Homer's Odyssey

June 22, 2009
Cooper had every intention of saying “no” to the veterinarian who asked her if she was interested in adopting a four-week-old stray kitten with a “particular handicap.” She was fresh off a bad breakup, working a low-paying job and living rent-free in a friend's bedroom—plus she was worried about the social implications of adding one cat to the two she had already adopted: “The neighborhood kids will... say things like 'That's where Old Widow Cooper, the cat lady, lives.' ” But as soon as she picked up the tiny kitten and he started to purr, she caved. She settled on a name and brought Homer home. His intrepid explorations of his new environs quickly challenged Cooper's expectations of a blind cat. And through 12 years, six moves, several boyfriends and a showdown with a burglar, this tender and affecting book reveals Homer's lessons about love and acceptance—and how he transformed Cooper into the woman she had always wanted to be. Photos.

Starred review from July 15, 2009
When Cooper agreed to adopt a third cat that was eyeless from a terrible infection because no one else would, words like "blind, abandoned, unwanted", and "orphan" were in her mind before she met this kitten. Instead of feeling pity, she fell in love with the tiny feline, and the epic odyssey of Homer began. Homer grew into a daredevil cat that made friends with everyone he met (including dog people) and never once let his lack of sight impede his joy for life and love for Cooper. Homer's antics such as the ability to catch a fly in midair are delightful, but what is most touching is how his courageous spirit teaches Cooper and readers that there are no limits on love or ability. VERDICT With Homer as a messenger for those special-needs cats waiting to be adopted, this lovely human-feline memoir, following in the footsteps of Vicki Myron's best-selling "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World", is sure to warm the hearts of all pet lovers. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 5/1/09.]Eva Lautemann, Georgia Perimeter Coll. Lib., Clarkston

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