"Craig Pittman has a remarkable talent for telling stories set in the Sunshine State that never fail to fascinate and entertain. Sure, Cat Tale has plenty of laughs and Florida weirdness, but Pittman has written a truly inspirational story about the panther's brush with extinction, and the human beings who were determined to save the species. You won't be able to put Cat Tale down."--Gilbert King, author of the Pulitzer prize-winning, Devil in the GroveIt wasn't so long ago when a lot of people thought the Florida panther was extinct. They were very nearly right. That the panther still exists at all is a miracle--the result of a desperate experiment that led to the most remarkable comeback in the history of the Endangered Species Act. And no one has told the whole story--until now.With novelistic detail and an eye for the absurd, Craig Pittman recounts the extraordinary story of the people who brought the panther back from the brink of extinction, the ones who nearly pushed the species over the edge, and the cats that were caught in the middle. This being Florida, there's more than a little weirdness, too.An engrossing narrative of wry humor, sharp writing and exhaustive reportage, Cat Tale shows what it takes to bring one species back and what unexpected costs such a decision brings.
About the Author :
Craig Pittman is an award-winning journalist at the Tampa Bay Times and author of 4 books, including NYT bestseller Oh, Florida! How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country. His journalism has won 4 Waldo Proffitt Awards for Distinguished Environmental Journalism in Florida. Twice he won the Society of Environmental Journalists' top investigative reporting award. He was named a Florida Literary Legend by Florida Heritage Book Festival in 2020.
Mike Chamberlain is an actor and voice-over performer in Los Angeles whose audiobook narration has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards. His voice credits range from radio commercials and television narration to animation and video game characters. Stage trained at Boston College, he has performed works from Shakespeare and the classics to contemporary drama and comedy.
Review :
"Cat Tale contains drama and an assortment of heroes and villains."
-- "Sarasota Magazine"
"Cat Tale has plenty of laughs and Florida weirdness, but Pittman has written a truly inspirational story about the panther's brush with extinction, and the human beings who were determined to save the species."
-- "Gilbert King, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Devil in the Grove"
"[A] delightful blend of scientific writing and good old-fashioned muckraking...The ups-and-downs in this tale of survival, coupled with the charisma of the panther, make Pittman's 'cat tale' hard to put down."
-- "Booklist (starred review)"
"A bright, intriguing story of people and panthers."
-- "Kirkus Reviews"
"A fun, informative, and engaging read...The story of how Florida's panthers were saved from extinction is one that both deserves and needs to be told."
-- "Dane Huckelbridge, author of No Beast So Fierce"
"A truly inspirational story about the panther's brush with extinction and the human beings who were determined to save the species."
-- "Gilbert King, Pulitzer Prize-winning author"
"Any fan of big cats will find in his pages an education, and a pleasure."
-- "Tampa Bay Times"
"In this era of bleak environmental news, Craig Pittman's Cat Tale comes as a witty and passionate reminder that...[we] can do a great deal to reverse the course we're on."
-- "Lauren Groff, author of Florida"
"Narrator Mike Chamberlain adds authenticity and focus to the story of this debacle with his excellent pacing and rhythm. He keeps listeners involved in an excruciating tug-of-war... Chamberlain's skilled performance is a testament to the Florida panthers' will to survive and resilience to adapt. Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award."
-- "AudioFile"
"Preeminent environmental journalist Craig Pittman reaches out and grabs his reader like a panther. And you grab back. The story...is too good to let go."
-- "Jack E. Davis, author of The Gulf"
"With a mixture of science, politics, personalities, and the Endangered Species Act, Craig Pittman weaves an intriguing story...It drew me in with its humor, frustrated me with all the bureaucracy and forcefully presented a path for those who care to join and fight back before it's too late."
-- "Jim Dutcher, coauthor of The Wisdom of Wolves"
