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Cats' A-Z
Cats' X. Y. Z., and companion volume, Beverley Nichols' Cats' A. B. C. shrink-wrapped together as a gift set.
Hardcover
First published August 1, 2003
About the author
Beverley Nichols
100 books149 followersJohn Beverley Nichols (born September 9, 1898 in Bower Ashton, Bristol, died September 15, 1983 in Kingston, London), was an English writer, playwright, actor, novelist and composer. He went to school at Marlborough College, and went to Balliol College, Oxford University, and was President of the Oxford Union and editor of Isis.
Between his first novel, Prelude, published in 1920, and Twilight in 1982, he wrote more than 60 books and plays on topics such as travel, politics, religion, cats, novels, mysteries, and children's stories, authoring six novels, five detective mysteries, four children's stories, six plays, and no fewer than six autobiographies.
Nichols is perhaps best remembered as a writer for Woman's Own and for his gardening books, the first of which Down the Garden Path, was illustrated — as were many of his books — by Rex Whistler. This bestseller — which has had 32 editions and has been in print almost continuously since 1932 — was the first of his trilogy about Allways, his Tudor thatched cottage in Glatton, Cambridgeshire. A later trilogy written between 1951 and 1956 documents his travails renovating Merry Hall (Meadowstream), a Georgian manor house in Agates Lane, Ashtead, Surrey, where Nichols lived from 1946 to 1956. These books often feature his gifted but laconic gardener "Oldfield". Nichols's final trilogy is referred to as "The Sudbrook Trilogy" (1963–1969) and concerns his late 18th-century attached cottage at Ham, (near Richmond), Surrey.
Nichols was a prolific author who wrote on a wide range of topics. He ghostwrote Dame Nellie Melba’s "autobiography" Memories and Melodies (1925), and in 1966 he wrote A Case of Human Bondage about the marriage and divorce of William Somerset Maugham and Gwendoline Maud Syrie Barnardo, which was highly critical of Maugham. Father Figure, which appeared in 1972 and in which he described how he had tried to murder his alcoholic and abusive father, caused a great uproar and several people asked for his prosecution. His autobiographies usually feature Arthur R. Gaskin who was Nichols’ manservant from 1924 until Gaskin's death from cirrhosis in 1966. Nichols made one appearance on film - in 1931 he appeared in Glamour, directed by Seymour Hicks and Harry Hughes, playing the part of the Hon. Richard Wells.
Nichols' long-term partner was Cyril Butcher. He died in 1983 from complications after a fall.
Between his first novel, Prelude, published in 1920, and Twilight in 1982, he wrote more than 60 books and plays on topics such as travel, politics, religion, cats, novels, mysteries, and children's stories, authoring six novels, five detective mysteries, four children's stories, six plays, and no fewer than six autobiographies.
Nichols is perhaps best remembered as a writer for Woman's Own and for his gardening books, the first of which Down the Garden Path, was illustrated — as were many of his books — by Rex Whistler. This bestseller — which has had 32 editions and has been in print almost continuously since 1932 — was the first of his trilogy about Allways, his Tudor thatched cottage in Glatton, Cambridgeshire. A later trilogy written between 1951 and 1956 documents his travails renovating Merry Hall (Meadowstream), a Georgian manor house in Agates Lane, Ashtead, Surrey, where Nichols lived from 1946 to 1956. These books often feature his gifted but laconic gardener "Oldfield". Nichols's final trilogy is referred to as "The Sudbrook Trilogy" (1963–1969) and concerns his late 18th-century attached cottage at Ham, (near Richmond), Surrey.
Nichols was a prolific author who wrote on a wide range of topics. He ghostwrote Dame Nellie Melba’s "autobiography" Memories and Melodies (1925), and in 1966 he wrote A Case of Human Bondage about the marriage and divorce of William Somerset Maugham and Gwendoline Maud Syrie Barnardo, which was highly critical of Maugham. Father Figure, which appeared in 1972 and in which he described how he had tried to murder his alcoholic and abusive father, caused a great uproar and several people asked for his prosecution. His autobiographies usually feature Arthur R. Gaskin who was Nichols’ manservant from 1924 until Gaskin's death from cirrhosis in 1966. Nichols made one appearance on film - in 1931 he appeared in Glamour, directed by Seymour Hicks and Harry Hughes, playing the part of the Hon. Richard Wells.
Nichols' long-term partner was Cyril Butcher. He died in 1983 from complications after a fall.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 14, 2018
I read a couple of chapters a day of this, which was about the right amount for enjoyment, as it really is just a collection of musings about cats and stuff. It's touching in parts, amusing in others, and always leisurely in tone.
March 4, 2021
Upon discovering Beverley Nichols I spent a small fortune on a heap of his books, this one included. I haven’t read Cats A. B. C. yet because my mother is still in possession. While I am not exactly a cat lady, much more a pooch lady, I very much swoon to enter Beverley Nichols’ world not wishing to miss anything, even his love for felines no less. His regaling of three precious pussies certainly did not disappoint as there existed the fringe benefits of passages brimful of Beverley Nichols charm amidst his delightful feline play by plays. Although I was happy to finish the book, I am even happier to have not missed the sheer enchantment which the beginning of the book does not fail to provide. Throughout the rest I definitely encountered artistic literary morsels however the beginning was my most favourite along with charming charcoaled sketchery.
Enchantment from the book:
p.20
“This would be intolerable, for nothing, surely, is more delightful than sitting down at the piano on a summer day, and playing Chopin or Debussy while the natural sunlight drifts over one’s shoulders through the vines outside, creating a filigree of shadow on the printed page . . . a shifting pattern of ghostly leaf and blossom that dances to the mood of the music.”
p.22
“So we must go back to the music room, into which the light is now flooding, after the decease of the copper beech, flooding and streaming in aqueous ripples of light that flicker round the fireplace and over the keys of the piano.”
p.103
“We still have not answered the question of what cats actually see. I would give a great deal to know; cats’ eyes are among the most beautiful and mysterious jewels of the animal kingdom, and if we could only look through them, though but for a few seconds, we should have a vision of another world.”
Enchantment from the book:
p.20
“This would be intolerable, for nothing, surely, is more delightful than sitting down at the piano on a summer day, and playing Chopin or Debussy while the natural sunlight drifts over one’s shoulders through the vines outside, creating a filigree of shadow on the printed page . . . a shifting pattern of ghostly leaf and blossom that dances to the mood of the music.”
p.22
“So we must go back to the music room, into which the light is now flooding, after the decease of the copper beech, flooding and streaming in aqueous ripples of light that flicker round the fireplace and over the keys of the piano.”
p.103
“We still have not answered the question of what cats actually see. I would give a great deal to know; cats’ eyes are among the most beautiful and mysterious jewels of the animal kingdom, and if we could only look through them, though but for a few seconds, we should have a vision of another world.”
December 17, 2017
I'm an "F" person (basically feline by nature) so naturally I adored this book. Nicols considers cats,
Nicols reminded me of the first time I realized that cats make eye contact with us. They look into our soul whereas I've never had that feeling with other animals (except a gorilla at a zoo once). Nicols also reminds me of the time I wondered why do cats use a litter box, while apes need to wear diapers. Why is that?
Not to forget to mention, this book was gorgeously illustrated by Derrick Sayer.
Chapter Q for "Quiz" was a lot of fun (to find out how much of an "F" person one is). The last chapter "XYZ" which is a letter he wrote to his cats, is the most heart-wrenching work that I have ever read.
"the most elegant and the most mysterious of God's creatures. The more intimately one seems to know them, the less predictable their behaviour".If you don't agree, then perhaps this book is not for you.
Nicols reminded me of the first time I realized that cats make eye contact with us. They look into our soul whereas I've never had that feeling with other animals (except a gorilla at a zoo once). Nicols also reminds me of the time I wondered why do cats use a litter box, while apes need to wear diapers. Why is that?
Not to forget to mention, this book was gorgeously illustrated by Derrick Sayer.
Chapter Q for "Quiz" was a lot of fun (to find out how much of an "F" person one is). The last chapter "XYZ" which is a letter he wrote to his cats, is the most heart-wrenching work that I have ever read.
August 9, 2017
Not as enjoyable as the first volume (and I can't believe it took me two months to read!) but still a sweet collection of reflections and observations about life with cats. Nichols's closing love letter to his three cats was particularly poignant.
September 3, 2023
Only a non-F would give this book 3 stars or less.
~The author, probably
~The author, probably
May 19, 2011
I'm a fan of Nichols' garden writing. This is less good. It's clearly a book written by a man deeply in love with all things feline, but it tips over into the precious and the twee with depressing regularity. I can't recommend it.
August 19, 2017
love his writing, funny, sweet, sharp wittied so wish I had thought to name my many animals over the years from the alphabet! hahaha
March 13, 2012
As a certified cat lady, I can heartily recommend Nichols' cat books. He knows - and loves - what he's talking about
July 17, 2014
Rating Clarification: 4.5 Stars
May 27, 2016
Pleasing little book written by an author who clearly understands cats. To all cat lovers, such as myself, it is an easily identifiable subject matter.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews