Teaching the Cat to Sit: A Memoir

Ms. Theall bares her heart and soul honestly, yet delicately, in this magnetic memoir; and I am forever grateful to her for doing so. I won’t pretend to possess the capability to clearly articulate how reading this book made me feel; or even how just one little line has stuck with me, becoming my mantra, holding me up, allowing me to cling to hope while releasing those nagging questions that will never have satisfying answers. My gratitude extends to Ms. Gail Storey, an accomplished author, kind soul and just all-around awesome person, for writing such a captivating review and recommending this gem to me. Despite an almost insurmountable stack of To-Read and To-Review books that beckon to me from every room in my home; I purchased Teaching the Cat to Sit immediately after reading Ms. Storey’s review. Upon arrival, it settled into a Some Day Stack, patiently. The waiting period was brief. Recently, feeling emotionally raw and shattered, in need of a maternal parental unit that I no longer have, I desperately turned to Ms. Theall, and my healing began. I don’t have real problems. Ms. Theall did, and continues to; yet these issues that could bury the average person do not define her, nor does she allow them to limit her. As I read about the brutality, harassment and persecution that she has been subjected to, I felt deep sadness, empathy and an over-all disappointment with the many humans that treated her this way. Then I became angry. No, furious is more accurate. Ignorance should no longer be “bliss”, it should not even be acceptable, and the “everyone’s entitled to his opinion” should be amended to “everyone’s entitled to his informed opinion.” While I feel bitter, nasty and downright hateful towards those that caused Ms. Theall, her partner, and their son grief and suffering; Ms. Theall is clearly the better person, cruising right along on the High Road. That, to me, is true inspiration. With a soft, but strong voice, Ms. Theall becomes that girlfriend that you immediately and completely relax with. She possess that unique and enviably trait of seeing herself honestly. With a strong sense of humor, compassion that can’t be hidden or even understated, and the simple, sure sense of always doing the right thing, Ms. Theall’s story is captivating, charming, honest and hopeful; catapulting her to the top of the list of awe-inspiring, formidable women that I admire…..think Cheryl Strayed, Gail Storey, Maggie Stiefvater and Marie Manilla to name a few. These women would deny the accolades, maybe blush, and say that they are no different than anyone else, and they do believe that; but I know better. They are courageous, strong, resilient and tenacious. I will go right on admiring them, singing their praises, and attempting to emulate their outstanding, admirable traits.

This was a tender, passionate, soul-seeking, and sometimes humorous book. I lived a lot of the same life as the author, and remember very well the pain and shame and anguish as I sorted out my knowledge of who I was as a lesbian in a world that misuses and abuses the power of religion and inaccurately interprets biblical text to squash others. This book sheds light on the struggles to make peace with oneself and a family in the midst of all that. I totally loved it and am so grateful to the author for shining a light on her life -- the good, the bad, the ugly. This is raw writing that packs a punch. Well done.

I absolutely love this book. I have read many gender issue biographies of mediocre quality but this one is professionally written and a joy to read. If I hear about a promising book, I usually immediately click on amazon and upload it to Kindle, but some are disappointments that are difficult to finish. This one was not...I read it straight through after I got it.

The thing I love most about Michelle Theall's memoir is the storytelling. She's a master of the craft. The next best thing is her authentic rendering of herself. She never set out to be a spokeswoman for gay rights and she's something of a reluctant advocate. She doesn't sugarcoat that, and she's also immensely forgiving—of the world. Her worldview is so expansive and patient. And then when you add in the political and social dynamics of gay rights and privacy and more, it's really compelling. This is a book of universal themes that explore what it means to triumph in a world of judgment, hypocrisy, and bullying without losing yourself. It is no more a "gay" book than it is a "parenting" book. It's a book about the human spirit and finding the courage to follow your heart.

LOVED IT! This book is so good, I have to rave! I didn't want to put it down, and when forced to - to sleep or drive or for something silly like that - I found myself ancy for my next free minute. I can't count how many red lights I prayed for over the last 24 hours. Seriously, this book is wonderful. It's written with an "edge of your seat" cadence, and an ease of storytelling that's completely captivating. The author's transparency, vulnerability, bravery and humor fill each page, and I would recommend this poignant memoir to anyone.

This book is especially for anyone who has struggled or is struggling with growing up Catholic, is gay, has experienced sexual assault and wants nothing more than real love and human connection with their parents. As one such person, I could not put this book down once I started reading it. It is boldly and beautifully written with honesty, sensitivity, depth, compassion, humor and insight that I have not found in other books on this subject. You owe it to yourself to read this book for deeper inner healing. Because Ms Theall's book is so personal, she touched my soul in a way other books have not. I personally feel I can heal on an even deeper level now. This book is a must read for anyone and everyone. I did not have the opportunity of having closure with my parents but Ms Theall showed me how this could have been possible. This book is also for anyone who knows and loves someone who is gay (which means everybody!