Cat's Foot

Staff Pick

This tiny little novella tells the very big story of Cat, a former military medic who lost his foot when he stepped on a landmine during combat. Cat's military service is long over, but he begins to realize that "it was a good foot and we parted so hurriedly..." Leaving his wife and sons, Cat returns to the land where he fought — and lost — the war. He embarks on a journey which can possibly best be described as somewhere in between a modern fairytale and magical realism. Charming, harrowing, hilarious, sweet, and enlightening, Cat's journey takes him far and wide, and the folks he meets along the way either help or hinder his search. A quiet antiwar book written in the beautiful, exuberant, bubbly style for which Doyle is well known, Cat's Foot is a tiny gem.
Recommended by Dianah, Powell's City of Books

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Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club com, April 23, 2013 (view all comments by Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club com)
As a soldier, Cat loses his foot when he steps on a land mine. Years later after he is married and has two sons he goes on a journey to find his lost foot. Along the way Cat meets people who are friendly and helpful and others who are not so willing to let the war slip into the past.

Cat’s Foot by Brian Doyle tells the story of Cat’s journey as he relays it to his unnamed friend, who writes it all down. While unusual in it’s detail, Cat’s saga speaks to a common yearning: he longs to be reunited with a piece of him that was forcibly taken away. He can feels the bones call to him as he begins his journey in the field where he was injured, but he doesn’t find them there. Many years have passed since the war, and he sets off in the direction he believe the foot may have taken.

Cat himself seems to be an upbeat sort of fellow, looking for the humanity in everyone he meets. It’s a testament to his forgiving nature that in most cases he finds it, and learns about the special talents many of the people he encounters have.

Cat is also a philosopher. I was particularly taken with his idea “of how the world is essentially a very large heating, cooling and ventilation system.” I was also intrigued by the list of questions he asks of his unnamed friend, the one he tells his story to. Essentially, he asks his friend to consider things about himself most of us never give a second thought to. A few of the questions include: “When was the last time you gave food to someone you didn’t know? Are you still living in your first religion? When you sing do people laugh or do they start to sing too?”

This small gem of a book gives the reader much to think about on the nature of war, human nature, forgiveness, healing, and matters of the heart. I highly recommend it.

The author provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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frannil5, March 13, 2013 (view all comments by frannil5)
I have not had the privilege of reading Cat's Foot yet, but canonly imagine it is wonderful. Everything I have ever read that Brian Doyle has written leaves me pausing, to dwell on a word, a thought, an expression of his that conjures up a vision. I would say you would be completely satisfied with Cat's Foot or anything else written by this God-given talented, seasoned author. THANK YOU

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Product Details

ISBN:

9780983358671

Author:

Brian Doyle

Publisher:

Corby Books

Binding:

TRADE PAPER