Review: Little White King by Marguerite Steen

Genre:
Non-Fiction

Format:
E-Book

Publisher:
The Odyssey Press

Release Date:
November 12, 2015







Synopsis from Goodreads:

The Little White King was the loveliest of Marguerite Steen’s long line of cats.

As an only child, animals had filled a larger part in her life than human beings. Growing up, she lived in a remote cottage, in the depth of Lakeland woods; squirrels, rabbits, moles, grass-snakes and field-mice were her companions.

She was surrounded by innumerable cats – she recalls ‘a cloud of purr’ – and learned the subtleties of cat behaviour.

Above all, she learned to love them, and to respect cat character, with its many departures from the code human beings attempt to impose on them. Among other things, she learned that cats are capable of deep fidelity and ferocious courage.

But none of her many cats compared to her final, favourite Little White King.

The life of the Little White King was a brief one, but from the point of view of any cat lover – or indeed any lover of good writing – well worth recording.

Born stone deaf, but with beautiful snow-white fur, and love of human companionship, Steen soon took the place of his mother, protecting him and supporting him as he learnt to survive without the use of one of his senses.

Anyone who has owned and cared for a young cat will find much to remind them of the small being that contributed to the happiness and comfort of their home.

The record unfolds itself against the background of the matchless Berkshire countryside and the Georgian cottage to which Miss Steen has retreated from post-war London; the book is thus a picture of a most gifted writer’s country life as well as the biography of a little cat.

Marguerite Steen (12 May 1894 – 4 August 1975) was a British writer. Very much at home among creative people, she wrote biographies of the Terrys, of her friend Hugh Walpole, of the 18th century poet and actress (and sometime mistress to the Prince of Wales) Mary 'Perdita' Robinson, and of her own lover, the artist Sir William Nicholson. Her first major success was Matador (1934), for which she drew on her love of Spain, and of bullfighting. Also a best-seller on both sides of the Atlantic was her massive saga of the slave-trade and Bristol shipping, The Sun Is My Undoing (1941). She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1951

My Review

This is the author’s touching tribute to her beloved cat, Little White King. The book reminds us all how important our little furry friends are to our families. Once they enter our lives, they remain in our hearts forever.

The author describes the life of cats as well as their interaction with other animals. The Little White King was born deaf. This book, also, gave us an insight into how a deaf cat copes. Very important information presented in an interesting way.

It’s a short book and very poignant. When I finished reading, I had tears in my eyes. A book that touches your emotions is well worth the read.



For reading challenges:
What An Animal Reading Challenge 2017

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.