Jeoffry: The Poet's Cat

Jeoffry was a cat who lived 250 years ago, confined to an asylum with Christopher Smart, one of the most visionary poets of the age. Smart rewarded Jeoffry with the greatest tribute to a feline ever written, combining meticulous research with passages of dazzling invention to recount the life of the cat praised as 'a mixture of gravity and waggery.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 06 October 2020
Publisher: The History Press Ltd

Jeoffry, a real cat who lived over 250 years ago, found himself confined to an asylum alongside the visionary poet Christopher Smart. Smart, in exchange for Jeoffry's love and companionship, showered him with the greatest tribute to a feline ever written. Award-winning biographer Oliver Soden has crafted a captivating narrative that blends meticulous research with passages of dazzling invention. Through his work, Soden recounts the life of Jeoffry, a cat praised as a perfect blend of gravity and waggery. The story spans from the vibrant theatres and bordellos of Covent Garden to the cell where Smart was imprisoned for his manic episodes. Soden's biography is a delightful exploration of the genre, playing with it like a cat with a toy. It weaves together the tale of a poet and a poem, while placing Jeoffry's life and adventures against the tumultuous backdrop of eighteenth-century London.

Weight: 406g
Dimension: 137 x 204 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780750995672