Diary of a Buddhist Cat

 Diary of a Buddhist Cat by Julian Worker

ISBN 9781914965142

Freddie the Cat comes home from the animal shelter with John and Mary. He had lived for a time with a woman referred to only as ‘old lady’ throughout the book, but he needed to go to the vet one day and when she learned the cost of the necessary medication, she threw Freddie at the vet and left. While he lived with her, he was able to read some of her books about Buddhism and other spiritual traditions—Freddie is a very well-read cat. He decides to be a Buddhist cat and he brings this philosophy of life with him when he meets his new sister, Gemma. Gemma has a different idea about humans, considering them fascists who stole her offspring from her. 

Freddie gets himself outside when the people are away at work and befriends the local wildlife. Together, they have various adventures. Freddie is particularly keen on the library. One of the things I found most amusing in the book was his dedication to his ‘art.’ Before he went into the library for the first time, he observed the librarian in her office and was intrigued by the photocopier (which he calls the ‘birthing machine’). When he enters the building, that’s his first stop. He sits on it and presses the button. The resulting pictures of his backside please him very much and he considers them ‘postmodern surrealist masterpieces.’

There are some nods to various authors, from Dickens to Woolf to Agatha Christie, which I enjoyed.

The book is written as a diary, in which each day is simply today, because Buddhists are trying to live in the present moment. 

This is a delightfully funny book that is a joy to read while also engaging with literature, philosophy, and other topics.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased. 

Share