Synopses & Reviews
ONCE IN NINE LIVES, SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS.
The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight.
Everyone warned that Homer would always be an “underachiever.” But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease, survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night. But it was Homer’s unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that transformed Gwen’s life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most valuable lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes.
Synopsis
ONCE IN NINE LIVES, SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS.
The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight.
Everyone warned that Homer would always be an “underachiever.” But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease, survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night. But it was Homer’s unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that transformed Gwen’s life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most valuable lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes.
Synopsis
ONCE IN NINE LIVES, SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS.
The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight.
Everyone warned that Homer would always be an “underachiever.” But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease, survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night. But it was Homer’s unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that transformed Gwen’s life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most valuable lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes.
Synopsis
ONCE IN NINE LIVES, SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS.
The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen's veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who'd been abandoned. It was love at first sight.
Everyone warned that Homer would always be an underachiever. But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease, survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen's life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night. But it was Homer's unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that transformed Gwen's life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most valuable lesson of all: Love isn't something you see with your eyes.
Synopsis
"Homer's Odyssey" is the once-in-a-lifetime story of an extraordinary cat and his human companion, a celebration of the refusal to accept limits--on love, ability, or hope against overwhelming odds.
About the Author
Gwen Cooper is the author of the novel
Diary of a South Beach Party Girl. A Miami native, she spent five years working in nonprofit administration, marketing, and fundraising. She coordinated volunteer activities on behalf of organizations including Pet Rescue, the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, the Miami Rescue Mission, and His House Childrens Home, and initiated Reading Pen Pals, an elementary school-based literacy program in Miamis Little Haiti. Gwen currently lives in Manhattan with her husband, Laurence. She also lives with her three perfect cats-Scarlett, Vashti, and Homer--who arent impressed with any of it.
From the Hardcover edition.
Reading Group Guide
1. 1. Homer teaches Gwen many life lessons. Which would you say was most transformative in her life? Why?
2. What makes Homer such a special cat? His personality, his challenges, his circumstances, or all three?
3. Homer's life has often revolved around taking a leap of faith. What universal themes, such as this, does Homer’s story evoke?
4. What do you make of the quotes from The Odyssey that start each chapter?
5. Gwen comes to New York looking for success: in business, in life, in love. Was she right to worry about being a single gal with three cats? How does Homer help pave the way?
6. How much of a role do the Miami and New York City settings play in this book?
7. Which of Homer's abilities did you find most surprising? Why?
8. Has reading this book changed the way you think about animals with special needs? If so, in what way? What about your assumptions about people with special needs?
9. What’s your favorite Homer story? Which one made you laugh the most? And which was the most touching?
10. Do any of Homer’s habits remind you of cats you’ve known or owned?