1931 - The Cat Who Went to Heaven

Dates read: March 2008
Read or listened to: Read
Pages: 96 pp. (with illustrations)
Rating: ●●●○○

Being that this book was written in 1930, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't find that the story was terribly engaging, but it was short and a very easy read, so I also didn't find it difficult to finish. (I read it in two sittings.) The story is of a artist who has not sold a painting in a long time and struggles to find money even to eat. His housekeeper brings home a cat that she purchased with the limited food budget. As can be expected the artist is very upset with her purchase. Fortunately, however, the cat (an animal considered evil in the Buddhist faith) brings good luck and a very important commission. Looking back on the story, I see that the book really did have some interesting themes in it. There is the idea of repentance (or perhaps better said would be the idea of the 2nd Article of Faith). This cat, although of the "wicked" species showed a desire to pay respect to Buddha as the artist was painting a mural for a temple. The artist, moved by the cat's apparent devotion to the Buddha, paints the cat into the paniting--knowing that the commissioners may not accept a painting tarnished with the image of a cat. I did enjoy reading the artist's reflections on the life of Buddha. I am not at all familiar with Buddhist tradition and history. I suppose that the story is much deeper than I had given it credit.