On Lamma Island, an unusual tropical paradise in the South China Sea, several thousand human residents display a deep affection for animals.
A short ferry ride from urban Hong Kong’s traffic and towers, Lamma has few motor vehicles and no buildings higher than three stories. Yet Lamma Islanders enjoy more spacious and pleasant surroundings than their big-city counterparts, so they indulge in pet-care.
Many of the feline islanders appear in Lamma: Cat Island (Sun Shine Publication, 2003, Hong Kong, 120 pages, HK$68). Full of color photos by Peggy Yuen, this book has a sparse text (English and Chinese) by Leung Ho-ting.
Yuen’s cat-loving tendencies shine through. Her models near Lamma’s footpaths strike elegant, inquisitive, often sleepy, poses.
Deliberately, the photographer shows the cats at various activities: sunbathing, stretching, gawking, playing, prowling, congregating, eating, grooming, napping, climbing, encountering dogs, even peeking from hiding places. Details of their routines emerge.
Not every chapter highlights good-times and cuteness. One wrenching section features sick or injured animals with no hint of how many recovered.
Typos, grammatical flaws and awkward English sentences matter little. Most readers finish the book wishing it lasted longer.
Lamma: Cat Island looks great on bookshelves within leaping distance of scratch-posts and litter boxes.
Approval rating: 91 per cent.
(September 1, 2006)
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