Scott Simon’s household does not make much distinction between humans and other animals. Whether two legged or four, flesh-covered, fur-covered, feathered, or gilled–everyone is family. Today, the beloved radio host lives with the haiku-writing and absolument charmant French poodle Daisy; the daringly audacious foster cat Gato Blanco; and the energetic, cage-escaping hamster Bagel, who was almost Gato’s meal. And that’s just the start. In Ulysses S. Cat and Other Animals I Have Known, Simon warmly philosophises on the unforgettable and utterly ordinary but enduring moments in the remarkable relationships between species, along with their joys, worries, love and humour. From a cat who escaped the British Embassy—Simon had to promise she’d keep her accent—to street dogs during Sarajevo’s siege, to a series of beta fish all named Salman Fishdie, this enchanting work is a profusion of exuberant memories and musings on a life spent in animal company.
