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Six lives of Fankle the cat
Jenny, a lonely Orkney island girl, saves a beautiful black kitten that shares her life and, talking only to her, recounts adventures from its own earlier lives.
120 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1980
About the author
George Mackay Brown
184 books100 followersGeorge Mackay Brown, the poet, novelist and dramatist, spent his life living in and documenting the Orkney Isles.
A bout of severe measles at the age of 12 became the basis for recurring health problems throughout his life. Uncertain as to his future, he remained in education until 1940, a year which brought with it a growing reality of the war, and the unexpected death of his father. The following year he was diagnosed with (then incurable) Pulmonary Tuberculosis and spent six months in hospital in Kirkwall, Orkney's main town.
Around this time, he began writing poetry, and also prose for the Orkney Herald for which he became Stromness Correspondent, reporting events such as the switching on of the electricity grid in 1947. In 1950 he met the poet Edwin Muir, a fellow Orcadian, who recognised Mackay Brown's talent for writing, and would become his literary tutor and mentor at Newbattle Abbey College, in Midlothian, which he attended in 1951-2. Recurring TB forced Mackay Brown to spend the following year in hospital, but his experience at Newbattle spurred him to apply to Edinburgh University, to read English Literature, returning to do post-graduate work on Gerard Manley Hopkins.
In later life Mackay Brown rarely left Orkney. He turned to writing full-time, publishing his first collection of poetry, The Storm, in 1954. His writing explored life on Orkney, and the history and traditions which make up Orkney's distinct cultural identity. Many of his works are concerned with protecting Orkney's cultural heritage from the relentless march of progress and the loss of myth and archaic ritual in the modern world. Reflecting this, his best known work is Greenvoe (1972), in which the permanence of island life is threatened by 'Black Star', a mysterious nuclear development.
Mackay Brown's literary reputation grew steadily. He received an OBE in 1974 and was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1977, in addition to gaining several honorary degrees. His final novel, Beside the Ocean of Time (1994) was Booker Prize shortlisted and judged Scottish Book of the Year by the Saltire Society. Mackay Brown died in his home town of Stromness on 13th April 1996.
He produced several poetry collections, five novels, eight collections of short stories and two poem-plays, as well as non-fiction portraits of Orkney, an autobiography, For the Islands I Sing (1997), and published journalism.
Read more at:
http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org....
A bout of severe measles at the age of 12 became the basis for recurring health problems throughout his life. Uncertain as to his future, he remained in education until 1940, a year which brought with it a growing reality of the war, and the unexpected death of his father. The following year he was diagnosed with (then incurable) Pulmonary Tuberculosis and spent six months in hospital in Kirkwall, Orkney's main town.
Around this time, he began writing poetry, and also prose for the Orkney Herald for which he became Stromness Correspondent, reporting events such as the switching on of the electricity grid in 1947. In 1950 he met the poet Edwin Muir, a fellow Orcadian, who recognised Mackay Brown's talent for writing, and would become his literary tutor and mentor at Newbattle Abbey College, in Midlothian, which he attended in 1951-2. Recurring TB forced Mackay Brown to spend the following year in hospital, but his experience at Newbattle spurred him to apply to Edinburgh University, to read English Literature, returning to do post-graduate work on Gerard Manley Hopkins.
In later life Mackay Brown rarely left Orkney. He turned to writing full-time, publishing his first collection of poetry, The Storm, in 1954. His writing explored life on Orkney, and the history and traditions which make up Orkney's distinct cultural identity. Many of his works are concerned with protecting Orkney's cultural heritage from the relentless march of progress and the loss of myth and archaic ritual in the modern world. Reflecting this, his best known work is Greenvoe (1972), in which the permanence of island life is threatened by 'Black Star', a mysterious nuclear development.
Mackay Brown's literary reputation grew steadily. He received an OBE in 1974 and was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1977, in addition to gaining several honorary degrees. His final novel, Beside the Ocean of Time (1994) was Booker Prize shortlisted and judged Scottish Book of the Year by the Saltire Society. Mackay Brown died in his home town of Stromness on 13th April 1996.
He produced several poetry collections, five novels, eight collections of short stories and two poem-plays, as well as non-fiction portraits of Orkney, an autobiography, For the Islands I Sing (1997), and published journalism.
Read more at:
http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org....
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 17, 2021
ENGLISH: In this little book, the nine lives of a cat are supposed to make a kind of cat reincarnation, where the cat does remember from three of its previous lives: among pirates, in the ancient Egypt, and in modern Imperial China. Adding its current life, when it is telling these stories, four lives of the cat are told about. What about the other two, mentioned in the title and by one character in the last chapter? Perhaps we'll never know.
The cat tells stories of its previous lives to its owner, an imaginative little girl called Jenny who lives in a little island in Orkney. We are left with the feeling that in fact it wasn't the cat who told the stories, but the girl herself who invented them.
When the cat tells its Chinese story, the Empress, prompted by her cat, says something to which I take exception: ...in the end... all the world will be one. Think of the richness and happiness and peace then, when all the diverse cultures of the world meet and mingle! This is a naive view of a possible world government, which I find extremely dangerous, as I have explained in this post in my blog: https://populscience.blogspot.com/202...
ESPAÑOL: En este librito, se supone que las nueve vidas de un gato componen una especie de reencarnación felina, en las que el gato sí recuerda sus vidas anteriores: entre piratas, en el antiguo Egipto, y en la China imperial moderna. Añadiendo su vida actual, durante la cual cuenta estas historias, se habla de cuatro vidas del gato. ¿Qué pasa con las otros dos, mencionadas en el título y por un personaje en el último capítulo? Quizá nunca lo sepamos.
El gato le cuenta historias de sus vidas anteriores a su ama, una niña imaginativa llamada Jenny que vive en una pequeña isla en las Orcadas. Nos queda la sensación de que en realidad no fue el gato el que contó las historias, sino la propia niña quien las inventó.
Cuando el gato cuenta su historia en China, la Emperatriz, impulsada por su gato, dice algo que no me parece correcto: ...al final... todo el mundo se unirá. ¡Piensa en la riqueza, la felicidad y la paz que habrá entonces, cuando las diversas culturas del mundo se encuentren y se mezclen! Esta es una idea ingenua sobre un posible gobierno mundial, que me parece extremadamente peligrosa, como expliqué en este artículo de mi blog: https://divulciencia.blogspot.com/202...
The cat tells stories of its previous lives to its owner, an imaginative little girl called Jenny who lives in a little island in Orkney. We are left with the feeling that in fact it wasn't the cat who told the stories, but the girl herself who invented them.
When the cat tells its Chinese story, the Empress, prompted by her cat, says something to which I take exception: ...in the end... all the world will be one. Think of the richness and happiness and peace then, when all the diverse cultures of the world meet and mingle! This is a naive view of a possible world government, which I find extremely dangerous, as I have explained in this post in my blog: https://populscience.blogspot.com/202...
ESPAÑOL: En este librito, se supone que las nueve vidas de un gato componen una especie de reencarnación felina, en las que el gato sí recuerda sus vidas anteriores: entre piratas, en el antiguo Egipto, y en la China imperial moderna. Añadiendo su vida actual, durante la cual cuenta estas historias, se habla de cuatro vidas del gato. ¿Qué pasa con las otros dos, mencionadas en el título y por un personaje en el último capítulo? Quizá nunca lo sepamos.
El gato le cuenta historias de sus vidas anteriores a su ama, una niña imaginativa llamada Jenny que vive en una pequeña isla en las Orcadas. Nos queda la sensación de que en realidad no fue el gato el que contó las historias, sino la propia niña quien las inventó.
Cuando el gato cuenta su historia en China, la Emperatriz, impulsada por su gato, dice algo que no me parece correcto: ...al final... todo el mundo se unirá. ¡Piensa en la riqueza, la felicidad y la paz que habrá entonces, cuando las diversas culturas del mundo se encuentren y se mezclen! Esta es una idea ingenua sobre un posible gobierno mundial, que me parece extremadamente peligrosa, como expliqué en este artículo de mi blog: https://divulciencia.blogspot.com/202...
December 26, 2018
Two books in a row about black cats.
Guess I'm never gonna look at a black cat the same way again. :)
Guess I'm never gonna look at a black cat the same way again. :)
February 10, 2026
The cutest little bedtime read ♥️
June 4, 2019
Adding to my "cats in literature"collection.
October 1, 2013
This children's book was is the holiday home I spent a week in. It is classed as eight plus read and I was surprised at how brutal the stories are. Set in Orkney, a little girl adopts a cat who can speak and he tells her all about the other lives he has lead, no details spared!. The last chapter was a big surprise, it was a parable about the environmental damage humans do to the earth. Excellent writing from GMB as always.
September 15, 2023
Still one of my favorite books even though it's meant to be a children's book.
September 13, 2025
I needed a book set somewhere I wanted to visit for a reading challenge. I happened to see an advert for a cruise around the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and it reminded me that the Orkneys was somewhere I'd always wanted to visit. I had a look for a book set there and this one rather appealed. It seemed as though it was written from a cat's point of view which I thought would make for interesting read. It was a fun little book and didn't take long to get through at all. Most of the chapters alternate between Fankle's adventures and the general lives of the islanders. Fankle's adventures are taken from one of his nine lives - in this book, Fankle says that when he dies, he is reborn into another one of those nine lives which is an interesting way of looking at it. There are 5 different lives covered with the sixth one being the one he is currently living. The lives of the islanders are fun, if a little dated. I was very surprised by the way the book ended, I didn't see that coming at all.
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July 20, 2022This is such a sweet book for adults and children alike. I can just imagine being curled up under the duvet together and reading it at bedtime. Its a short read, that can be easily finished in a few days – a week, making it perfect too pop in your pocket and take away with you.
The author’s sense of humour and storytelling prowess are unparalleled, with beautifully precise and lyrical prose. A very imaginative storyteller!
For me, the most delightful story was the last chapter, when Fankle is long dead and Jenny is a grandmother. Her three grandchildren come to spend a holiday with her, and she reveals to them Fankle’s final tale about his life on the moon. This tale touches on some surprising topics: the environment, social issues, and the nature of Man, but it does it all with humour and in a way that everyone can understand.
The author’s sense of humour and storytelling prowess are unparalleled, with beautifully precise and lyrical prose. A very imaginative storyteller!
For me, the most delightful story was the last chapter, when Fankle is long dead and Jenny is a grandmother. Her three grandchildren come to spend a holiday with her, and she reveals to them Fankle’s final tale about his life on the moon. This tale touches on some surprising topics: the environment, social issues, and the nature of Man, but it does it all with humour and in a way that everyone can understand.
August 21, 2017
This is a book for both adults and children. The book is divided in chapters between the lives of Fankle and the lives of Orcadians. I really enjoyed the stories about the islanders, for I always felt in a good mood at the end of each chapter about them. The stories about Fankle felt more oriented to entertain children –well, it is a children's book, after all. I was not thrilled about the last chapter, because it felt as if it belonged to a different book for more mature children. However, I guess it is never too early to start making our children conscious about the consequences of our actions if we don't take care of our planet.
July 9, 2017
This book had me in stitches and in tears. It is a delightful story about a girl and her cat, living on Orkney. The author's sense of humor and storytelling prowess are unparalleled. I am looking forward to reading his poetry next.
December 1, 2022
Very pre-feminist and pre-awareness of colonialism/exoticism, but endearing in other ways. The various 'children's' stories are very cleverly written and show amazing knowledge of how children write. He has less knowledge about the countryside.
October 9, 2017
Its cute and very nice that a lttle girl gets a cute little kitten thanks to a nice boy. (L, aged 6)
May 17, 2018
Beautifully precise, lyrical prose from an imaginative storyteller.
It may be a kids book but I loved it.
It may be a kids book but I loved it.
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August 28, 2019I loved this book as a child.
January 24, 2021
This book has many charming stories, as well as a clear moral at the end.
May 7, 2021
I liked this very much.
August 23, 2021
Just read this as a grown up. Such a fab book for adults too and will read to my children in due course!
July 31, 2023
A bizarre, sweet little story for anyone who loves cats, and especially anyone else who loves the tiny islands of Orkney.
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January 13, 2024هارپر
June 12, 2024
نمره ۲.۵
داستان های تخیل یک دختربچه که گربه ای به اسم فنکل دارد
نثر روان و ساده ای داره که برای بچههای ۸ ۹ ساله جذاب هست
داستانها از هیچ منطقی پیروی نمیکنند و زاده تخیل تمام هستند
داستان های تخیل یک دختربچه که گربه ای به اسم فنکل دارد
نثر روان و ساده ای داره که برای بچههای ۸ ۹ ساله جذاب هست
داستانها از هیچ منطقی پیروی نمیکنند و زاده تخیل تمام هستند
June 21, 2025
در وضعیت جنگی خوندم و حالم رو برای مدتی بهتر کرد. داستان ساده، حالخوبکن و شیرینه.
December 7, 2012
This is an unusual book. It is intended for children, maybe around 11-12 years, but it touches on some pretty heavy topics.
It starts out quite simply as a charming tale of 11-year old Jenny, who finds and takes home a kitten. She and the kitten encounter typical kid/kitten struggles: a mother who is allergic and doesn't want a cat in, or anywhere near the house, etc.
The interest deepens when the cat begins to talk. Turns out Fankle (his name means "trouble") has had five previous and extremely exciting lives — on a pirate's ship, in China, even the moon. I began to wonder about how appropriate the book is for kids with the pirate ship tale. Here we have Mustacio, a pirate captain who murders his way to incredible wealth and power, then surrounds himself with gorgeous women and leads a life of debauchery. Hmm, I thought. Really? In a kids book?
Appropriate or not, each of Fankle's lives is a fairy tale in its own right — probably more in the tradition of those old-time fairy tales, in which violence so often factors.
For me, the real charm and interest comes in the last chapter, when Fankle is long dead and Jenny is a grandmother. Her three grandchildren come to spend a holiday with her, and she reveals to them Fankle's final tale about his life on the moon. This tale touches on some surprising topics: the degradation of the environment, social issues, and the nature of Man. And it does all this with humor.
To make the book even more interesting, it takes place on an island in Orkney, Scotland, which is why I read it in the first place (I'm researching everything Orkney for a novel I'm writing). Jenny and Fankle's interactions with the island's inhabitants paint a colorful picture of island life.
It starts out quite simply as a charming tale of 11-year old Jenny, who finds and takes home a kitten. She and the kitten encounter typical kid/kitten struggles: a mother who is allergic and doesn't want a cat in, or anywhere near the house, etc.
The interest deepens when the cat begins to talk. Turns out Fankle (his name means "trouble") has had five previous and extremely exciting lives — on a pirate's ship, in China, even the moon. I began to wonder about how appropriate the book is for kids with the pirate ship tale. Here we have Mustacio, a pirate captain who murders his way to incredible wealth and power, then surrounds himself with gorgeous women and leads a life of debauchery. Hmm, I thought. Really? In a kids book?
Appropriate or not, each of Fankle's lives is a fairy tale in its own right — probably more in the tradition of those old-time fairy tales, in which violence so often factors.
For me, the real charm and interest comes in the last chapter, when Fankle is long dead and Jenny is a grandmother. Her three grandchildren come to spend a holiday with her, and she reveals to them Fankle's final tale about his life on the moon. This tale touches on some surprising topics: the degradation of the environment, social issues, and the nature of Man. And it does all this with humor.
To make the book even more interesting, it takes place on an island in Orkney, Scotland, which is why I read it in the first place (I'm researching everything Orkney for a novel I'm writing). Jenny and Fankle's interactions with the island's inhabitants paint a colorful picture of island life.
February 10, 2017
I liked the stories of the lives of Fankle. My favourite story is the moon animals.
I didn't like the sexist bit.
I didn't like the sexist bit.
February 8, 2017
It's a children's story, about a black cat, with pictures. Of course I think it's good. Perfect for kids of all ages.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews