A Street Cat Named Bob

Thomas Dunne Books

A Street Cat Named Bob
James Bowen
2012

The Summary
"A Street Cat Named Bob is an international sensation, landing on the bestseller list in England for fifty-two consecutive weeks and selling in twenty-six country around the world.  Now, James and Bob are ready to share their true story with readers in the United States.  This is a tale unlike any you've ever read, and Bob is a cat who possesses some kind of magic.

"When street musician James Bowen found an injured cat curled up in the hallway of his apartment building, he had no idea how much his life was about to change.  James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London, barely making enough money to feed himself, and the last thing he needed was a pet.  Yet James couldn't resist helping the strikingly intelligent but very sick animal, whom he named Bob.  He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining that he would never see him again.  But Bob had other ideas."

The Good
I was pleasantly surprised by A Street Cat Named Bob.  When I picked it up at the recommendation of a coworker, I was a little hesitant; however, I'm glad I took the opportunity to read it, because it is a great book.

Granted, I was originally attracted to Bowen's memoir since it featured a cat (and I love cats and dogs, if you can't tell from some of my other reviews) and I liked reading about his growing relationship with Bob, his ginger tomcat, but I think I also appreciated the way his story developed.  James Bowen is an excellent narrator and, with the help of Garry Jenkins, his character, his tone of voice--the qualities that make him unique as an individual--shine through the entire work.

I found the book was easy to read, full of remarkable little stories and memories that make it singularly satisfying.  It's a simple affair, straight-forward in its retelling of life with a stray cat, but it's so honest and earnest.  Bowen is a candid narrator, recounting all the hope and peril of day-to-day addiction recovery.

It's easy to get sucked into the story, like how pedestrians gravitate toward Bob when Bowen is "busking."  It's undeniable.  (And don't worry if you don't know what "busking" means right now.  Bowen is sure to fill you in.)  It's heart-warming and sweet--and I was so glad I had the chance to pick up A Street Cat Named Bob.

The Bad
I don't really have any complaints.  A Street Cat Named Bob is a solid story with an excellent set of authors.  Bowen and Jenkins work well together, creating a memoir that's surprisingly poignant and hopeful.  It's book that I highly recommend reading if you're an animal lover, especially if you're of the variety who have picked up Marley & Me.

The Ugly
Drug addiction, plain and simple.