Rating: 
Summary: Probably just a book for series fans...
Review: "Short and Tall Tales" is the book that readers of Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who" mystery series know that James Mackintosh Qwilleran has been working on for several novels now. Well, he's finally finished and this is the book.Fans of the series may recognize many of the stories in the book as having been told to JMQ in other novels. However, I didn't remember a lot of them and I love the idea of having all those great Moose County legends collected in one place. This is a quick read - most stories are about three pages long - and a delightful one. It's good for picking up while in line somewhere or just reading in one sitting. I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone who has not read at least one or two of the "Cat Who" mystery series - I don't know how much sense it would make!
Rating: 
Summary: James Mackintosh Quilleran, has finally finished his work
Review: Fans of The Cat Who... mystery series have something to celebrate. The protagonist of the novels, James Mackintosh Quilleran, has finally finished his work SHORT AND TALL TALES, a series of stories told to him by the residents of Moose county. At the beginning of each tale, Quill explains how each story came into his possession and who gave it to him. Every reader will have a favorite or two but all the unique anecdotes in this book make a delightful holiday gift especially for series fans. Two of this reviewer's favorites are the "Secret Of The Blacksmith's Wife" (revealed to her grandson on her deathbed) and the "Tale Of Two Tombstones" (related by the stonecutter told to his grandson). There are twenty-seven stories in this collection and anytime the reader feels blue, try this collection for a pick-me-up. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Cat Who...Companion Book
Review: For Lilian Braun "The Cat Who..." fans, this is a handy reference book. It gives short story backgrounds of most of the major denizens of "Moose County, 400 miles north of everywhere."
Rating:
Summary: Cat Who...Companion Book
Review: For Lilian Braun "The Cat Who..." fans, this is a handy reference book. It gives short story backgrounds of most of the major denizens of "Moose County, 400 miles north of everywhere."
Rating:
Summary: Cat's Meow
Review: I found this to be a most entertaining volume. Listening to the yarns of the old timers in one collection. I found myself longing to have more. It was a fun read and I highly recommend to everyone. I love Lilian Jackson Braun's stories and can't wait for her to put out more.
Rating: 
Summary: A series in its death throes
Review: I picked up "Short & Tall Tales..." mainly out of curiosity and in the vain hope that this off-shoot of Braun's "The Cat Who..." series might prove a much-needed revitalization of what has become a tired, aimless series. I was first put off by the smaller than average size of the book and the generous use of white space around and between the lines of type. It hardly seems to merit the nearly $$$ cover price. Mercifully, I borrowed the book from the public library. As for the tales themselves, they live up to the collection's title, being no more than three or four pages long. Fans who have followed "The Cat Who..." series from its beginning may have their memories jogged as favorite Moose County characters step forth to share their tall tales. The total effect, however, is choppy rather than endearing or quaint. I suspect that Braun (or whoever now writes this series) has tried to get around the criticisms leveled at the most recent installments in the series by resorting to having Qwilleran act as a mere scribe, very much off center stage -- and with Koko and Yum-Yum nowhere in sight. As these tales are supposedly anecdotal, related to Qwilleran by the fictional inhabitants of Moose County, there doesn't have to be any attempt at characterization, dialogue or the use of any literary device.
In all, the series continues to decline.
Rating:
Summary: Just doesn't cut the mustard
Review: I tried to read the whole book. I tried with all my might, but after reading half the tales in this book, I felt like hurling it out the window. I found most of the endings annoying or perplexing. I was always hoping the next story would be better -- much better. But each story was just as bad as the previous one. I'm exceedingly disappointed with this book. That's too bad because the picture on the cover is awfully nice!
Rating: 
Summary: Too short, not tall enough
Review: I was really disappointed by this latest entry into "The Cat Who" series. I've been getting a little tired of the series anyway, but I thought this might really be something different, something fun. It wasn't nearly as good as I had expected. These tales are slight at best, and mere sketches at worst. I was hoping for something meaty with some depth. Even she wanted to write some short stories, did they have to be this short? I don't really understand the whole point of this book. I think the idea was to just present some sketches that portray a certain mood, and if that's what you're looking for, you may enjoy the book. There are some good stories. I liked the one about the blacksmith and the story of the horseradish ship. But both could have been developed a little more. The opening story was pretty pointless, in my opinion. Altogether disappointing in almost every way.
Rating:
Summary: I didn't *want* to be disappointed...
Review: I was really looking forward to anything else by Braun that dealt with Moose County inhabitants, et al., but although it does indeed live up to its title, this small book has little of the charm of the longer "Cat Who..." novels. Jim Qwilleran is the collector and faithful scribe of these tales; there is (appropriately although sadly) no sign of either KoKo or Yum Yum to brighten the pages. The tales are for the most part VERY short as is the book itself (see previous review re: white space and value for $$) and didn't last me an hour altogether. I was disappointed as the tales themselves didn't seem to have the color of Braun's other novels and short as they were, seemed to drag. I *love* the actual "Cat Who" series and even though the series has deteriorated somewhat (there have been almost 30 of them, after all), I look forward to the next installment!
Rating:
Summary: Cat Who...Companion Book
Review: If you are a fan of the series (as I am) you have probably already read these tall tales in the series itself. If you are not already familiar with the series you might enjoy the stories in and of themselves but will probably not 'get it' that the author is a fiction character or the references to Moose county. This is an acceptable book for a lazy day read or to take with while waiting for an appointment but it is basically a way for the publisher to separate fans of the series from their money.
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