The Writer's Cats

An entertaining and gorgeously illustrated portrait of a writer's life avec chats from the acclaimed author of The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Like so many writers, Muriel Barbery is a lover of cats. Grey-furred and amber-eyed, Barbery's four Chartreux cats keep her company as she works from her house in the French countryside, entertaining her with their quirks and foibles, inspiring her with their beauty, and soothing her nerves. But that's not all. For Kirin, Ocha, Mizu and Petrus - named after the writer's love of all things Japanese, and good wine - are no ordinary felines. These intelligent creatures have taken it upon themselves to guide their owner's writing - flicking aside sections of her manuscript with a disdainful tail, pointing an approving paw at others. And it's time these put-upon literary consultants got the recognition they deserve. With delicious wit and irony, the international bestselling author of The Elegance of the Hedgehog gives an insight into her writing life - and the paws behind the pen. Accompanied by delightful illustrations by Maria Guitart, The Writer's Cats is the perfect gift for cat lovers and book lovers everywhere.

About the author

Muriel Barbery is the author of four previous novels, including the IMPAC-shortlisted multimillion-copy bestseller The Elegance of the Hedgehog. She has lived in Kyoto, Amsterdam and Paris and now lives in the French countryside.

Product details

• Authors: Barbery Muriel
• Assisted by: Maria Guitart (Illustration), Alison Anderson (Translation)
• Publisher: Pushkin Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 25.09.2025
• EAN: 9781805333746
• ISBN: 978-1-80533-374-6
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Interior design, design; Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945), FICTION / Literary, PETS / Cats / General, Memoirs, ART / Individual Artists / Essays, PETS / Essays & Narratives, DESIGN / Essays, DESIGN / Graphic Arts / Commercial & Corporate, Cats as pets, Literary essays, Individual artists, art monographs, Illustration & commercial art, Illustration and commercial art, Modern and contemporary fiction: general and literary, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Memoirs