Talk of the Hill with Bill Press Featuring NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday Host Scott Simon

Simon discusses and reads from his charming new book, Ulysses S. Cat And Other Animals I Have Known

“Scott Simon’s work, filled with irresistible, heartfelt encounters and journeys with animals, from family hearth to hot spots around the world, will bring you insights and joy.” ―Amy Tan

Scott Simon’s household makes little distinction between humans and other animals. Whether two-legged or four-, flesh-covered, fur-covered, feathered, or gilled—everyone is family. Today, Simon lives with the haiku-writing and absolument charmant French poodle Daisy and the daringly audacious foster cat Gato Blanco. But that’s just the start.

In ULYSSES S. CAT AND OTHER ANIMALS I HAVE KNOWN [W. W. Norton & Company; May 5, 2026; $24.99 hardcover], Simon warmly philosophizes on the unforgettable and utterly ordinary moments between species, along with their joys, worries, love, and humor. Depicting a lifetime of remarkable, enduring relationships with pets, Simon explores the difficulty of expressing the strong ties we feel: a kinship between humans and animals that’s more familial than “owner,” and more mutual than “caregiver” or “guardian.”

Paired with the charming, whimsical illustrations of renowned New Yorker cartoonist Liana Finck, Simon reflects on how pets unlock our hearts and burrow into our lives, beginning with his family’s dog guiding his first steps. From a cat who escaped the British Embassy (Simon had to promise to raise her as British) and street dogs during Sarajevo’s siege to a series of beta fish all named Salman Fishdie and an energetic, cage-escaping hamster Bagel, he reveals how our animals change not just our lives but how we see the world. ULYSSES S. CAT is an enchanting and thoughtful profusion of exuberant memories and musings on a life spent in animal company.

Scott Simon hosts NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday and Up First, and is also a special contributor to CBS News Sunday Morning. A winner of Emmy and Peabody Awards, he is in the Radio Hall of Fame and the Illinois Lincoln Academy. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and two daughters.

Bill Press began his career as a political insider and media commentator on KABC-TV and KCOP-TV, both in Los Angeles. Over the years, he has received numerous awards for his work, including four Emmys and a Golden Mike Award. He also served as aide to California Governor Jerry Brown and waChair of the California Democratic Party from 1993 to 1996.

The former co-host of MSNBC’s Buchanan and Press, CNN’s Crossfire and The Spin Room, Press has built a national reputation on thought-provoking and humorous insights from the left side of the political aisle. Press is the author of ten books and is the host of the twice-weekly “The Bill Press Pod” – available on Google, Apple, Spotify, or Tune-In. He’s a member of the White House press corps. He also writes a weekly column for The Hill and a weekly syndicated newspaper column distributed by Tribune Media Services.

East City Bookshop will have books for sale and signing.