Thursday, September 27, 2012

Adult Book Discussion-Thursday, 10/4/12



Please join Elise Barack this coming Thursday, October 4th at 7:15 pm for a discussion of The Cat’s Table by Michael Ondaatje.  We will meet in the Children’s Programming Room downstairs.

The Cat’s Table, set in 1953, tells the story of an 11-year-old boy’s ocean voyage from Ceylon to London. Joined by two friends, Michael eavesdrops, gets into trouble, and observes unfathomable adult behavior while on board.  The boys are seated at the cat’s table, the place farthest from the Captain’s Table, but home to some very interesting personages.  Captivated by his fellow passengers -- a mysterious prisoner, a titled thief, and exotic acrobatics—Michael’s 21 unsupervised days at sea prove momentous. 

Michael Ondaatje is probably best known for his novel, The English Patient, winner of the Booker Prize in 1992.   His work includes fiction, autobiography, poetry and film. Ondaatje was born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), moved to England in 1954 and relocated to Canada in 1962.  Some reviewers have noticed parallels between the novel and his own life story. He is married to novelist and academic Linda Spalding and  co-edits Bricks, A Literary Journal

Visit the The New York Times Book Review and The Washington Post for reviews of The Cat's TableAlso visit NPR for an interview with the author.


The Cat’s Table is available at the library in print, large type, CD, ebook and e-audiobook formats.

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