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Book Reviewed by:A life-affirming anthem to kindness and self-sacrifice, The Travelling Cat Chronicles shows how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy.
We take journeys to explore exotic new places and to return to the comforts of home, to visit old acquaintances and to make new friends. But the most important journey is the one that shows us how to follow our hearts...
An instant international bestseller, The Travelling Cat Chronicles has charmed readers around the world. With simple yet descriptive prose, this novel gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru's longtime friends. Or so Nana is led to believe ...
With his crooked tail - a sign of good fortune - and adventurous spirit, Nana is the perfect companion for the man who took him in as a stray. And as they travel in a silver van across Japan, with its ever-changing scenery and seasons, they will learn the true meaning of courage and gratitude, of loyalty and love.
Excerpt
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
I am a cat. As yet, I have no name. There's a famous cat in our country who once made this very statement.
I have no clue how great that cat was, but at least when it comes to having a name I got there first. Whether I like my name is another matter, since it glaringly doesn't fit my gender, me being male and all. I was given it about five years ago – around the time I came of age.
Back then, I used to sleep on the bonnet of a silver van in the parking lot of an apartment building. Why there? Because no one would ever shoo me away. Human beings are basically huge monkeys that walk upright, but they can be pretty full of themselves. They leave their cars exposed to the elements, but a few paw prints on the paintwork and they go ballistic.
At any rate, the bonnet of that silver van was my favourite place to sleep. Even in winter, the sun made it all warm and toasty, the perfect spot for a daytime nap.
I stayed there until spring arrived, ...
The novel brings to the reader a powerful message about the value of friendship and solitude. It shows, above all, how acts of love, both great and small, can transform our lives (Carol N). This was a great book; so much soul searching and reflection was relayed in these pages. The way the author details Saturo's life was beautiful; I felt so much a part of his journey that I never wanted it to end (Kristen H)...continued
Full Review
(708 words)
(Reviewed by First Impressions Reviewers).
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa is set in Japan, a country where felines are held in high esteem.
Cats first arrived in Japan around 500 CE as stowaways on ships returning from China, where the animals had already been domesticated for centuries. They were quickly adopted in Buddhist temples by the resident monks, who deemed them protectors of their manuscripts (the books were written on parchment, a favorite food of mice). In the 10th century, cats were so popular and sought after, only nobles could afford them. By the end of the 16th century, cats were popular pets across all social classes; however in 1602, the government ordered the release of all house cats in an effort to combat an increase in rats, the proliferation...
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