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ellatallulah's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
labunnywtf's review against another edition
5.0
This is a beautiful book. Cover to cover, I fell in love so hard. I can't even begin to express it.
James is a wonderful person. Not just for saving Bob, which really, he gets all the points just for that. But for allowing Bob to help him grow as a human being, to move past the horror that is heroin addiction, then methadone dependence, and better himself. I realize he had help getting his story into novel form, but the book feels real, like he sat down and wrote it.
Bob is a phenomenal character. What a fantastic cat. I looked up a few interviews with James and Bob, and you can tell he's got a great personality. When James talks about trying to "let Bob go", my heart hurt. I was worried Bob would feel like James was basically throwing him away. And I love that he's such a cat, and wouldn't let him get rid of him.
I was also petrified that Bob would die at the end of the book. Marley and Me really ruined me for true stories about animals.
I recommend this book highly. HIGHLY.
James is a wonderful person. Not just for saving Bob, which really, he gets all the points just for that. But for allowing Bob to help him grow as a human being, to move past the horror that is heroin addiction, then methadone dependence, and better himself. I realize he had help getting his story into novel form, but the book feels real, like he sat down and wrote it.
Bob is a phenomenal character. What a fantastic cat. I looked up a few interviews with James and Bob, and you can tell he's got a great personality. When James talks about trying to "let Bob go", my heart hurt. I was worried Bob would feel like James was basically throwing him away. And I love that he's such a cat, and wouldn't let him get rid of him.
I was also petrified that Bob would die at the end of the book. Marley and Me really ruined me for true stories about animals.
I recommend this book highly. HIGHLY.
punk_flower_child's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
A sweet, slice-of-life type story. Maybe not the best writing in history but a lovely read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Classism, and Addiction
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Violence
lauren62's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
Easy reading. Such a lovely inspiring story but would have been nice have been fleshed out a bit more
animelanie's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars - read it in a day, it was so good and easy to read! In fact, I was reading it when I was having a tattoo done, so at least something was enjoyable lol.
Really nice yet sad story, highlighting the life of those living on the street. I have to admit, I'm more likely to be agreeable to being approached if the person has an animal - though of course im always polite and offer help when I can. This really showed how dehumanising life on the streets is, and how hard it is to get back on your feet. I love Bob, he's amazing, but then, all cats are ^-^
Really nice yet sad story, highlighting the life of those living on the street. I have to admit, I'm more likely to be agreeable to being approached if the person has an animal - though of course im always polite and offer help when I can. This really showed how dehumanising life on the streets is, and how hard it is to get back on your feet. I love Bob, he's amazing, but then, all cats are ^-^
megangraff's review against another edition
3.0
A year 6 student mentioned this book when I asked what he had read recently and enjoyed. A couple days later he brought it in for me to read. I picked it up last night expecting to read for 30 minutes or so before bed but I ended up staying up until I finished it. It isn't very well written but it is extremely heart warming to read about the relationship that develops between James (a recovering heroin junkie) and Bob the street cat who befriends him.
Today when I told the student that I finished the book he asked me if I thought it was appropriate for year 6 students. He didn't think it was because it talks about heroin. I suggested that some parents might not want their children reading about drug use but that at the same time, James talks about how he ended up on drugs and perhaps that might help some kids not end up going down the same path.
It's nice to be working with students who are reading books I like to read - instead of just the Rainbow Fairies, Magic Tree House and Beast Quest type of series preferred by younger students (and my students in Tanzania who were all ESL and so were reading below a native English speakers grade level).
Today when I told the student that I finished the book he asked me if I thought it was appropriate for year 6 students. He didn't think it was because it talks about heroin. I suggested that some parents might not want their children reading about drug use but that at the same time, James talks about how he ended up on drugs and perhaps that might help some kids not end up going down the same path.
It's nice to be working with students who are reading books I like to read - instead of just the Rainbow Fairies, Magic Tree House and Beast Quest type of series preferred by younger students (and my students in Tanzania who were all ESL and so were reading below a native English speakers grade level).
sinimini's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
3.75
Hayatında dibi görmüş birinin hayvan sevgisi ile ayağa kalkış hikayesi. İçi ısıtan, çabuk okunan, ilaç gibi bir kitap.
chamomiledaydreams's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
3.0
I'm a sucker for stories about animals, cats especially, and "A Street Cat Named Bob" is simultaneously heartwarming and anxiety-inducing. Bob passed away in 2020, but he lived a good, long life, and no permanent tragedies befall him over the course of this book. Still, there are moments of fear and suspense that terrified me, like when Bob gets lost in crowded thoroughfares and the author recounts how desperately he searched for his cat. I can't imagine my own cats in those sorts of perilous situations, and I already have enough nightmares about watching them cross busy intersections and getting injured by cars.
Regardless, I liked this book a lot, and it touches upon important topics like poverty and addiction. Bowen talks about how adopting Bob turned his life around and how people stopped more frequently to give him the time of day, helping him with kind words and monetary assistance. It's great that Bowen found such a loving companion in Bob, but it's awful that so many people needed to see a cat in order to sympathize with a human-being. "A Street Cat Named Bob" only grazes this subject, and it never gets too didactic or moralistic. But it provides a good basis for thinking about these questions, and Bowen doesn't shy away from discussing his childhood and addiction. The result is a unique book about a man and his cat that left me wanting to learn and discuss the story more.
Regardless, I liked this book a lot, and it touches upon important topics like poverty and addiction. Bowen talks about how adopting Bob turned his life around and how people stopped more frequently to give him the time of day, helping him with kind words and monetary assistance. It's great that Bowen found such a loving companion in Bob, but it's awful that so many people needed to see a cat in order to sympathize with a human-being. "A Street Cat Named Bob" only grazes this subject, and it never gets too didactic or moralistic. But it provides a good basis for thinking about these questions, and Bowen doesn't shy away from discussing his childhood and addiction. The result is a unique book about a man and his cat that left me wanting to learn and discuss the story more.
anorte's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
4.0