I love animals - the simple joy they have in just "being" around us is something wonderful to come home to after a hard day of dealing with people, who, by a complex and cruel misfortune, are not always quite so simple. I adopted my first cat my sophomore year in college. I lived alone (and preferred it that way), but wanted to enjoy the company of something more affectionate than a goldfish, so along came Lucky. A few years later, I adopted Kitty because I started working full-time and wanted my adult cat to have company. I suppose by most conventional wisdom, I would be a 'cat lady'. I fought this label for years, but have since learned to embrace it. Living alone downtown in a metro, being gone for 9 hours a day - doesn't seem fair to have a dog. That said, I never counted myself as someone who would read 'cat books'. When I saw this pop up on my recommendations (what are you trying to say, Amazon?), I picked it up for my Paperwhite and can honestly say I finished in two days. It was that good. It's hard not to love stories like these, but few of us could actually say we would be willing to take the extra time needed to care for a pet with a disability, and this was the case for Homer, who was nearly put to sleep before ever having a chance at life because he had to lose his eyes in order to live and no one wanted him- there's unfair irony buried in there. Along came Gwen, who with two cats of her own, took on the burden, but quickly found herself amazed by Homer's abilities despite his lack of vision. Some of her stories were slightly far-fetched and there was frequent personification of Homer which I found a bit distracting, but Cooper has a real knack for writing, and it was very clear that Homer was a special cat - and they both needed each other. Some have knocked Cooper for writing too much about herself and not Homer, but I found this one of the better parts of the book. We don't often think we learn things from our pet, but Cooper's adventures with Homer clearly taught her a lot about her life, her values, and her priorities. She had many poignant, memorable quotes throughout this book (which I'll let you discover for yourself), and it was an extremely heart-warming account, filled with several anxiety-laden moments. I seriously couldn't put it down. Since reading this, I've done some research on Homer. Cooper has raised attention to the plight of thousands of disabled animals around the country, and donated even more to these charities, often inspiring others to make room in their life for an animal that has an infinite amount of love to give, but was never given a chance because at the end of the day, looks matter. At the risk of sounding like a cat lady, I became extremely attached to Cooper and her three cats in this book, which made the sequel a lot harder to read (for obvious reasons). The frequent photos of Homer and Cooper's other two cats heading each chapter were an excellent addition. Overpersonification or not, Cooper's way with words and telling both an internal and external story about a little cat that defied everyone's expectations, as well as her own story, makes this an absolute must-read for anyone who loves animals. I'd encourage dog-lovers out there to give this book a chance, as well. It is absolutely no wonder this book ended up on the New York Times Best Seller list. It is engaging, warm, frightening, heart-felt, and well-written to the point that I couldn't put it down. Thank you Gwen, for not only sharing Homer with the rest of the world, but for taking a chance on him when no one else would. He was truly a remarkable cat. "...we love them [animal stories] because they're the closest thing we have to material evidence of an objective moral order...they seem to prove that the things that matter to and move us the most--things like love, courage, loyalty, altruism--aren't just ideas we made up from nothing. To see them demonstrated in other animals proves they're real things, that they exist in the world independently of what humans invent and tell each other in the form of myth or fable."

Having just finished my second degree, I have spent most of the summer looking for a job. With the economy still struggling to get out of the doldrums, I came upon this book at my local Barnes and Nobel the day before my birthday, while my girlfriend was at work. Having not much else to do, as I had finished my online job hunting session for the day, I decided to pick it up and read a bit of it. Having grown up with a cat, well he was my sister's cat, I have always been a sucker for a good book about people's pets, especially pet cats. So as luck would have it, this book was no exception. After reading a couple of chapters I was hooked. However, upon looking around the store, I could only find paperback copies of the book, and my birthday being the next day, I decided to wait until my birthday and also see if I could get my hands on a used hardcover copy. I have a personal preference for hardcover as it is more durable and easier to box up when moving. Well, my birthday came, and I got enough money to get not only this book used, but also a few other books I wanted as well. However, while most of my other books I got, are cookbooks, so I have not read them from beginning to end, this book I started reading as soon as I got it and I have not been able to put it down since. Thus within one weekend, I had finished the book and I am hooked. This book as given me a new sense of determination in my quest to attain employment as well as to push harder and further than I have before to reach my immediate goals, including adopting a cat (or 2) of my own, once I have my own income and place. Thus it is with great enthusiasm that I highly recommend this book for any recent college grad, who like me, is struggling to find employment. This book will remind you of what it is you should be doing in your search and the importance of never giving up. Finally, on a side note, before reading this book, I had only read 2 other books (excluding manga, cookbooks and textbooks) for pure pleasure, since finishing Harry Potter Book 7 shortly after it's release. For a long time I had considered reading a chore, as most of my reading was textbooks for my classes. However, for the first time in several years, because of this very book, I actually want to make a trip to the library to find more amazing stories, mostly about cats, to read in my spare time as I continue to look for a job. So to Homer and Gwen, thank you for re-igniting my love of reading for fun... and getting me to sell some of my old textbooks to make room for more interesting literature.

Read from April 01 to 06, 2015 OMG! I am in love with Homer! This cat Gwen rescued from her vet is the most touching stories I have read in a while. He was brought in by some people at around 3 weeks with messed up eyes. They said they found him and wanted him euthanized. Well the vet wasn't having any of that, she removed his eyes and when no one wanted him, her last resort was to ask Gwen who already had two cats and couldn't afford another one at the time. She couldn't help herself and took him! The stories about Homer learning the lay of his land in the house is amazing! He just had a strong will to live and discover things. You just have to read the book to get the full effect! I have to say my favorite part of the book is with the burglar. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to crack a rib! Who ever heard of a blind attack cat! Well that burglar was stunned to say the least. I can not believe how funny that scene was, I would like to write it out here but I will save it so you can buy the book :) I am going to add a SPOILER!!!!!! IT'S A PART FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK!!! **SPOILER** *TAKEN FROM THE BOOK* When I walked in with my date, Homer ran to greet me at the door. And there, hanging from his mouth, was a tampon. The whiteness of it stood out against his black fur in vivid, mortifying relief. He scampered around in gleeful triumph for a moment, then promptly ran over and sat expectantly on his haunches in front of me, tampon clutched in between his jaws like a dog with a rawhide bone. My date looked taken aback, to say the least, "What the....is that a.." He stammered for a moment, before finally managing, "Did something happen to your cat?" I hunkered down on my heels, and Homer happily climbed into my lap, dropping the purloined tampon at my feet. "He's fine," I answered. "He doesn't have any eyes, is all." *END* I thought that summed up Homer to a capital T! I recommend this book to one and all, it's a very inspirational story about a cat that beat the odds! Find my Reviews at: www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1243096074

"Homer's Odyssey" is a heartwarming book about the bond between a woman trying to find her place in the world and her unique blind cat. Ask anyone with a cat if their cat is unique, and you will doubtlessly be in for long tales of their feline's most unusual quirks. I personally find those individual idiosyncrasies one of the pleasures of having cats, but Gwen Cooper's cat is unique even among unique cats. More importantly, Cooper is great at explaining why Homer is so special. Homer started out as an abandoned kitten with two eyes so infected they had to be removed. He never knew what it was to see, so he never realized he was different from other cats. Cooper effectively tells his tale, and intertwines it skillfully with her own autobiography along the way. Without question the most difficult part of the book deals with Homer (and Cooper's other two cats) being separated from her in the New York apartment they shared after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Any pet owner (or anyone with a heart for that matter) would realize the trauma the animals were enduring as they were slowly dying of starvation and dehydration, and the simultaneous agony going on inside their human companions trying to get them out of the nightmare. Cooper doesn't pretend that her personal drama on 9/11 and the following days are the biggest tragedy of the disaster of course, but she does paint a vivid picture of someone who loves her animals and will try to help them at all costs. I can certainly sympathize with her. The book is occasionally a tad saccharine, but is worthwhile for anyone who loves animals (especially cats, but any animal lover will appreciate it.) Homer is an amazing cat, and has had an amazing life. In the end I thought Cooper's new husband said it best at their wedding reception when he revealed that "I only wish that I could see what that cat hears." Nobody could have said it better.

I enjoyed the devotion and the loving sharing as Homer natural to his instincts learned to navigate around his way in his inside territory along with his acute intelligence and connection with his best human who gave this cat the chance of being more than a special cat. I am one who do not think cats do anything to please humans as they think they, for cats 'think and act' differently to us and, never emotionally 'punish' or even ignore us as supposed to many cat lover with human emotions. Many humans believe the cat does things to and for them. The cat does for itself and smart enough to know how to gain human attention and love. I am along term cat lover, who respects the needs of any cat and their personality differences and, have had more than 150 cats over the last 70 + decades and learned much about their nature and instincts. Cats do have some deep attachments and 'friendships' with humans, very territorial along with accepting some human actions and offerings.(but never as a human baby!!) I do admire those others who adopt or look after the wellbeing of Shelter cats and feral outdoor cats, far beyond many would ever imagine. They all need a chance, or a second chance. I would personally recommend an older cat for single or aged folks better than a wild wonderful delightful kitten that can be part of a family. But then, all kittens and cats need to be homed as best as possible and this story about Homer the abandoned blind kitten who with love and care grew to be an amazing fellow. Yes a cat does seem to rule the family as does sweet Homer, who would win over any cat loving person, who is the star in this very warm and true story readable book!

I am 54 years old. My first pet was a cat. When my husband and I moved into our home back in 1978 we adopted three kittens. We have always had a minimum of two cats in our house and all the cats we have now are rescued ferals, we currently have six cats in the house ranging in age from under a year to 14 years old! This is just to let you know that I am a great fan of having cats for pets. Homer could have had a very short, miserable life. Instead, because a vet believed he could have a great life having never known what a sighted life would have been like, and because the author had enough courage to take this kitten into her home Homer has had a long life. His owner knew to make allowances for his blindness and did what was needed to protect him. He got to have two feline companions. I mention that this book is great for all ages, there is one curse word in it, but in the context it is completely understandable as you read about how Homer protected his owner from a intruder. You will also read about Homer and his feline companions survived being in an apartment a few blocks away from the Twin Towers on September 11th and how his owner struggled to get him and his feline companions out of the building in the days that followed. You will even read how the owner's now husband eventually learned to live with the three cats and how he even incorporated them (in a manner) into their wedding ceremony. Cannot recommend this book highly enough, it is very hard to put down once you start to read it! Enjoy!

From the forward by the Vet who linked the author with Homer, you will be hooked. Gwen's description of the immediate bond she formed with a totally blind kitten is amazingly powerful - all cat lovers will relate I know. This is a truly a wonderful read both for the story line (Gwen's and Homer's) and how beautifully written the narrative is. For anyone who has ever lived with a cat(s), Gwen's descriptions of Homer, Scarlett and Vashti will make you smile and go "Oh Yes - I know that behavior". For anyone who has taken their cat on a plane, you will smile and laugh as Gwen describes her flight to NYC from Miami, three cats in tow. For those who always worry when our beloved felines are alone, you will cry for Gwen as, in desperation, she attempts to get to her cats who were alone in her apartment near Ground Zero the first days after 9/11. And you will be impressed by her determination to get to her pets by-hook-or-by-crook and how, by God, she does it! To quote the review from People magazine: "This memoir about adopting a special-needs kitten teaches that sometimes in life, you have to take a blind leap." For those of you who read "Dewey" or "A Cat Named Squeeky", this book is their equal. The memoir will move you in ways you can't imagine about the bond between we humans and our cats. "Homer's Odyssey" rates 5 out of 5 stars. I have recommended it to many friends who have enjoyed it just as much as I did. Do get and read this - you will be so glad that you did. Enjoy.

I originally purchased Homer's Odyssey on my Kindle, and I am now getting a hard copy because I loved it so much. Not only does Mrs. Cooper tell the tale with obvious love and enthusiasm, but she provides several insights that I think are right on the money. I love that she thinks of her cats as family and accepts them as they are. She committed to her first two cats sight-unseen and she understands that they will have whatever personality they have. I felt a kinship with her when she spoke of her somewhat anti-social (and secretly loving) Scarlett as having a bad PR problem. My older cat (I have two) is just the same. I related Homer with my sometimes wild and always curious younger cat. I am also not ashamed to admit that I do just as Mrs. Cooper does and interpret my cat's looks and moods, along with occasional smart-alec comments. Although some readers apparently thought her preoccupation with her cats in the wake of 9/11 was ridiculous or insensitive to the suffering, I disagree. She felt an obligation to protect them and to save them from where they were trapped. They were at her mercy, unable to help themselves. She never once belittled or questioned the greater suffering and loss going on all around New York. She was responsible for those cats, and she did what she had to do to take care of them. Bottom Line: Outstanding book. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and definitely held my cats a little closer after reading it.

What a great book! Wow! I bought the Kindle edition and devoured it in a few days. The last day I read the 9/11 rescue story and the illness story, along with the wedding, and I have tell you I was crying non-stop. Many pet epics (like "Dewey") end with the decline and death of the pet. This one ends with Homer's decline and old age but not death. The 9/11 story was gripping! I was just on the edge of my chair as I hit the next page button on my Kindle over and over, my eyes gobbling up the words like kittens can gobble up food pellets. I have to admit that I am a real lover of animal books, having had cats for over 20 years. My last cat died 2 years ago and I'm still waiting for that "special someone" to come back into my life. I was just so struck by how Ms. Cooper made the reader feel like they were on the inside of her special relationship with Homer. Thank you, Gwen. Ms. Cooper also made her other 2 cats, Vashti and Scarlett, come to life, too, so I applaud her for that. The story of how Vashti came around to her husband Laurence was touching, and even Scarlett got a special friend near the end of the book. No cat left behind! This is a great book, a fast read but not light and fluffy. Rather it has the kind of thoughtfulness "this is what is going on inside my head" that I love and respect. I'm buying copies for my family and friends.

I first found this book by accident in a hotel book exchange in Mexico when I had forgotten to pack my Kindle charger cable. Usually the book choices are pretty slim and I seldom find anything I really want to read. I am a cat lover and first fell in love with Homer's picture on the cover before I even realized what the story was about. From the first pages written by the doctor who saved Homer and found him a home, to the very last words, I was hooked. I fell so hard for the courage and spirit of this little cat and so admired the woman who took him to her heart and wouldn't let him go. This is definitely not a sad and sappy story about an animal overcoming a handicap, but instead a glorious story of an animal who doesn't even recognize a handicap. An incredible cat who seemingly has no limitations and has a heart much larger than he is. He is smart, funny, brave, loyal and loving and so what's NOT to love. The writer, Homer's mom, did a beautiful job of telling Homer's story with wit and warmth. She also revealed how much she learned and how much her life changed by knowing him. For anyone who loves a hero story, a love story, a cat story or a triumph story, read this book. You too will fall in love! After finding this treasure, I have since bought many copies as gifts for my friends and they all love it too. Judyth Raven

I must say that this has to be one of the best books I have read in my life!!! Being a cat aficionado as well presently as being "owned" by 6 felines (and loving furry friends that have passed) I was hesitant that this book might just be another cat book. After getting a little ways into the book, I knew that I was wrong. Homer and mom (Gwen) hooked me into the story and didn't let up until the very last page. I must say that I was sad to finish this wonderful book and kept delaying reading the finish. Like a fine meal or the last glass of a great wine, one doesn't want to finish the pleasure. Ms. Cooper is a master at writing so that one can visualize (no pun intended) what is going on in her life as well as the darkened world of Homer and how he is able to live and embrace life to the fullest. How they enhance each others lives is a true miracle. I would LOVE to meet Ms. Cooper and tell her how much she brightened MY life with the story of Homer and his siblings. It made me go back to my room and hug my little furry child and tell him how much he means to me in my life...and how happy I am that he came into it. My recommendation to prospective readers: READ THE BOOK!!! You won't regret it...I guarantee it! Regards from the Marshall Islands.

Anyone who says they own a cat or cats is deluding themselves. You can never keep a cat inside if they sincerely want to get out. They will return when they choose to. This book covers a very special animal that returned the love and affection in special ways. The defense of his person and his space is heartwarming. We occasionally hear of a mother cat braving fire to save her kittens. I have seen reports of a cat leading the children of their owner out of a house fire. I know of at least one more incident in the US Midwest where a blind cat attacked a burglar and ran him out of her house. It takes a very special person to be a companion to a cat like Homer. He survived being blinded by an illness, being trapped in a NY apartment adjacent to ground zero in 9/11,and later in life a serious illness. All of this would not have occurred without an exceptional degree of love and care being given and shared. The world is a better place for Homer and his person,Gwen, being in it. You will enjoy reading this book. High literature it isn't. Reading is meant to be fun. I rather loudly laughed in the middle of a restaurant while reading and eating. Read it with your kids or grand kids or a friends kids. You will greatly enjoy the experience.

This is a story of triumph in the face of adversity, both for Homer and Gwen. It takes a special person to decide to adopt an abandoned, blind kitten when you know there is going to require special attention and care. Gwen didn't shrink from this challenge. She accepted it with the love only a true pet lover knows. I have, among other pets, three rescue cats, who bring me love and challenges to my life but I wouldn't trade them for the world. I wish I could write a long, beautiful review about the joy that this book brought to me, but if you just read the Editorial Review for this book. It says it all, and if I may, I'd like to quote one part from it. "But it was Homer’s unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that inspired Gwen daily and transformed her life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized Homer had taught her the most important lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes." Read this book about this wonder cat and also follow Homer's odyssey on Gwen's Facebook page dedicated to Homer - Homer Blind WonderCat.

If you love cats you will love Homer and this book! What a wonderful real-life story of a woman, who despite owning two cats and living in an apartment, adopts a blind kitten. But he's not just blind, he has no eyes, as his eyes were removed when he was just a very young kitten. But the story of the travails and triumphs of cute little Homer will melt your heart! You'll read how he managed to map out his home in three dimensions using his senses of hearing, touch, smell, and perhaps a sixth sense of knowing all. His sixth sense allow him to run around and jump up on various furnishings without bumping into walls or otherwise hurting himself. You'll also read how Homer and his two cat friends were trapped in their apartment for days because their building was in the danger zone after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. (Without giving away the story, they came through without a scratch due to the derring-do of Homer's human mom.) If you love cats and the people who love them you will really enjoy reading Homer's story.

Loved this book from the beginning to the end. But I am already a cat lover as two of them are laying right next to me in bed right now. The one thing I did not like about this book was the quick transition from getting to her apartment after 9/11 and the cats jumping in her lap, to the next paragraph that said the next morning she wrote checks to her cat sitter and the ASPCA. I really wanted to know how she got all of the Cats her personal stuff the cat litter box the litter the cat food etc etc down 31 flights of stairs.