My Beloved Monster

Masha, the Half-Wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me

De: Caleb Carr

Narrado por: James Lurie

Duración: 13 h y 47 m

Resumen del Editor

The #1 bestselling author of The Alienist tells the extraordinary story of Masha, a half-wild rescue cat who fought off a bear, tackled Caleb like a linebacker—and bonded with him as tightly as any cat and human possibly can.

Caleb Carr has had special relationships with cats since he was a young boy in a turbulent household, famously peopled by the founding members of the Beat Generation, where his steadiest companions were the adopted cats that lived with him both in the city and the country. As an adult, he has had many close feline companions, with relationships that have outlasted most of his human ones. But only after building a three-story home in rural, upstate New York did he enter into the most extraordinary of all of his cat pairings: Masha, a Siberian Forest cat who had been abandoned as a kitten, and was languishing in a shelter when Caleb met her. She had hissed and fought off all previous carers and potential adopters, but somehow, she chose Caleb as her savior.

For the seventeen years that followed, Caleb and Masha were inseparable. Masha ruled the house and the extensive, dangerous surrounding fields and forests. When she was hurt, only Caleb could help her. When he suffered long-standing physical ailments, Masha knew what to do. Caleb’s life-long study of the literature of cat behavior, and his years of experience with previous cats, helped him decode much of Masha’s inner life. But their bond went far beyond academic studies and experience. The story of Caleb and Masha is an inspiring and life-affirming relationship for readers of all backgrounds and interests—a love story like no other.

©2024 Caleb Carr (P)2024 Mulholland Books

The story of a loving relationship between two species

Anyone who has ever truly known the love, joy and loss of an animal will identify with the author’s story of his intertwined life with his cat, Masha. It is the story of a true loving connection between friends of different species that can only be counted as a blessing… even with the understanding of the heartbreaking “good-bye” that is inevitable.

True love

I was not familiar with Caleb Carr until I heard and interview talking about this book on NPR earlier this year.

I expected a sweet story about a man and his cat but it’s far more than that. It’s about a man who experienced abuse and who found a cat who experienced abuse and they both became the most important beings in each others life. They loved and protected each other as equals.

Yes, I wept. And now I need time to process all the emotions this book brought up for me.

I’m going to go hug my dog now.

My Beloved Monster

A beautiful lovingly told story of life with and love of cats and the bonds we form with them.

The best of the best.

This book is the tale of an true storyteller and his amazing cat. I couldn't stop reading.

Beautiful and heartbreaking

As a lifetime lover and mom of cats, I was anxious to listen to this book after seeing a positive review in People. The story was so sweet. The story of a man and his cat, their ups and downs together. The pains they both went through and a story of friendship and loyalty. It reminded me of my own history with cats, particularly the loss of a couple who I was especially bonded with. I cried as I listened to the last chapter as anyone who has ever loved a pet will. It was well read and a truly touching story of unconditional love.

Amazing heartfelt and tearful

Thank you Caleb for this amazing book. Your journey with Masha tugged at my heart and brought me to tears. I recently lost a beloved pet and have been feeling lost and alone. Your words were the elixir I needed to continue to heal my soul. Your connection with cats and the ability to articulate how deep and important these connections are between animal and caretaker are spot on. I could not stop listening to each word only taking breaks to feed my own cats, refill the tissue box and take a nap with two of them on my lap. I hope you and Masha are reunited and wandering the Hollow right now.

traumatic pasts

hard to hear of losses and traumas which had occurred to author and his various cats

Amazingly Beautiful

The story is so relatable for anyone who has loved and lost. Carr offers a tribute to Masha and to all of the animals that have been loved—and not loved as they should be. They are indeed sentient and with emotion—capable of judging us and loving and caring for us if we let them.

A story of respect for all life

I’ve had cats for years and still learned a great deal about cats and the potentially profound nature of our relationship from this book. It should be assigned reading for all those who think cats are aloof, unintelligent, or otherwise not capable of bonding with us. It is also a reminder of the way all creatures cope with abuse and neglect, and can help each other overcome trauma. Beautifully written and performed.

A profound love story

A deeply touching story that shows love can cross the boundary between our physical forms, even the veil between life and death. Deep gratitude from a human companion to a devoted cat- the book makes us feel seen and understood.

Thank you