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405th out of 615 books
—
943 voters
Kitty Cornered: How Frannie and Five Other Incorrigible Cats Seized Control of Our House and Made It Their Home
by
Bob Tarte (Goodreads Author)
Bob Tarte had his first encounter with a cat when he was two and a half years old. He should have learned his lesson then, from Fluffy. But as he says, "I listened to my heart instead, and that always leads to trouble." In this tell-all of how the Tarte household grew from one recalcitrant cat to six--including a hard-to-manage stray named Frannie--Tarte confesses to allow...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
April 10th 2012
by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
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I finished reading this book yesterday and the first thing I thought of was, If you have cats, you will love this book. If you have animals in your home, you will love this book. If you need a good laugh, you will love this book.
I could not stop laughing as I read this story. Bob Tarte writes with sly humor about the trials of living with animals along with the impossibility of living without them. As I read along, I thought of a hundred people that I need to tell about this book. People who hav...more
I could not stop laughing as I read this story. Bob Tarte writes with sly humor about the trials of living with animals along with the impossibility of living without them. As I read along, I thought of a hundred people that I need to tell about this book. People who hav...more
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Bob Tarte is the only writer I know of who is both a humorist and a narrator of animal stories – true ones that he and his wife, Linda, have lived out firsthand under severe Michigan weather conditions and while having their own crosses to bear: Linda with a serious back problem and Bob who suffers emotionally at times. Yet they rise over and above difficult circumstances in this charming third newly-released book that followers of the Tarte's animal adventures will welcome with open arms.
This i...more
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This book starts with a ground-floor plan of Bob and Linda Tarte's home. There are indications of where things occur in this home, all related to the pets that this couple cohabitate with.
Bob and Linda are very into animals, with cats, birds, rabbits in the house and ducks and chickens in the barn.
Bob Tarte litters this book with the personalities of all the animals that encompass his life. There are cats already in the home, but more are acquired during the reading, including the one stray that...more
Bob and Linda are very into animals, with cats, birds, rabbits in the house and ducks and chickens in the barn.
Bob Tarte litters this book with the personalities of all the animals that encompass his life. There are cats already in the home, but more are acquired during the reading, including the one stray that...more
Not bad for Non-Fiction, which I normally don't enjoy. Happy it wasn't filled with sad tales of loosing beloved pets that are often featured in pet NF stories. Wasn't as funny as I was lead to believe, sure it made me chuckle a few times, but I have read funnier. Some sweet touching stories of how six cats came into this fellow's life. The main thing that bothered me throughout the book was the pessimistic attitude of the author, who apparently spends hour upon hours in bed. I understand he has...more
If you are a cat lover, then you will enjoy Kitty Cornered. As someone who is owned by a cat, I could see bits of myself in some of the stories. The Tarte household is much more than just cats, they also ducks, chickens and other assorted animals but the main story was about how they acquired their cats or as many people say, how the cats acquired their humans. The stories were funny and poignant. I could actually place myself in his shoes in some of the story. The author is a work in progress h...more
Cute. Read this one as an advance copy, so there were some errors (one "far" was typed in as "fat"), and the editors will probably clean it up a bit more.
Tarte's observations toggled back and forth between witty, interesting and amusing to overly self-sabotaging. In a "comedy in contemporary culture" class that I took for my master's program, we examined the differences between comedians who either a) shoot other people down or b) shoot themselves down. Tarte is one of the latter, and sometimes...more
Tarte's observations toggled back and forth between witty, interesting and amusing to overly self-sabotaging. In a "comedy in contemporary culture" class that I took for my master's program, we examined the differences between comedians who either a) shoot other people down or b) shoot themselves down. Tarte is one of the latter, and sometimes...more
Bob Tarte has a very inviting, open manner of writing. His sense of humour and honesty are key elements as he writes about animals, his life with them, and himself. He has been a favourite author of mine since I read his first book, “Enslaved by Ducks”, followed by “Fowl Weather”.
In “Kitty Cornered”, Bob takes us back to his Michigan home to tell us about life with his cats. Bob sees within each cat a life worth saving and a story worth telling. With his humorous but keen insight, we learn how e...more
In “Kitty Cornered”, Bob takes us back to his Michigan home to tell us about life with his cats. Bob sees within each cat a life worth saving and a story worth telling. With his humorous but keen insight, we learn how e...more
While pawing out treats to my furry friends, I quote the oft-repeated line in Kitty Cornered (after telling a cat no to the demand for treats), "while wiping the cat treat dust off my hands".
It's always difficult, and often impawssible to refuse a cat anything. They're purrsistent.
Cats rule my life, but at least I can point to Bob Tarte as a total cat slave, while I still manage to resist some of the more unreasonable demands from my furry task-masters.
This book is hilarious most of the time,...more
It's always difficult, and often impawssible to refuse a cat anything. They're purrsistent.
Cats rule my life, but at least I can point to Bob Tarte as a total cat slave, while I still manage to resist some of the more unreasonable demands from my furry task-masters.
This book is hilarious most of the time,...more
I'd like to give this book 2.5 stars, rather than 3. I thought I was going to enjoy it as much as the $64 Tomato, but that book still wins hands down.
Tarte's observations about his cats (and his parrots, parakeets, ducks, chickens, geese) are mostly entertaining and familiar, but the overall effect of the book is whiny. I'm not talking out of school, he goes on (and on) about his depression and sluggishness.
As usual, I'm not sure what book the blurb writers on the cover read :) While there are m...more
Tarte's observations about his cats (and his parrots, parakeets, ducks, chickens, geese) are mostly entertaining and familiar, but the overall effect of the book is whiny. I'm not talking out of school, he goes on (and on) about his depression and sluggishness.
As usual, I'm not sure what book the blurb writers on the cover read :) While there are m...more
In this tell all of how the Tarte household grew from one recalcitrant cat to six - including hard-to-manage stray named Frannie - Bob Tarte confesses to allowing these interlopers to shape his and his wife's life, from their dining habits to their sleeping arrangements to the placement and furriness of the furniture. But more than that, Bob begins seeing Frannie and the other cats as unlikely instructors in the art of achieving contentment - and realizes that sometimes wildness and mystery are...more
Bob Tarte is back to regale readers with more hilarious pet stories in his third and funniest book so far, Kitty Cornered. Tarte’s previous two books highlighted his hijinks with his unruly flock of hook bills, ducks, chickens, geese and a cast of oddball characters; none, perhaps, as odd as Tarte himself.
Tarte’s feathered friends take a back seat in Kitty Cornered, which is centered around the cats of the Tarte household. As the story unfolds, three cats share the author’s home, Moobie, Agnes a...more
Tarte’s feathered friends take a back seat in Kitty Cornered, which is centered around the cats of the Tarte household. As the story unfolds, three cats share the author’s home, Moobie, Agnes a...more
Would give it 3 1/2 stars if GoodReads allowed me to do so. It was a bit of a slow, gradual start, but once Tarte delved into the plot, this book about 5 quirky cats was amusing and easy to relate to as I have 2 amiable and unique cats of my own. I really enjoyed how Tarte illustrated each cat's personality and their friendships with one another through funny anecdotes. A good, quick, and easy read that only took me 2 weeks to finish - and this was during the school semester.
If you're an animal lover and haven't yet read any of Bob Tarte's books, you need to rush right out and get the first one, "Enslaved by Ducks." That was followed by "Fowl Weather," and then his latest, "Kitty Cornered." He is laugh-out-loud funny and his tales of how he went from not having any pets to having over 50, ducks, geese, parrots, canaries, rabbits, and cats are quite charming and endearing.
I am intrigued by cat behavior. I really liked the humor and the personal connection. This book wasn't just anecdotes, it was about Bob's life as a cat owner. He and his wife also have a lot of birds, and he wrote about that (Enslaved by Ducks). I haven't read it, and I probably won't, because I'm not that interested in birds, but if it falls into my hands I may read it because I liked Tarte's writing. Someday I will get more cats...
I don't know how I felt about this book. I really liked the cats, but didn't care much for the humans.
Throughout, I couldn't help but imagining how dirty and icky their house would be, especially with the birds and the cats and the bunnies. I was particularly disturbed when they mentioned, in passing, the rabbit peeing on their surge protector and starting a small fire, as if it was N.B.D. Kind of gross...
Throughout, I couldn't help but imagining how dirty and icky their house would be, especially with the birds and the cats and the bunnies. I was particularly disturbed when they mentioned, in passing, the rabbit peeing on their surge protector and starting a small fire, as if it was N.B.D. Kind of gross...
Fun to know that I'm not alone. A nice read exploring the unique and individual personalities, in the most literal sense, of our animal companions. I quickly recognized the things we do and the why we do them in Mr. Tarte's account. And maybe it will help me be just that little bit more patient with the kitten.
The cover blurb that described this as "laugh-out-loud" funny had me expecting, off course, a humorous tale. I didn't find it funny; any levity that might have been was obscured for me by the author's glumness. That said, it wasn't all bad for a quick read.
If you are a cat lover, you will love this book. Otherwise, you will think Bob and wife Linda are just plain nuts. Fortunately I am one of the former and could find myself and several cats I have shared my life with in these pages. A fun, light read.
This book clearly defined the relationships between people and cats. As well as cats and cats. A real page turner and I laughed out loud several times. A great read that doesn't take much time at all.
I stopped reading around page 125 or so, after struggling with myself for the last 40+ pages.
The stories of the cats and their behaviors were, for me, overwhelmed by the miasma of the authors repetitive refrain of the human's physical and emotional issues.
I found myself grumbling at the writer, despite the fact that I have experienced the depressive side as well. I have yet to have laughed out loud and decided I was going to call it 'good enough' and move on to the next book.
The stories of the cats and their behaviors were, for me, overwhelmed by the miasma of the authors repetitive refrain of the human's physical and emotional issues.
I found myself grumbling at the writer, despite the fact that I have experienced the depressive side as well. I have yet to have laughed out loud and decided I was going to call it 'good enough' and move on to the next book.
This guy is a bit odd. So, his story is a bit odd. Anyone with 50 pets has to have a good story behind them. If you want a mindless non-fiction, here ya go.
This is Bob Tarte's second book. It was an okay read. Not great. But not heinous. The cats are likable enough. I'm a cat person. I can't see a non cat owner reading this book and liking it.
Cute stories of distinctly non-lovable (for the most part) cats that somehow draw you into their personalities anyway.
Not as funny as Enslaved by Ducks, but anyone who has cats can relate to the people and felines in this book.
I liked the author's sense of humor. Any cat lover would thoroughly enjoy this book.
Cute tale of life with cats and how they work their way into our hearts. I'd add a note to the author that if he wants a cuddly cat, he needs to get some neutered males. They're much more snuggly than females in general. :)
our #readpawty book club on twitter read this one and gave it a pretty unanimous thumbs down...author just too darn whiney for us
This book has an audience - cat people.
Thank you, Karen. I really enjoyed this.
depressing. needs more cat stories.
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| All About Animals: * Kitty Cornered ...book discussion here: | 10 | 7 | Jun 02, 2013 05:53pm |
Bob Tarte lives on the edge of a mink-infested, shoe-sucking swamp in West Michigan with his long suffering wife, Linda. Bob is the author of the books "Kitty Cornered," "Enslaved by Ducks," and "Fowl Weather."
Every Friday from 12:30-1:00 pm ET, one of the cats from "Kitty Cornered" answers lifestyle questions from other cats. Catch the LIVE cat comedy @BobTarte #Ask6Cats.
More about Bob Tarte...
Every Friday from 12:30-1:00 pm ET, one of the cats from "Kitty Cornered" answers lifestyle questions from other cats. Catch the LIVE cat comedy @BobTarte #Ask6Cats.
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