/lit/ - Literature

the cat inside by w.s. burroughs

Felidae bu Akif Perincci (sp?)

It's a detective story. About cats. It's better than it sounds.

T.S. Eliot did the one about cats.

>>2537591
This, Ozo from No Longer Human recommends it to his cousing, it must be good.

I didn't expect to get any responses. Thanks, guys.

Straw Dogs by John Gray.

It's not specifically about cats, but about man's relation with animals. It's pretty thought-provoking.

not as good as you'd hope

behemoth in master and margarita is the most fun

there's that one part of that poem by Christopher Smart where he talks about his cat

http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poems/jubilate-agno

The most famous cat in English verse, in two parts:

For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.
For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer.
For he rolls upon prank to work it in.
For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself.
For this he performs in ten degrees.
For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean.
For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there.
For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended.
For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood.
For fifthly he washes himself.
For sixthly he rolls upon wash.
For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat.
For eighthly he rubs himself against a post.
For ninthly he looks up for his instructions.
For tenthly he goes in quest of food.
For having consider'd God and himself he will consider his neighbour.
For if he meets another cat he will kiss her in kindness.
For when he takes his prey he plays with it to give it a chance.
For one mouse in seven escapes by his dallying.
For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.
For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against the adversary.

Alice in Wonderland

[...cont]

For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin and glaring eyes.
For he counteracts the Devil, who is death, by brisking about the life.
For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him.
For he is of the tribe of Tiger.
For the Cherub Cat is a term of the Angel Tiger.
For he has the subtlety and hissing of a serpent, which in goodness he suppresses.
For he will not do destruction, if he is well-fed, neither will he spit without provocation.
For he purrs in thankfulness, when God tells him he's a good Cat.
For he is an instrument for the children to learn benevolence upon.
For every house is incomplete without him and a blessing is lacking in the spirit.
For the Lord commanded Moses concerning the cats at the departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt.
For every family had one cat at least in the bag.
For the English Cats are the best in Europe.
For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped.
For the dexterity of his defence is an instance of the love of God to him exceedingly.
For he is the quickest to his mark of any creature.
For he is tenacious of his point.
For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.
For he knows that God is his Saviour.

[...cont again]

For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest.
For there is nothing brisker than his life when in motion.
For he is of the Lord's poor and so indeed is he called by benevolence perpetually--Poor Jeoffry! poor Jeoffry! the rat has bit thy throat.
For I bless the name of the Lord Jesus that Jeoffry is better.
For the divine spirit comes about his body to sustain it in complete cat.
For his tongue is exceeding pure so that it has in purity what it wants in music.
For he is docile and can learn certain things.
For he can set up with gravity which is patience upon approbation.
For he can fetch and carry, which is patience in employment.
For he can jump over a stick which is patience upon proof positive.
For he can spraggle upon waggle at the word of command.
For he can jump from an eminence into his master's bosom.
For he can catch the cork and toss it again.
For he is hated by the hypocrite and miser.
For the former is afraid of detection.
For the latter refuses the charge.
For he camels his back to bear the first notion of business.
For he is good to think on, if a man would express himself neatly.
For he made a great figure in Egypt for his signal services.
For he killed the Ichneumon-rat very pernicious by land.
For his ears are so acute that they sting again.
For from this proceeds the passing quickness of his attention.
For by stroking of him I have found out electricity.
For I perceived God's light about him both wax and fire.
For the Electrical fire is the spiritual substance, which God sends from heaven to sustain the bodies both of man and beast.
For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements.
For, tho he cannot fly, he is an excellent clamberer.
For his motions upon the face of the earth are more than any other quadruped.
For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.
For he can swim for life.
For he can creep.

Christopher Smart

>>2537623
>>2537622
>>2537620
That was pretty good.

>For one mouse in seven escapes by his dallying.

pic related

>For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.

mfw Smart pre-empted internet memes in 1759

>For he can fetch and carry, which is patience in employment.

Mfw he didn't realise that Jeoffry was a dog because of drugs.

>For he can swim for life.
>For he can creep.

ihavethestrangestbonerrightnow.png

>>2537623
>For he can swim for life.
>For he can creep.

Amazing

The Warriors
childrens book series about cat clans, they fight for territory and junk. pretty good.

This is gay as shit OP.

>>2537694
better than the dragons thread

cats rule
dragons drool

>>2537694

no. ur gay as shit.

The Naming of Cats

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.

First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey -
All of them sensible everyday names.

There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter -
But all of them sensible everyday names.

But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?

Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum -
Names that never belong to more than one cat.

But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover -
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.

When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.

- T.S. Eliot
(from "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats")

I've often thought of writing children's books, to teach them Nihilism, Bushido, Zen and other great philosophies. About how cats are very clean and sharpen their claws, the same way Samurai are very clean and take care of their swords. A Hagakure for children I have in mind.

>>2537620
>>2537622
>>2537623
Great.

>For, tho he cannot fly, he is an excellent clamberer.

Is about all we can aspire to.

>>2537717

Wer zum teufel bist du?

>>2537717

So show us your pussy and we'll critique it.

>>2537717
>Zen
>Philosophy
unless you are willing to go to jail by cutting off their fingers don't do it.

>>2537744
I think it's a great idea. Have a little Demo

*

Cats clean themselves and sharpen their claws everyday, cats have plenty of sleep and are always well rested, they are always presentable and ready, this is the way of the cat.

The same is true for children who trim their nails and brush their hair, bathe everyday and go to bed early, they are always respectable and ready, like cats.

*

>>2537793
>following orders and logic
>Zen
Please brush up on your Eastern philosophy before using terms you don't understand

>>2537799
>Nihilism, Bushido, Zen and other great philosophies

>And other

>Many projects where implied

>Hagakure for children included

Not that I needed to explain myself anyway

>>2537829
Just make sure you present Zen when you write a story about Zen is all.

>>2537799
>implying that Zen is not ordered and deeply logical
hohohoho
go back to reading your kerouac, kid

>>2537864
>implying that it is
>implying that it's a "philosophy"
>implying that it's not just a cheap mystical offshoot of buddhism made of esoteric nonsense that a priestly class used to get out of doing real work

Enjoy another round of samsara, bro.

>>2537868
>implying this
>implying that
>panting like a dog
seriously you know nothing about it, clearly, so why express an opinion of it?

>>2537864
>>2537868
>implying you understand Zen
>implying you think you understand Zen
>implying Zen can be understood
>implying Zen can be

>>2537883
teenaged taoist detected
>inb4 more green text

>>2537614
Behemot is the best cat character ever!

>>2537885

The tao that can be spoken is not the tao.

Goes double for zen.

>For when he takes his prey he plays with it to give it a chance.
>For one mouse in seven escapes by his dallying.
>For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.
>For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against the adversary.

Why is this so good?

The point is that I want to make kids think, embrace determination and invite them to not care about things they don't have to care, and so on.

Nothing especific beyond an educative, tought-provoking artistic expression. Some facist, Militaristic, Prussianic, Samurai, warlike and so on undertones might be the rule though.

And I would like if any of you would consider writing childrens book as well, it's a good excersice even if you arent planing of publishing them

>>2537902
i often write little stories that i would turn into a childrens' book (if i could decently illustrate) based on gavroche from les miserables.

Why cats paint:a theory of feline aesthetics

>>2537572
OP, enjoy!
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1459.Great_Cat_Books#594852

Love this book. Read it about 3 times already.

the warrior cat series is actually pretty fun

http://www.warriorcats.com/warriorshell.html