Michael Köhlmeier: „Matou“

Humanity’s great questions – as seen through the eyes of a remarkable cat named Matou. His is a seven-lives life, extending from the French Revolution to the present day, and his passion is trying to understand humankind. He was on familiar terms with E.T.A. Hoffmann and Andy Warhol; on Hydra, the island of cats, he once ruled an autocratic state; and in Congo he fought against the colonial masters. Matou’s lives are full of extraordinary adventures. He is a vivid storyteller and a great philosopher. He is the Homer of cats. Michael Köhlmeier’s new novel is an homage to humans and animals alike. Witty and full of irony, it is a stroke of genius.