My Beloved Monster

Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me

By: Caleb Carr

Narrated by: James Lurie

The New York Times 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.

“The most brilliant feline portrait in literary history.” —People Magazine (Book of the Week)

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.

“Dares us to take a journey into love and pain ... My Beloved Monster is a love story and a requiem.” —Wall Street Journal

“Excellent ... Worth the emotional investment, and the tissues you will need by the end, to spend time with a writer and cat duo as extraordinary as Masha and Carr.” —Washington Post Book World

Incredibly moving book

This book had me in tears. A powerful portrait of a unique and strong bond between a man and his cat, whose natures and lives mirror each other uncannily. The book is a majestic tribute to the mighty Masha and the evolution of her bond with the author is moving and eventually shattering. I highly recommend this book.

Mashas personality

Those who have never loved outside the human species will likely not understand but those of us who have been lucky enough to share in the deep felt bond a special pet can create will laugh, be amazed, feel the affections and and cry at the end of the bonded pair that was Masha and Caleb.
Caleb- I understand.

If you love cats & good writing. . .

A dark story about a person who suffered serious childhood trauma and the manner in which, throughout his life, he sought solace, companionship, and meaning through life-long relationships with cats and especially one very special one in the last years of his life.

Stunningly Beautiful Memoir

A fascinating and beautifully written memoir of a renowned writer framed around his lifelong relationships with cats, along with the biographical explanations of how and why feline companionship became such a central feature of his emotional life. Destined, I believe, to become a literary classic.

The depth of love and connection between Caleb and Masha.

I loved everything about this book from the exquisitely written story to the superb narration