A Street Cat Named Bob

I read this book a few years ago and I found it interesting on a number of levels: firstly, I like cats and enjoy reading stories about them, secondly, I’d just inherited a ‘street cat’ from someone whose life was, sadly, not saved by their relationship with a street cat, and thirdly, the story sounded like something that might have been written by an Essential Skills learner who is using their life story as inspiration to work on their literacy skills.
The story, based on James Bowen’s own life, is unusual but not unpredictable. It’s about a young man who is only just getting by in life, struggling with a drug addiction and busking on the streets of London to make a living. He has no family to support him and few friends to lean on. It’s a hand-to-mouth existence with no room for luxury or sentiment. However, despite being at one of the lowest points in his own life, he takes pity on a stray cat, skinny and neglected looking, which has been hanging about his block of flats, and feeds it and gives it shelter. The cat, named Bob by James, ends up as a constant companion on the streets and James is delighted to find that his busking earnings increase as a direct result of Bob’s presence. Before too long the pair have built a mutually supportive relationship and not only does Bob give James a sense of purpose – he must earn money to pay for the cat food and vet’s bills – but James finds a renewed contact with the human race. Ordinary people, who would otherwise have walked past and ignored him, are keen to speak to him about his unusual feline companion.
If you’re an animal lover and you like a story with a happy ending, I think you’ll enjoy this story. It’s not really about the cat, although the cat is clearly a remarkable animal character, it’s about James and his personal journey during a difficult time in his life. It’s easy to read and makes you feel good.

I personally thaught that the book is very good. It follows the true story of a heroin user who finds happiness and hope in a cat call bob ^_^, i personally related to alot of his story and was able to implement it into my own recovery... it really helped me alot

It is a nice book . This book is about how a street singer finds a cat.Since he finds Bob the cat and keeps bob with him slowly all his troubles slowly go away.it is a nice book.

This is an epic, sad and incredible book.

Great book

People SHOULD read this book because it is about a little cute ginger cat. The man that finds him and looks after him has drugs, BUT bob stops him and he stops.

"A really wonderful tale about a cat and his owner"
"I would want to have bob as my cat! He is special!"
"I can't put the book down, its heart breaking about the cat being left alone! Aah!"

such a good book sad story though but gets much happier great author love it i love bob!!!!!!!!!! i would 100% recommend this book for people who like cliff hangers

This was a nice heart-warming story to read. It was a clear and simple read. I can't wait to see the film when it comes out.

Really good book and emotional especially as i'm a cat lover!!!!

I definitely loved this book and I found it really interesting. I would definitely recommend this book to cat lovers.

I thought it was good

I finished this in a day on holiday. It was an easy and enjoyable read but would probably only appeal to cat lovers (like me). The book gives the true story of a recovering drug addict who finds companionship in a stray cat. I thought the author came across as though he had a persecution complex, which was annoying, but Bob the street cat sounds like a wonderful creature! All in all if you like cats and fancy an easy read then this one is for you.

so sweet

It's a really good and exciting journal of someone's life with a cat and how he recovers.

funnyest thing ever