Born in Moji, Japan, in 1950, Takashi Hiraide has published several volumes of poetry. He lives in the western suburbs of Tokyo with a cat and his wife, the poet Michiyo Kawano.
The Guest Cat is a rare treasure . . . beautiful and profound . . . whether you're a cat lover or not, don't pass this one up * NPR * This is a gentle, thoughtful and subtly profound work . . . It's the kind of work that makes you ask of its author: How on earth did he do that? as you find yourself dabbing your eyes and pausing to look wistfully into the distance . . . You will want to read The Guest Cat more than once, so you notice more details - seeing as you can't do this with life -- Nicholas Lezard's Paperback of the Week * Guardian * The language and descriptions are careful, elegant and lovely; while Hiraide's book is ostensibly about a cat, it is more precisely about space and ownership. The book renders an unusually intimate, detailed and vivid picture of a place that is simultaneously private and open. * New York Times * Lyrical and captivating . . . I will revisit The Guest Cat with pleasure, much as I return to favourite poems and paintings and memories * Huffington Post * A book genuinely worthy of bestseller status * Independent * This moving novel is a treat for felinophiles * Guardian * This is a charming, thoughtful little meditation on the transience of life -- Summer Book Club, * S Magzine *