"Translated from the Siamese Cat language by T. Lobsang Rampa," and what a neat trick that must have been. I have reasons to doubt Rampa's fidelity in translation though, as somehow Mrs. Fifi Greywhiskers speaks with the same syrupy style as Rampa himself, not to mention hundreds of dreadful children's book authors through the years. And that's pretty much what this book is, a silly children's story of a cat's life. This cat just happens to live with a celebrity Lama, and she gives us plenty of examples of his benevolent wisdom interspersed through her animal adventures. It's all delivered with a forced, dreary sort of whimsy that comes across as pure cynicism on the author's part, a common tell for writers who feel like children's book are beneath them but will pay the bills. Rampa was nothing if not cynical in his output, churning out book after book on the mystic secrets, so why not dip a toe into a new genre?
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| Mrs. Fifi Greywhiskers |
A few charming illustrations are provided by Sheelagh M. Rouse, described as "Lobsang Rampa's devoted secretary, companion and friend for the entire span of his writing career. Referring to her by the nickname 'Buttercup', Rampa considered Sheelagh to be his adopted daughter." Rouse would go on to write two books on her life with Rampa.
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| Rouse then and now |
The back page ad is for Rampa's Tranquiliser Touch-Stones, rocks blessed by the Lama and paired with a 12'' recording of instructions on use. Rampa's stones are still available for purchase as resin reproductions at the official Lobsang Rampa website maintained by Rouse and others.
Rampa wraps up his story with a rather testy note to readers demanding they provide return postage for any correspondence, as you see the Lama is a very busy man. It's typical haughtiness from a man claiming supreme humbleness, and does not read as at all flattering looking back across the years.
Above, another Corgi edition from 1968, which elides the central concept of the book!
0/4
Corgi Books, 1977 (original pub. 1964)
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