertainment for children and sly sophistication for adults. The collection has remained popular for generations and later inspired Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats, though the original poems stand on their own as charming vignettes of feline personality and urban life.
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