Great performance!

Narrator's performance is great. Many different voices for the characters, such that upon hearing a particular voice, you know which character it is, before the text says who is talking. This adds a lot of interest to the book. His pronunciation of Japanese and Chinese words is also better than many narrators.

The book isn't merely random observations of humans in the Meiji era by a cat, but has a story line throughout. Interesting traditional Japan and its customs, with some outdated views, interesting side stories about various happenings, sometimes even funny. The third part gets very philosophical at times but eventually does returns to the main story, which I think is more interesting.

The cat does have a superhuman knowledge of both the East and West, which had been clarified in the foreword, so that wasn't a problem. The foreword introduces the story well and clears away criticisms and questions a reader might have later.

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Loving the American-Japanese reader

The book was very well read. And it was nice to have a reader not butchering all of the Japanese words. The cat is hilarious, but you need to be into geeky academics jokes and passions.

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Great story and very good narration

I am not done yet, but more than halfway past. I believe I began this book in hard copy many years ago. I love it. It is satire in its purest form with all the humor and perspicacity and insight expected in satire. Using a cat as the observer of human behavior is brilliant.

Chapter one !!! then boring

Starts interesting and funny but after chapter one it’s pretty mundane I would not recommend