I Am a Cat

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I Am a Cat

A new translation of the original Japanese cat classic

Classic fiction: general and literary Historical fiction Fiction in translation Cats as pets

Author: Natsume Soseki

Dinosaur mascot

Language: English

Published by: Vintage Digital

Published on: 4th September 2025

Format: LCP-protected ePub

ISBN: 9781529935462


Discover the original Japanese Cat classic

Now in a vibrant new translation by Nick Bradley, author of The Cat and the City.

'I am a Cat. But I still don't have a name...' Once a stray kitten, I Am a Cat's narrator finds himself adopted by a local scholar and thrown headfirst into the absurd upper middle-class world of Meiji-era Japan. Now a noble but somewhat world-weary observer, he has ample opportunity to dissect the strange ways and convoluted conversations of the human race.

First published at the turn of the 20th century, and regarded as one of Japan's most iconic classics, I Am a Cat is a captivating exploration of identity, society, and the often bewildering nature of the human condition—all seen through the eyes of a very special, uncompromising cat. A biting satire of Meiji-era Japan.

Jessie Burton, Guardian

Soseki is the representative modern Japanese novelist, a figure of truly national stature.

Haruki Murakami

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