author
A. Frances (Abby Frances) Friebe
b. 1861
Best known for a gentle, unusual story told in a cat’s own voice, this early 20th-century writer brought warmth and animal sympathy to juvenile fiction. The surviving record is slim, but her work still stands out for its concern for abandoned cats and everyday kindness.
1 Audiobook
The Nomad of the Nine Lives
by A. Frances (Abby Frances) Friebe
About the author
A. Frances Friebe, also listed as Abby Frances Friebe, was born in 1861. The published record that is easy to confirm today is quite limited, but library and public-domain catalog entries consistently identify her as the author of The Nomad of the Nine Lives.
That book was published in Boston by Sherman, French & Co. in 1913, with illustrations by Clara R. Atwood. It is a short work of juvenile fiction narrated by a cat, and it mixes adventure with a clear plea for better treatment of abandoned animals.
Because so little biographical detail is readily documented, her reputation now rests mainly on this one surviving title. Even so, the book gives a strong sense of her interests: affection for animals, concern for their welfare, and a simple, direct storytelling style that still feels approachable.