Title: Dewey’s Nine Lives: The Legacy of the Small-Town Library Cat Who Inspired Millions
Author: Vicki Myron
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: October 12, 2010
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN: 978-0525951865
Genre: Non-Fiction, Short Stories

From the Publisher:

The cat that captured America’s hearts returns, to share more of his special brand of magic.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World was a blockbuster bestseller and a publishing phenomenon. It has sold nearly a million copies, spawned three children’s books, and will be the basis for an upcoming movie. No doubt about it, Dewey has created a community. Dewey touched readers everywhere, who realized that no matter how difficult their lives might seem, or how ordinary their talents, they can-and should-make a positive difference to those around them. Now, Dewey is back, with even more heartwarming moments and life lessons to share.

Dewey’s Nine Lives offers nine funny, inspiring, and heartwarming stories about cats–all told from the perspective of “Dewey’s Mom,” librarian Vicki Myron. The amazing felines in this book include Dewey, of course, whose further never-before-told adventures are shared, and several others who Vicki found out about when their owners reached out to her. Vicki learned, through extensive interviews and story sharing, what made these cats special, and how they fit into Dewey’s community of perseverance and love. From a divorced mother in Alaska who saved a drowning kitten on Christmas Eve to a troubled Vietnam veteran whose heart was opened by his long relationship with a rescued cat, these Dewey-style stories will inspire readers to laugh, cry, care, and, most importantly, believe in the magic of animals to touch individual lives.

My Review:

A charming, uplifting, and at times deeply emotional book, Dewey’s Nine Lives by Vicki Myron is a collection of short stories, some about Dewey but the majority of which are about other remarkable cats and their owners.  Each story has something to share with the reader and while some are pleasantly uplifting, others will leave one searching for Kleenex.  Well constructed, the stories were a lovely compilation of touching memoirs about cats and their owners.   Dewey’s Nine Lives is the first book I have read about Dewey and I was hoping to learn far more about Dewey, and this book left me wanting to know more about Dewey’s story.  Myron has selected very touching and memorable short stories and Dewey’s Nine Lives makes for a quick and uplifting read.  While I truly did enjoy the book, I thought I would be reading about Dewey, not a collection of short stories, where Dewey is in just a few.  All told, I would recommend Dewey’s Nine Lives to anyone looking for a sweet and touching book about Dewey and other cat lovers.

About the Author:

Vicki Myron was born on a farm fifteen miles from Spencer, Iowa. At the age of thirty-four, after a failed marriage, single motherhood, and a stint on welfare, she graduated summa cum laude from Mankato State University and has a masters degree from Emporia State University. She worked at the Spencer Public Library for twenty-five years, the last twenty as director. She lives in Spencer, Iowa.

I received a complimentary copy of Dewey’s Nine Lives by Vicki Myron from Dutton. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.