Play Audiobook Sample
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.00) - 25,652 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
Experience the uplifting, "unforgettable" New York Times bestseller about an abandoned kitten named Dewey, whose life in a library won over a farming town and the world -- with over 2 million copies sold! (Booklist)
Dewey's story starts in the worst possible way. On the coldest night of the year in Spencer, Iowa, at only a few weeks old--a critical age for kittens--he was stuffed into the return book slot of the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility (for a cat), and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most.
As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state and finally, amazingly, worldwide, Dewey became more than just a friend; he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming community slowly working its way back from the greatest crisis in its long history.
Download and start listening now!
"As a memoir, the book is decidedly fluffed-out and uneven effort, that suffers not so much from the insertion of the owner's personal history (as other reviewers have complained) as it does its inconsistency in weaving both the cat and the owner into the save cohesive tale. But as a story of an extraordinary cat and a tribute to the bond between people and their animals, it's a beautiful and touching tale."
— K.M. (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“Dewey is charming, lovely, and moving. It’s about life and death and small-town values and, above all, love. Norton would have liked Dewey—the cat and the book—immensely.”
— Peter Gethers, author of The Cat Who Went to Paris and The Cat Who'll Live Forever -
“In this tender story, Myron…tells of the impact the cat, named Dewey Readmore Books, had on the library and its patrons, and on Myron herself…the book is not only a tribute to a cat…it’s a love letter to libraries.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Dewey was, this loving account demonstrates, the right cat in the right place for Spencer and most certainly for its librarian. An intimate portrait of a place snugly set within its historical moment, preserved in Myron’s understated, well-polished prose.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“How Dewey simultaneously became famous in both library and cat-fancier worlds is amazing. Myron captures the ambience of a small Midwest town in this touching, feel-good account, delivered with great care and feeling by McInerney.”
— Booklist -
What an extraordinary story of love, courage and devotion. I will not soon forget the good people of Spencer, Iowa and their wonderful library cat. Dewey is truly inspiration for the soul.
— Jack Canfield, co-creator of CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL -
Through this plucky cat we come to know and love the town of Spencer, Iowa and learn lessons about courage, generosity and the power of relationships. Dewey is a hero. I wish there were more people like him.
— Toni Raiten-D'Antonio, author of THE VELVETEEN PRINCIPLES -
Iowa has produced great Hall of Famers, like baseball's Bob Feller. Iowa has now produced a true feline Hall of Famer, a loveable library celebrity named Dewey, who put Spencer, Iowa, on the international map. This book is a purring good read, whether you are a cat lover, or not.
— Jim Fanning, former Major League Baseball player and manager -
The story of Dewey, author Vicki Myron, and Spencer, Iowa, captures what makes small town life worth preserving--a sense of community. Dewey rekindles my belief that one person (together with one cat) can change lives. Vicki gives Spencer's famous library cat a 10th life by writing this engaging biography.
— Christie Vilsack, former First Lady of Iowa and President of The Vilsack Foundation -
DEWEY...the memoir will be a hit, comparable to Marley or Anna Quindlen's Good Dog. Stay.
— Bob Wietrak, Barnes & Noble (New York, NY) -
DEWEY...is the story about how an attitude of love and devotion enriched the town of Spencer, Iowa, in a time when they needed it most. Dewey was not only a fixture at the Spencer Library for 18 years, he was also an international star of magazines, newspapers, and foreign documentaries...His story unfolds with humor, poignancy, and warmth that carries the reader to the very end.
— Sharon, Beaverdale Books (Des Moines, IA) -
DEWEY...Finally, a lead title for cat people. If only all abandoned cats were as lucky as Dewey Readmore Books, or should it be if only all libraries were as lucky as Spenser Public Library? After reading this truly uplifting story, I want a Dewey Readmore Books for our bookstore! I'll have fun selling this one.
— Karin Wilson, Page & Palette (Fairhope, AL) -
This Librarian thought DEWEY was the Cats Meow! It will make you laugh and cry so much that you will want to Readmore Books! I adored DEWEY. There are few books that are as memorable; DEWEY the small town library cat will be one of those books that will be etched in my memory for a lifetime.
— Jennifer Teitelbaum, San Diego County Library (San Diego, CA) -
Do not read DEWEY: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World! Unless you want to saturate a couple of otherwise perfectly good handkerchiefs, rid your thoughts of anything negative and at least for a little while, contemplate what a lovely world we inhabit.
— Jake Reiss, The Alabama Booksmith (Homewood, AL) -
DEWEY is charming, lovely, and moving. It's about life and death and small-town values and, above all, love. Norton would have liked Dewey--the cat and the book-- immensely.
— Peter Gethers, author of THE CAT WHO WENT TO PARIS and THE CAT WHO'LL LIVE FOREVER -
I was enchanted with antics of DEWEY, but also moved by Vicki's personal story and the wonderful presentation of my hometown...Whether you are a cat person, a book lover, or curious about life in small-town America, this story has something for everyone.
— Bonnie Mauer, Anderson's Bookshops (Naperville, IL) -
By the end, I was openly weeping. Fellow cat ladies and ladies, put your pretensions aside and give this one a chance.
— BookPage
Awards
-
A USA Today bestseller
-
A #1 New York Times bestseller
Dewey Listener Reviews
-
—
Stephanie Shreffler, 8/15/2021
-
" I'm a huge cat person, so I immediately knew I was gonna love this book - and I wasn't wrong. It's such a nice, heartfelt, moving story. "
— Dorottya, 2/17/2014 -
" What a good animal story! It really touches the heart strings! "
— Ashleycarolhall, 2/7/2014 -
" If your a animal lover this book is for you!!! "
— Wendy, 2/5/2014 -
" What's not to love? Stray kitten comes to live in the library and wins over the whole town. "
— Catherine, 2/3/2014 -
" A fun little read with some interesting state and small town history. "
— Robin, 2/2/2014 -
" This book was amazing. I cried at the end, and I've only cried over books twice. You should read this! "
— Turtle, 1/26/2014 -
" Well, I expected a book about Dewey, but this is really much more about the author. I was disappointed. I did not finish the book. "
— Nan, 1/13/2014 -
" I absolutely loved this book! I have cats and I really connected with the author and her feelings towards Dewey. I cried when I got to the inevitable. A great read that I reccomend to others. "
— Michael, 12/22/2013 -
" Sweet little Dewey -- a fun, comfort read, especially for cat lovers! "
— Marlene, 12/6/2013 -
" I am a huge fan of Marley & Me and so did not expect much of this book. I was pleasantly surprised and found myself tearing through it just to get to the end. Even if you're a dog person you should check out this loveable tale! "
— Christopher, 12/2/2013 -
" Heartfelt words from the heartland. Simple straightforward storytelling. "
— Lake, 11/26/2013 -
" Being a Librarian from a small town, and a cat lover, How could I NOT like this book?? "
— Marjorie, 8/16/2013 -
" I love cats and found the book an easy enjoyable read. There's nothing special about it. The author obviously loves Spencer, Iowa, her family and Dewey! "
— Anita, 6/19/2013 -
" Lovely story, had me in tears a couple of times. Quick read. It's extra fun to see Dewey in action, doing all the things that Vicky describes in the book, online. I recommend looking up Dewey videos from Iowa Public Television on You Tube after reading this book. "
— Kat, 6/3/2013 -
" This was a nice book about a cat that lived in the library. Some parts seemed a little farfetched but it was an enjoyable read. "
— Letitia, 3/12/2013 -
" its a nice little story about a cat in the library who helps a little girl feel better. "
— Shunta, 1/19/2013 -
" Everything about Iowa and Dewey is AWESOME and everything else SUCKS!. That's what I got from this book and I'm a self styled crazy cat lady (3 cats). It's so childish it should be a kids book. "
— Becky, 7/31/2012 -
" Such a heartwarming story. I cried several times. I also laughed as I recognized silly cat behaviors my own cats do. "
— Chelsea, 5/21/2012 -
" I loved this book. Listened to it as an audio book but was finished in 2 days. Thinking about adding it to my nook so I can read it again and again. "
— Colleen, 4/14/2012 -
" Just an unreasonable waste of paper and ink. "
— Lynne, 3/15/2012 -
" The Library adventures of Dewey Readmore Books were cute, though a lot of the book is an autobiography of the author. I liked the book though. "
— Ellen, 1/5/2012 -
" Loved this book! So fun, cute & easy read but made me cry. Amazing cat story. "
— Sheila, 7/15/2011 -
" It was a cute story, but could have been called MY LIFE WITH DEWEY. There was more Vicki/town history then content about dewey. Still a good book, just not what I expected. "
— Leslie, 5/23/2011 -
" wonderful...i cried at the beginning and then again at the end.... "
— Tammy, 5/19/2011 -
" I loved reading about the kitty, but the rest about the author's life and town were less compelling. "
— Deb, 5/14/2011 -
" A chocolate mousse book ... sweet, light and fluffy. "
— John, 5/10/2011 -
" A delight. Mostly about the author, a midwestern librarian and her love of and life with Dewey Readmore Books. Touching story about what animals mean to people and what a difference they can make in our lives. Of course, we cat lovers know this very well. "
— Rese, 5/7/2011 -
" As a cat lover I totally loved this book. The story of Dewey was touching, funny and it felt like I was really allowed in to share his life. <br/> <br/>This story really showed how animals are more than "just" pets, they can change lives. "
— Genevieve, 5/7/2011 -
" Dewey, is clearly the most snide cat ever! He will only eat his food if its fresh,a fancy feast, warm, and each monday he has a new appatite so monday all ways the same, open, sniff,throw.(X A LOT!!!)And thats just the begining of his sarcasam <br/> "
— Cassidy, 5/4/2011 -
" So far so cute :) "
— Amanda, 5/2/2011
About Vicki Myron
Vicki Myron was born in Spencer, Iowa. After a twenty-five year career as a librarian, she retired and wrote the New York Times bestseller Dewey, The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World. She has written numerous other books about Dewey, including Dewey’s Nine Lives: The Legacy of the Small-Town Library Cat Who Inspired Millions, Dewey the Library Cat: A True Story, and Dewey’s Christmas at the Library. She currently resides in Spencer.