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A Cat's Life
Tiffauges, a black and white cat, is the narrator of this highly original autobiography. Abel, his owner, is a writer struggling to produce the definitive novel. Together, they divide their time between a flat in Paris and a house in the South of France. Tiffauges' perceptive observations of the everyday life of his companion, not to mention his own close involvement with the biped, result in this unusual commentary on the world. Tiffauges acquires two wives, both brought home by Abel: Tiffany, a rebel, and Tityre, a beautiful vamp. His union with these ladies can have no issue. Tityre, however, does produce kittens…by another.
182 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
5 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Yves Navarre
50 books8 followersYves Navarre (September 24, 1940 – January 24, 1994) was a French writer. A gay man, most of his work concerned homosexuality and associated issues, such as AIDS. In his romantic works, Navarre was noted for his tendency to emphasize sensuality and "the mystical qualities of love" rather than sexuality or sensationalism. He was awarded the 1980 Prix Goncourt for his novel Le Jardin d'acclimatation.
He studied Spanish, English, and French literature at the University of Lille, earning degrees in 1961 and 1964. The following year, he studied at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales du Nord. He then worked for an ad agency as a creative writer.
He began submitting works to publishers in 1958, although it was not until 1971 that his first novel, Lady Black, was published. This was followed in 1973 by Les Loukoums, which tells the story of a malady afflicting a group of New Yorkers. A string of novels followed, often – as in Le Petit Galopin de nos corps, 1977 and Portrait de Julien devant la fenêtre, 1979 – about love affairs between two male characters. He also wrote works of drama, such as Il pleut : si on tuait papa-maman, La Guerre des piscines, and Les Dernières clientes.
For Le Jardin d'acclimatation, the story of a young well-born man imprisoned and lobotomized for his homosexuality, Navarre was awarded the Prix Goncourt in 1980. He became François Mitterrand's main advocate in the gay community during the 1981 and 1988 elections, although as a novelist and not a politician, he felt misunderstood and ineffective in the role.
In 1984, Navarre suffered a stroke. He did not publish any more works until 1986.
Between 1990 and 1993 he lived in Montreal, Quebec. His 1992 novel Ce sont amis que vent emporte tells the story of a sculptor, Roch, in a relationship with a dancer, David. The novel recounts their struggle against AIDS. After his return to France, he developed depression and committed suicide with barbiturates on January 24, 1994.
For a particularly moving obituary, please see http://www.independent.co.uk/news/peo...
He studied Spanish, English, and French literature at the University of Lille, earning degrees in 1961 and 1964. The following year, he studied at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales du Nord. He then worked for an ad agency as a creative writer.
He began submitting works to publishers in 1958, although it was not until 1971 that his first novel, Lady Black, was published. This was followed in 1973 by Les Loukoums, which tells the story of a malady afflicting a group of New Yorkers. A string of novels followed, often – as in Le Petit Galopin de nos corps, 1977 and Portrait de Julien devant la fenêtre, 1979 – about love affairs between two male characters. He also wrote works of drama, such as Il pleut : si on tuait papa-maman, La Guerre des piscines, and Les Dernières clientes.
For Le Jardin d'acclimatation, the story of a young well-born man imprisoned and lobotomized for his homosexuality, Navarre was awarded the Prix Goncourt in 1980. He became François Mitterrand's main advocate in the gay community during the 1981 and 1988 elections, although as a novelist and not a politician, he felt misunderstood and ineffective in the role.
In 1984, Navarre suffered a stroke. He did not publish any more works until 1986.
Between 1990 and 1993 he lived in Montreal, Quebec. His 1992 novel Ce sont amis que vent emporte tells the story of a sculptor, Roch, in a relationship with a dancer, David. The novel recounts their struggle against AIDS. After his return to France, he developed depression and committed suicide with barbiturates on January 24, 1994.
For a particularly moving obituary, please see http://www.independent.co.uk/news/peo...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 7, 2015
This short book is a charming allegorical autobiography of gay French author Yves Navarre told from the perspective of his cat. Published in 1986, two years after the author had a serious stoke, it records the creation of his early gay-themed novels and sketchily recounts his many sexual encounters. One of these infected him with HIV, an event fleetingly mentioned by the cat, almost to be missed if the reader is not careful.
The use of a cat to narrate Navarre's life provides an emotional distance from what are clearly painful memories: difficulties finishing novels, struggles to get published, failure at meaningful relationships, debilitating loneliness, the death of his parents, medical crisis. At first, this stategy is awkward but the reader begins to view Navarre's life through the cat's eyes and a weird, unexpected transformation occurs, as if you were that cat in the apartment.
Navarre published many more works—most, unfortunately, not translated into English—until his death by suicide in 1994 at the age of 53.
The use of a cat to narrate Navarre's life provides an emotional distance from what are clearly painful memories: difficulties finishing novels, struggles to get published, failure at meaningful relationships, debilitating loneliness, the death of his parents, medical crisis. At first, this stategy is awkward but the reader begins to view Navarre's life through the cat's eyes and a weird, unexpected transformation occurs, as if you were that cat in the apartment.
Navarre published many more works—most, unfortunately, not translated into English—until his death by suicide in 1994 at the age of 53.
August 19, 2023
Un bon roman, je comprends qu'il ait reçu certains prix. Très intéressant d'avoir le point de vue d'un chat comme narrateur, la mécanique est très sympa pour du biographie/semi biographique.
Petit point négatif sur la personnification très poussée du chat en question, surtout vis a vis de ses rapport avec ses congénères.
Petit point négatif sur la personnification très poussée du chat en question, surtout vis a vis de ses rapport avec ses congénères.
April 7, 2025
"Autobiographie" de l'auteur à travers les yeux de son chat. C'est un prétexte .Je découvre un écrivain tourmenté, triste mal adapté à ce monde( d'ailleurs il en mourra).ton vif et incisif, acerbe. Il se moque de l'hypocrisie des relations humaines, ou il dérange.
Il faut être amoureux des chats pour plonger a fond dans ce livre .
Je l'ai fini boulversée, en larmes, j'ai d'ailleurs pleuré a plusieurs reprises dans ce livre.
En constant la moyenne de la note laissée, je réalise vraiment qu'il était mal compris.
Je vais lire d'autres livres de cet auteur sensible.
Il faut être amoureux des chats pour plonger a fond dans ce livre .
Je l'ai fini boulversée, en larmes, j'ai d'ailleurs pleuré a plusieurs reprises dans ce livre.
En constant la moyenne de la note laissée, je réalise vraiment qu'il était mal compris.
Je vais lire d'autres livres de cet auteur sensible.
November 29, 2010
Interesting concept. But there was something about it I could not like.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews