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I suppose this should go in the Cats of Ricochet group, and I'll post any updates there, but I'm too pleased about this not to share it with everybody. This morning I signed the contract to narrate Cats: A History by Rod Phillips.
This one is going to be a lot of fun, for obvious reasons. Dogs show clear physical signs of domestication as they have evolved. Cats, not so much. My personal theory is that they domesticated us.
Most cat owners are familiar with their varying personalities. The two sister kittens we adopted 9 years ago are completely different. Sushi, the tuxie, has a schedule and a precise way that she wants things, and she'll tell you if it's wrong. Dear departed Cheesecake, a white fluffball who succumbed to cancer a few months ago, was an airhead; friendly to everyone, and happy just being petted. Pumpkin, our old tortoiseshell that Valerie rescued in college, is devoted to her and tolerates her husband and me, but never liked the younger cats in her territory. We all have our rituals and our routines in our shared household.
In other book news, I will be submitting Gerald Ford and the Challenge of the 1970s by Yanek Mieczkowski to the publisher for review this weekend. This one has been a pleasure, mainly because Yanek is an excellent writer, but it is a deep work of scholarship with a lot of personal interviews and recollections, including Ford himself. Ford is underappreciated by history; in so many ways, he was what the country needed after Watergate, and his efforts to repair the economy and address the energy crisis proved remarkably prescient. He erred dramatically in the timing of the Nixon pardon, which crippled his program and probably cost him the election. He had good reasons for the pardon, but miscalculated the way the country would react to it. The book is a fascinating study.
As with all of my audiobooks, if you would like a free review copy, drop me a message. I'll be happy to send you a promo code for an Audible download. When Ford and Cats are available, I'll announce them here.
Discussion (7)
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Congratulations, Doug! I wonder how you'll get through the Cats book--I can see you giggling regularly!
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THINK OF THE CATURDAY POSSIBILITIES
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"Dogs have owners. Cats have staff."
Well done, you. I think this is going to be a real treat.
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My wife has a plaque with these words hanging on the wall by her desk . . .
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I've been recording Sushi as she sings her morning song and calls me to come and sit with her. It's remarkable how many different meows she has when you actually listen to them and compare them. My plan is to use her as a sting in the opening and closing credits, and maybe at the chapter headings if it works. The publisher may put the kibosh on the plan, but if I can make it work they will probably go with it.
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