Thursday, October 4, 2012

A Street Cat Named Bob


I was contacted back in August by Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martin's Press if I would be interested in receiving two cat related books to read.  I was asked for comments about these two books for their marketing efforts but nothing more.  And being someone who loves to read cat books of course I signed right up.

One of the books was A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen. The review the short version:

get the book.  read the book.  follow James on Facebook.

Bob - from Facebook
Seriously.  I can sit here and gush about what a fast and easy but yet emotional and gripping read it was.  I can share with you how I was able to read it in the car heading up to a recent fair and finished it long before we got home and how I was left with wondering how Bob was doing and how I couldn't wait to get to an internet connection so I could watch the videos mentioned in the book (here is one) and look and see if there was more info on Bob post book (which is how I found the Facebook page)



But I think the most telling thing is when I was reading it in the car and the car swerved to avoid something in the road, my first instinct was to protect Bob..

Granted, I felt absolutely ridiculous afterwards, but it charmed me all the more once I got over that. (btw, it is a very British book, as James and Bob are from London. )

Seriously, get the book, read the book.  I'd offer up the copy I have but apparently I am a little over protective of it.



From the publisher:
A STREET CAT NAMED BOB by James Bowen is the memoir of a man whose bond with an abandoned cat provided him with hope and redemption living on the streets of London. James and Bob have become cult figures in London; please see their videos on YouTube (such as http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PccD1ULea4A&feature=fvwrel) for a moving portrait of their recent adventures. A Street Cat Named Bob has topped the bestseller list in England, and the pair have made friends with countless and sundry celebrities, including Sir Paul McCartney.

Praise for A Street Cat Named Bob:

“A warm and poignant memoir of how an injured ginger cat transformed the life of a man living on the streets…This is a book with the strong ingredients that made Marley & Me and Dewey such big successes.”The Guardian (UK)
"Fans... queued around the block at James and Bob's first signing at the Islington branch of Waterstones last week. The purrfectly behaved Bob signed an impressive 180 books in just two hours."-- Bookseller (UK)
 “This uplifting story touched my heart…As much as I love cat books, it’s rare that I come across one that I just can’t put down. I couldn’t stop turning the pages of this one.”
The Conscious Cat (link to Ingrid's interview with James)

11 comments:

  1. this type of read is always emotional!

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  2. I have this on my wish list but haven't been able to afford getting it yet.... maybe someday :(

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  3. Mommy said she saw the book in the local bookshop recently and will be getting it pretty soon.

    PS/ What do you mean by it being "a very British book"?

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    1. A lot of British language and word use. My mother is from England so I found it rather interesting, but if you aren't expecting it, it could be a bit distracting.

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  4. I have heard about this but not read it yet.....should put it on the library list (cause I can't afford my own book habit)

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  5. Oh, I didn't know about this book. I will check it out, thanks!

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  6. Sounds very interesting book!

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  7. Aw cool! Sounds like a great book!

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  8. I saw Bob and James on tv recently. They are doing fine. The book has changed their lives! James is very shy and sweet!! Am wondering what constitutes a "very British book"? lol

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  9. Sounds like a Must-Read to us!

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  10. This book is at the top of my all time favorite cat books. I can't wait for this to be published in the US, and I hope that James and Bob will do a US book tour!

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