1982 Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats – T.S. Eliot 1st Edition, Edward Gorey

This is a 1982 first edition of Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, written by T.S. Eliot and brought to life with the eccentric illustrations of Edward Gorey. The copyright reads 1939 for Eliot and 1982 for Gorey’s art, Impression J, with the original $11.95 price on the inner flap. The dust jacket is in very fine condition and has been placed in a Brodart wrapper for protection. The boards are a striking orange, stamped with a gilt leaping cat that seems ready to spring off the cover.

First published in 1939, Eliot’s playful poems sketch out a gallery of feline personalities—from the scheming Macavity to the enigmatic Mr. Mistoffelees—mixing humor with a surprisingly sharp eye for the absurdities of human nature. These poems would later inspire Cats, one of Broadway’s longest-running musicals, a fact that has sparked endless debate: was Eliot’s mischievous verse meant for the stage, or did theater simply turn subtle philosophy into spectacle? Either way, behind the whimsy is something deeper: Eliot reminds us that cats, with their contradictions and moods, are mirrors of ourselves.

This edition is especially charming because Gorey’s illustrations add a gothic, tongue-in-cheek touch, amplifying both the humor and the sly seriousness of the poems. Together, Eliot and Gorey make for an irresistible pairing—two artists who understood that the everyday antics of cats can carry enormous philosophical weight.

As I write this description, my tuxedo cat is draped across my lap, gently interfering with the keyboard as only a cat can. Having lived with cats all my life, I recognize in Eliot’s work the affectionate exasperation of anyone who shares their home with a creature that seems to follow its own rules of existence. This book isn’t just a collectible; it’s a testament to the philosophy of living with cats.