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93rd out of 1,503 books
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3,027 voters
The Rabbi's Cat (Le Chat du Rabbin omnibus 1; books 1-3)
The preeminent work by one of France’s most celebrated young comic artists, The Rabbi’s Cat tells the wholly unique story of a rabbi, his daughter, and their talking cat — a philosopher brimming with scathing humor and surprising tenderness.
In Algeria in the 1930s, a cat belonging to a widowed rabbi and his beautiful daughter, Zlabya, eats the family parrot and gains the a...more
In Algeria in the 1930s, a cat belonging to a widowed rabbi and his beautiful daughter, Zlabya, eats the family parrot and gains the a...more
Hardcover, 152 pages
Published
August 16th 2005
by Pantheon
(first published 2002)
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‘The children are all very loving. They succeed in everything they do, they bring me great satisfaction.’
‘Baruch HaShem!’
‘Bless you.’
Ah, I love me a classic Jewish gag like that. Le Chat du Rabbin is a clever and very charming BD about Algiers's Jewish community in the 1930s, narrated by the titular feline, who early on in the book eats a parrot and gains the ability to talk. He immediately demands a bar-mitzvah – but as you'd perhaps expect from a cat, he turns out to be a skeptic at heart:
So w...more
This is an American compliation and translation of three related French graphic novel tales about the life of a Sephardic Algerian rabbi's cat in colonial Algeria round about the 1930s. The first of the three stories was my favorite, as the cat gains the power of speech after devouring a pet parrot and proceeds to argue theology and philosophy, requesting a Bar Mitzvah while also questioning the existence of God. The second story is an adaption of a classic French fable by Fontaine and includes...more
A peculiar, instantly engrossing graphic novel by Joann Sfar, an author who is new to me and who I was surprised to find when I got to the "about the author" page, is a man, despite having what seems to be a woman's name. I was very impressed by the author's knowledge of Jewish ritual and custom, but even more impressed by the unobtrusive way that he works it into the story. The story is both sad and funny in the best way.
One thing I find interesting about the structure of the story is the way o...more
One thing I find interesting about the structure of the story is the way o...more
Since I'm not really interested in Judaism I had a hard time getting into the book at first but I found the characters very compelling once the story got going and of course the art is great.
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The Rabbi's cat gains the power to talk (by ingestion of parrot) and is no longer allowed to spend time with the Rabbi's daughter, whom he loves, because he is a bad influence. He asks to be bar mitzvahed so that he can be with her, and a delightful discussion ensues.
I loved the first story in this book. In fact, I might have to go back and steal it from John's so I can read it again whenever I want. The two stories that followed were great as well, but the first story made me fall in love with...more
I loved the first story in this book. In fact, I might have to go back and steal it from John's so I can read it again whenever I want. The two stories that followed were great as well, but the first story made me fall in love with...more
"In Algeria in the 1930s, a cat belonging to a widowed Rabbi and his beautiful daughter, Zlabya, eats the family parrot and gains the ability to speak. To his master's consternation, the cat immediately begins to tell lies (the first being that he didn't eat the parrot)..."[return]So I ordered it and it showed up at the library for me yesterday. I flipped it open and was surprised to find that it was actually a graphic novel, and not a novella like I was expecting. A French graphic novel. Now, I...more
Another one of my favorite graphic novels (or tales). The story is an intelligent discussion, balanced and funny about Judaism. The author has a great gift to render the most complex philosophical discussions extremely simple but not simplistic. And bear in mind, this is a talking cat we're reading about. The essential precepts of Judaism are outlined briefly in interesting dialogues between the cat and its Rabbi. The cat wants to have its bar-mitsva and he tries to persuade the Rabbi to organiz...more
In this delightful and uproariously funny parable set in Algeria in the 1930s, the rabbi’s cat, a conniving, profane cat who appears to be a blue Abyssinian, devours a garrulous parrot, thereby acquiring the bird’s power of speech. The clever but prevaricating cat immediately launches into a campaign to get himself a Bar Mitzvah — despite the opposition of both the rabbi and the rabbi’s rabbi. Eventually, the rabbi relents due to the intervention of the rabbi’s beautiful daughter, Zlabya — to wh...more
Sfar weaves together superb storytelling with a unique & alluring art style.
< Beware: spoilers >
The three stories collected here are loosely associated so any of them could be picked up and enjoyed by itself. Together, they are a terrific trio. I only wish we were let further into the lives of the Rabbi, Abraham, his daughter Zlayba, and their sassy, sardonic talking cat (oh, snap, we are! There's a The Rabbi's Cat 2! Excellent).
As someone who enjoys metaphysical pondering, I especial...more
< Beware: spoilers >
The three stories collected here are loosely associated so any of them could be picked up and enjoyed by itself. Together, they are a terrific trio. I only wish we were let further into the lives of the Rabbi, Abraham, his daughter Zlayba, and their sassy, sardonic talking cat (oh, snap, we are! There's a The Rabbi's Cat 2! Excellent).
As someone who enjoys metaphysical pondering, I especial...more
I'm not a fan of religion as a topic, and despite the accolades this graphic novel had received, I wasn't exactly rushing to the bookstore to grab a copy. But I'm glad I did, because it really delivers on all levels. Sfar's art took a while for me to warm up to, but on every page there's something new - a detail, a sight gag, a different technique - that proves he's an illustrator at the top of his game. And the story...wow. It's poignant, charming, funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and meanin...more
Jan 03, 2011
Marfita
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
midrashists with a sense of humor
Shelves:
graphics
I read this on the strength of The Professor's Daughter that I found so charming. This was a totally different kind of story about a cat in a sephardic household in Algeria. Why it's in our library I can't imagine, but I am grateful! I may also be one of the few people in town who can fully appreciate the book. There are three stories in this volume, the first about the cat's desire for a bar mitzvah so he can return to his mistress. Once he learned to speak (after consuming a parrot that would...more
An extremely quirky graphic novel by the French comic book artist Joann Sfar. I'd never heard of this guy but supposedly he's pretty hot shit over in Europe (Wikipedia: "Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics.")
It's hard to be completely sure but I think The Rabbi's Cat takes place at the turn of the century, in Israel. As the title suggests, it follows the adventures of a rabbi and his cat, a rather scrappy fellow who has no qualms about ki...more
It's hard to be completely sure but I think The Rabbi's Cat takes place at the turn of the century, in Israel. As the title suggests, it follows the adventures of a rabbi and his cat, a rather scrappy fellow who has no qualms about ki...more
In one sense, The Rabbi's Cat seems to represent a basic interpretation of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. And in others, it light-heartedly recreates the Jewish Algeria of the 1930s. The characters of The Rabbi, The Rabbi's Daughter, and The Rabbi's Cat display multi-faceted prisms of their own personalities - and the entire story is narrated through the eyes of a seven-year-old cat.
In its original French format, The Rabbi's Cat is a series of three (out of five) comic books detailing the...more
In its original French format, The Rabbi's Cat is a series of three (out of five) comic books detailing the...more
Graphic novel about a rabbi's cat in 1930's Algeria, the cat's master (a bemused rabbi), and the cat's mistress (the rabbi's daughter, whom the cat adores). The cat eats the family parrot one night, thereby gaining the power of speech which the cat immediately puts to use to lie to the rabbi about eating the parrot. The first third of the book depicts the cat's coming to terms with his newly acquired power of speech and the chaos he has wrought in his family: The rabbi is fearful that the cat's...more
The rabbi’s cat gives us a glimpse inside the home world of an Orthodox Rabbi and his young adult daughter in Algeria in the 1930s. The cat is who we could call the “questioning” member of the family, a fact that isn’t too bothersome until one day he gains the ability to speak.
I loooove animal perspective books, and the drawing of Zbalya holding the cat on the cover was so adorable that I just had to grab this off the library shelf. I was not disappointed.
Although I think anyone could enjoy this...more
I loooove animal perspective books, and the drawing of Zbalya holding the cat on the cover was so adorable that I just had to grab this off the library shelf. I was not disappointed.
Although I think anyone could enjoy this...more
This was a truly enjoyable book! It's philosophical, funny, beautiful, and informative all at the same time.
It is the story of an Algerian rabbi, his daughter, and their intelligent cat. The cat gains the power of speech for a time and naturally talks like a total smart aleck, constantly mouthing off to everyone and questioning Jewish religious teachings. This leads to a lot of interesting discussions about life and religion. The cat is very cat-ish and the human characters are very human-like...more
It is the story of an Algerian rabbi, his daughter, and their intelligent cat. The cat gains the power of speech for a time and naturally talks like a total smart aleck, constantly mouthing off to everyone and questioning Jewish religious teachings. This leads to a lot of interesting discussions about life and religion. The cat is very cat-ish and the human characters are very human-like...more
A widowed rabbi, his cat and his daughter live in Algeria spin a story and lesson in Judaism very cleverly crafted in this graphic novel. Through the cat, who having eaten the family parrot, is imparted a miraculous ability to speak, questions and challenges to the Jewish faith are presented to the rabbi and the rabbi's rabbi. First the cat lies about eating the parrot, and then he insists on learning the Kabbalah and wants a Bar Mitzvah.
The rabbi's daughter gets married to a French rabbi and t...more
The rabbi's daughter gets married to a French rabbi and t...more
In 1930s Algeria, a Rabbi's cat eats the family parrot and starts talking. The rabbit, his daughter, and the cat, show us the Jewish and Arab communities in Algeria and Paris.
Liked: nice, evocative artwork. Good stories. Pretty strong characters
Disliked: the cursive text was hard to read
Overall: I love history of North Africa outside of wartime, and this tale of what is now a vanished Jewish community is strongly and interestingly told.
Why I read it: interested in the social and religious histo...more
Liked: nice, evocative artwork. Good stories. Pretty strong characters
Disliked: the cursive text was hard to read
Overall: I love history of North Africa outside of wartime, and this tale of what is now a vanished Jewish community is strongly and interestingly told.
Why I read it: interested in the social and religious histo...more
I enjoyed 'The Rabbi's Cat' so much that the first thing I did when I finished the book was to start all over again on the first page. There's so much to look at in my latest library loan about an Algerian rabbi in the 30's, his daughter and his cat who eats their parrot and gains the power of speech. This leads to all manner of complications, including if cats can be Jewish, and if so if they can have bar mitzvahs as well (the rabbi's rabbi thinks not).
The characters are all drawn in lifelike a...more
The characters are all drawn in lifelike a...more
(يحتوي التقرير عن حرق للقصة)
عن سيرة كليلة ودمنة، وفي قالب كوميدي لطيف، تتحدث القصة عن قطة الرابي، وهو أحد اليهود الذين يعيشون في الجزائر في مطلع القرن الماضي
على عكس الرابي الذي يؤمن باله اليهودية، القطة لا تؤمن الا بابنة الرابي التي تولت عنايتها
منذ ابتلعت القطة الببغاء، حتى اكتسبت قدرة على النطق لتبدأ محاوراتها الشيطانية لتعبث بعقل الرابي الذي كانت حياته آمنة مستقرة
القطة ذاتها لم ترتح منذ اكتسبت القدرة على النطق
القطة لديها نظرة لادينية جذورها في الحياة، لديها اراء عن كون طلابه الذين يبدون بمنظر...more
عن سيرة كليلة ودمنة، وفي قالب كوميدي لطيف، تتحدث القصة عن قطة الرابي، وهو أحد اليهود الذين يعيشون في الجزائر في مطلع القرن الماضي
على عكس الرابي الذي يؤمن باله اليهودية، القطة لا تؤمن الا بابنة الرابي التي تولت عنايتها
منذ ابتلعت القطة الببغاء، حتى اكتسبت قدرة على النطق لتبدأ محاوراتها الشيطانية لتعبث بعقل الرابي الذي كانت حياته آمنة مستقرة
القطة ذاتها لم ترتح منذ اكتسبت القدرة على النطق
القطة لديها نظرة لادينية جذورها في الحياة، لديها اراء عن كون طلابه الذين يبدون بمنظر...more
A quirky and rather famous graphic novel about an Algerian cat belonging to a Jewish family.
I enjoyed the first third or so, in which the cat gains the gift of speech and engages in Talmudic arguments with two different rabbis (partly over the question of whether a cat an have a Bar Mitzvah).
The rest trailed off, in my opinion, into murky character stuff, especially in the last third. The cat loses his power of speech. The last part, set in Paris ... I'm not sure what the point of it all was,...more
I enjoyed the first third or so, in which the cat gains the gift of speech and engages in Talmudic arguments with two different rabbis (partly over the question of whether a cat an have a Bar Mitzvah).
The rest trailed off, in my opinion, into murky character stuff, especially in the last third. The cat loses his power of speech. The last part, set in Paris ... I'm not sure what the point of it all was,...more
A graphic novel by the well-known French comic artist, who won a prestigious award for this book. The cat, whose name is not mentioned, belongs to the rabbi and his daughter who live in Algeria in the 1930’s. One day the cat swallows a parrot and suddenly he’s able to speak. He decides he wants to be educated in Jewish law and to have a Bar Mitzvah. This cute (but adult-themed) story about a smart aleck cat and the rabbi and his family acquaints us with Jewish culture as well as the other cultur...more
In this whimsical, magical realist tale set in the Sephardic Jewish community of pre-WWII Algeria, a rabbi's cat consumes his master's parrot and discovers that he has gained the gift of speech. This unexpected development changes the cat's relationship with his master and mistress (the rabbi's daughter) considerably -- soon the cat is debating the Torah with the rabbi and the rabbi's rabbi and getting into all kinds of shenanigans. Funny, thoughtful, and clever -- Sfar's shaky line drawings com...more
A beautiful, touching book that shows how every blessing comes with its downside, and every misfortune has its benefits. It is the wickedly funny story of a rabbi's daughter's cat who eats a parrot and gains the ability to talk. Everyone regrets this evolution, until he finds himself mute again.
Its commentary on France's attitude towards Algeria is biting. The rabbi, who lives in an Arab speaking population and speaks Hebrew at the synagogue, is required to pass a French dictation test in order...more
Its commentary on France's attitude towards Algeria is biting. The rabbi, who lives in an Arab speaking population and speaks Hebrew at the synagogue, is required to pass a French dictation test in order...more
Sep 30, 2011
Federiken Masters
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Los mismos.
Recommended to Federiken by:
Lo mismo
Leído de la edición española en tres tomos. Por eso les escribí por separado una reseña al #1, al #2 y al #3. Le pongo tres estrellitas porque matemáticamente da eso, aunque quizás en conjunto le debería sumar una por una cuestión de sinergia (y si este tomo incluyera el #4 seguro que lo haría. Pero ya saben cómo soy de amarrete, hata que lo relea y rerreseñe y blablablá...
A wonderful, meandering read that doesn't quite stop meandering by the end, sadly. Nevertheless, the rest of the book is a platter of fine writing and cartooning. Utilitarian, unwavering 6-panel layouts stabilize sometimes wild but always affecting and endearing linework. I know little about French comics, but the obvious point of comparison from an American standpoint is Marjane Satrapi. Both she and Sfar are expats from predominantly Islamic countries who've adopted France and French cartooni...more
Aug 26, 2012
Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore
added it
A most high-art and imaginative illustrator-storyteller, with in this case a lot of amazing theology, and humanity that comes through with great compassion. I found this book in Switzerland, and am now a Sfar fan, recently getting the second volume that's been translated into English (his French original is a bit too colloquial for me to follow well) as well as his Petit Prince version with Saint-Exupéry as a character as well, and his first volume of Klezmer. All simply amazing! He's also done...more
While it was one story, really it could be split up into the vignettes and I think reading any one would be interesting...although following from the beginning gives context. It felt, to me, like the book just ended, like there was no overarching story goal and so there was no real 'ah it's done'. Yet, maybe I need to read it again to pick up subtle pieces. So why the four stars? I like that the cat is the narrator and we kind of see things from his eyes. I can relate to living in a strict relig...more
A thoroughly charming, compelling, and amusing graphic novel that explores the nature of being Jewish, mainly from the cat's observations and sometimes its perspective. It is set in Algeria and Paris, has a cat that talks briefly, a little romance, rebelling against orthodox Judaism and rebelling into orthodoxy. I've read a variety of various approaches in graphic novels to reveal culture and/or religion, (such as Hereville, Habibi, Jerusalem), and this unique and gentle approach is lovely and a...more
If you have an interest in graphic novels, I'd suggest you skip reading any reviews and simply locate this book and plunge in. Part of the fun of reading this comes from figuring out time and place and from finding out things about the characters. Every Goodreads review I glanced at gave away much of that.
What I'll say is this: There's a good deal of cultural atmosphere in the story, much of it related to Judaism, and there's a lot of fun in the plot developments as well as in the graphical styl...more
What I'll say is this: There's a good deal of cultural atmosphere in the story, much of it related to Judaism, and there's a lot of fun in the plot developments as well as in the graphical styl...more
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Joann Sfar (born August 28, 1971 in Nice) is a French comics artist, comic book creator, and film director.
Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu and six other artists. He also worked together with many of the new movement's main artists, e.g....more
More about Joann Sfar...
Sfar is considered one of the most important artists of the new wave of Franco-Belgian comics. Many of his comics were published by L'Association which was founded in 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu and six other artists. He also worked together with many of the new movement's main artists, e.g....more
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“You've been the rabbi here for thirty years and these guys who've never set foot here want to decide who should be rabbi or not. And to lead prayer in Hebrew for Jews who speak Arabic, they want you to write in French. So I say they're nuts.”
—
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