Derek Tangye and his wife Jeannie gave up their busy lives in London and bought a small landholding on the rocky coast of Cornwall. There they grew daffodils and tomatoes, settled into the cottage of Minack and lived peaceful lives dominated by the whim of nature. Derek wrote a series of books about their lives but mostly about the animals that shared their lives. In A Cat Affair he tells how 2 cats arrived at Minack and stayed, finding a place in their hearts. Surprisingly, Oliver and Ambrose as they came to be called, were both spitting images of a couple of their previous beloved pets.

The books are beautifully written and describe a simple life of working the land, and living side by side with nature and the natural world. His descriptions of Minack, a small cottage with breath-taking views of green meadows and rocky cliffs, sitting high about the ocean make one long for such idyllic surroundings.

These simple soothing books are a nice break from my usual reading and they are perfect to carry along for reading while waiting for the doctor or dentist. A Cat Affair has been my travelling companion for the past couple of months and I have savoured both the picturesque descriptions and overall charm of the book. ( )