Comments on: PC037: Gordon, the Self-Made Cat http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/ PodCastle is the world\'s first audio fantasy magazine. Weekly, we broadcast the best in fantasy short stories, running the gammut from heart-pounding sword and sorcery, to strange surrealist tales, to gritty urban fantasy, to the psychological depth of magical realism. Our podcast features authors including Peter Beagle, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Jim C. Hines, and Cat Rambo, among others. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:45:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: spaebrun http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-2515 spaebrun Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:08:52 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-2515 I liked the story well enough. It was amusing and had a sufficiently bitter-sweet ending for my taste. As for its meaning, it clearly deals with questioning your position in life, but it doesn't give a clear message - Gordon is neither entirely successful, nor a failure. The reading however wasn't very good in my opinion. It was very stiff at times and I got the impression, the narrator was more concerned with exact pronounciation than with bringing the story alive. I liked the story well enough. It was amusing and had a sufficiently bitter-sweet ending for my taste.
As for its meaning, it clearly deals with questioning your position in life, but it doesn’t give a clear message - Gordon is neither entirely successful, nor a failure.

The reading however wasn’t very good in my opinion. It was very stiff at times and I got the impression, the narrator was more concerned with exact pronounciation than with bringing the story alive.

]]> By: Ираклий http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-2361 Ираклий Sat, 11 Apr 2009 07:51:00 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-2361 Приглашаем на сайт, описывающий honda civic. Всегда для Вас последние фото, информация о наличии в автосалоне. Также работает форум, клуб honda civic и публикуются отзывы об автомобиле. Приглашаем на сайт, описывающий honda civic. Всегда для Вас последние фото, информация о наличии в автосалоне. Также работает форум, клуб honda civic и публикуются отзывы об автомобиле.

]]> By: loren http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1999 loren Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:27:56 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1999 I loved, absolutely loved this story. Go Gordon! The reading seemed so exagerated (does this guy really talk like this?), yet it fit perfectly. Good show! I loved, absolutely loved this story. Go Gordon! The reading seemed so exagerated (does this guy really talk like this?), yet it fit perfectly. Good show!

]]> By: Matt http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1977 Matt Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:49:37 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1977 Great story for the kids - it was cute, the reading was great and the vocabulary worked well for both my 9 and 5 year olds. Great story for the kids - it was cute, the reading was great and the vocabulary worked well for both my 9 and 5 year olds.

]]> By: Blaine Boy http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1840 Blaine Boy Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:32:39 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1840 Adding to Julio's thoughts, I think it's also saying something about race perhaps. "Where in the rules does it say I can't attend this school?" (hint, hint) It was a classic Beagle story, but it wasn't all that great. It reminded me a lot of the *Tale of Desperaus* which I absolutely hated reading. It was just an awful book. The other problem was the Mr. Deutsch's reading did not quite much up the way it probably should have in parts of the story (especially early on). Unfortunately, I'm going to give a "meh" on the Fictor scale. Sorry. Sincerely and ever faithfully, The Blaine Boy Adding to Julio’s thoughts, I think it’s also saying something about race perhaps. “Where in the rules does it say I can’t attend this school?” (hint, hint)

It was a classic Beagle story, but it wasn’t all that great. It reminded me a lot of the *Tale of Desperaus* which I absolutely hated reading. It was just an awful book. The other problem was the Mr. Deutsch’s reading did not quite much up the way it probably should have in parts of the story (especially early on). Unfortunately, I’m going to give a “meh” on the Fictor scale. Sorry.

Sincerely and ever faithfully,
The Blaine Boy

]]> By: Jennifer http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1812 Jennifer Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:11:45 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1812 I was expecting the story to end with Gordon being eaten by some cat who didn't know of his being an "honorary cat" and having a sad ending/how dare you rise above your biology!, so I am actually pleased at the hopeful note of barking at the end. I was expecting the story to end with Gordon being eaten by some cat who didn’t know of his being an “honorary cat” and having a sad ending/how dare you rise above your biology!, so I am actually pleased at the hopeful note of barking at the end.

]]> By: Karina http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1808 Karina Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:52:18 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1808 What I missed was a happy ending: a mythical rescue or some sort of hero-status for Gordon. Him wandering off into the sunset, barking, is not the future I wanted for the brave scholar. What I missed was a happy ending: a mythical rescue or some sort of hero-status for Gordon. Him wandering off into the sunset, barking, is not the future I wanted for the brave scholar.

]]> By: George http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1807 George Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:40:36 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1807 Magical! I love it, love it, love it! Engagingly imaginative, with a sweet twist - and G rated too. Excellent writing and superb voice work. Magical! I love it, love it, love it!
Engagingly imaginative, with a sweet twist - and G rated too.
Excellent writing and superb voice work.

]]> By: Julio http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1804 Julio Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:00:45 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1804 I thought it was a parable on different classes or even castes of society. The mice would sort of constitute the worker class and they are "eaten up" (what they produce) by the bourgeoisie or maybe aristrocracy. Worker class doesn't even have an education, they don't have to think, they just have muscle work. So the story is about somebody challenging the moral issues of going from one class to another, and the natural reaction the class has against this. So, yes I do think it offers a moral lesson, challenging the notion that you have to stay put into the class you were born (the father mouse even so much as admits that it's very honorable to be hunted!). As if different classes of society were something so different as being different species of animals. I thought it was a parable on different classes or even castes of society. The mice would sort of constitute the worker class and they are “eaten up” (what they produce) by the bourgeoisie or maybe aristrocracy. Worker class doesn’t even have an education, they don’t have to think, they just have muscle work. So the story is about somebody challenging the moral issues of going from one class to another, and the natural reaction the class has against this. So, yes I do think it offers a moral lesson, challenging the notion that you have to stay put into the class you were born (the father mouse even so much as admits that it’s very honorable to be hunted!). As if different classes of society were something so different as being different species of animals.

]]> By: LittleLotus http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1801 LittleLotus Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:15:45 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1801 This story played on my imagination; wondering exactly why a mouse would have the inkling to go to cat school. Gordon was smart in his play to get into the school but the not-so-main characters didn't really come alive. After semesters of work as a teacher and coworker, the local cats would have built their own stories and reverence for Gordon, yet that never seemed to occur. But the chuckling line of "bow bow" proved that this mouse was more of a scholar than an adventurer and I "bow" to his ability to learn 5 dialects of cat and that he is on to the various dog languages. This story played on my imagination; wondering exactly why a mouse would have the inkling to go to cat school. Gordon was smart in his play to get into the school but the not-so-main characters didn’t really come alive. After semesters of work as a teacher and coworker, the local cats would have built their own stories and reverence for Gordon, yet that never seemed to occur. But the chuckling line of “bow bow” proved that this mouse was more of a scholar than an adventurer and I “bow” to his ability to learn 5 dialects of cat and that he is on to the various dog languages.

]]> By: scatterbrain http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1797 scatterbrain Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:39:14 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1797 Despite not offering absolutely nothing new in plot nor morals, 'Gordon, the Self-Made Cat' is an execellently crafted fable which leaves S. Beagle battling with Gene Wolfe for the title of best fantasy author, while Deutsch's almost gonzo reading made the story itself come alive, as though it was read in front of a fireplace by a wise, old fabulist. Despite not offering absolutely nothing new in plot nor morals, ‘Gordon, the Self-Made Cat’ is an execellently crafted fable which leaves S. Beagle battling with Gene Wolfe for the title of best fantasy author, while Deutsch’s almost gonzo reading made the story itself come alive, as though it was read in front of a fireplace by a wise, old fabulist.

]]> By: phignewton http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1796 phignewton Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:50:31 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1796 ...this story is sorely lacking in a moral lesson.. what issssss it? …this story is sorely lacking in a moral lesson.. what issssss it?

]]> By: Hereville » Blog Archive » I recorded a Peter Beagle short story for Podcastle! http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1795 Hereville » Blog Archive » I recorded a Peter Beagle short story for Podcastle! Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:38:14 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1795 [...] over to Podcastle to hear me read "Gordon, the Self-Made Cat," by Peter S. Beagle. I was a huge Beagle fan as a kid, so being able to record this was a major [...] [...] over to Podcastle to hear me read "Gordon, the Self-Made Cat," by Peter S. Beagle. I was a huge Beagle fan as a kid, so being able to record this was a major [...]

]]> By: Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » I recorded a Peter Beagle short story for Podcastle! http://podcastle.org/2008/12/16/pc037-gordon-the-self-made-cat/#comment-1794 Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » I recorded a Peter Beagle short story for Podcastle! Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:37:03 +0000 http://podcastle.org/?p=81#comment-1794 [...] over to Podcastle to hear me read "Gordon, the Self-Made Cat," by Peter S. Beagle. I was a huge Beagle fan as a kid, so being able to record this was a major [...] [...] over to Podcastle to hear me read "Gordon, the Self-Made Cat," by Peter S. Beagle. I was a huge Beagle fan as a kid, so being able to record this was a major [...]

]]>