Kinga's Reviews > Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
by
by
I didn't expect this book to be quality literature and of course it wasn't. It was a feel-good book, only I've noticed that most feel-good books actually make me feel nauseous instead of good. Especially those that idealize small town America.
I thought I was going to scream if I had to read another paragraph about how amazing the town of Spencer, Iowa is. To give you a taste:
"That's another of Spencer's unique and valuable assets: its people. We are good, solid, hardworking midwesterners. We are proud but humble. We don't brag."
Sure they don't. I have just read a 275 page long eulogy to Spencer and its people.
Try as she might Vicki Myron didn't fool me. Under a heavy sugar coat I could see rotten flesh bubbling with old grudges, grievances and hostilities. I would love to read more about that but I guess it was a no go as the people's real names were used.
The book was really chopped (a bit like my review). There were parts about Dewey, bits about Vicky's life, and the history of the town all thrown in together. They didn't blend very well but I was slightly entertained by some chapters so I am giving it two stars.
Oh yeah, the cat was cute.
I thought I was going to scream if I had to read another paragraph about how amazing the town of Spencer, Iowa is. To give you a taste:
"That's another of Spencer's unique and valuable assets: its people. We are good, solid, hardworking midwesterners. We are proud but humble. We don't brag."
Sure they don't. I have just read a 275 page long eulogy to Spencer and its people.
Try as she might Vicki Myron didn't fool me. Under a heavy sugar coat I could see rotten flesh bubbling with old grudges, grievances and hostilities. I would love to read more about that but I guess it was a no go as the people's real names were used.
The book was really chopped (a bit like my review). There were parts about Dewey, bits about Vicky's life, and the history of the town all thrown in together. They didn't blend very well but I was slightly entertained by some chapters so I am giving it two stars.
Oh yeah, the cat was cute.
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(1:46 brought tears to my eyes the first time that I watched it.)
We are good, solid, hardworking midwesterners.
Well, except for the town's not-inconsiderable population of meth addicts...but sure.
I see that you have written in your review: "Unless you are a tragic, 20-something hipster who revels in misery for the sake of it, feeling good isn't such a bad thing. This book also lacks pretense, which again, won't appeal to the hipster set."
I must say I am flattered I have never in my life been called a hipster. I mean I have always aspired - trying to grow a beard, wearing jeans that are bit too tight.. But somehow I never managed to fool anyone. If only I had known that all it would take was not liking some boring, badly written poor excuse of a book!
And to be called 20-something! You don't even know what this means to me! As of today I have excactly 15 days left to be a 20-something! Your review was more heart-warming to me than this whole bloody cat book.
But of course I understand you feel very emotional about this book - being a cat yourself and all.
"Under a heavy sugar coat I could see rotten flesh bubbling with old grudges, grievances and hostilities."
That's a strong visual. I don't think this book is award-worthy, but why rake the author over the coals for trying to tell a heart-warming story? Why must people do this? It's no Steinbeck or dickens, but what's wrong with that? To me I can enjoy it for what it is.
And cats are awesome, so this book is a-ok with me :)
It wasn't heart warming for me at all, because of that line you quoted above. Most of the book just seemed fake and I wasn't fooled.
There are truly heart warming stories out there like The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope. Now THAT is heart warming.
I also don't expect everything to be Dickens or Steinbeck (as made perfectly clear by some very questionable choices on my shelves).
Have you read my review? When did I say 'small town America is beneath me'?
What do clichéd literary devices have to do with food production?
Goth section? Really? That's your come back?
Food is produced by library cats!! Everybody knows that.
It's ok. I accept that other people have lower standards.
Oh, Tracy, but Spencer is the best little town there ever existed. Ever!
:)))
this more famous Dewey had a better end.