Rating 6/10
I would like to firstly thank Sarah from Thomas Dunne Books an imprint for sending me a gorgeous review copy of this book!
What a quirky little book this was! This is a perfect little read for getting you through the coronavirus quarantine time, nothing but positive vibes in this nonfiction read.
You might be wondering, what the heck this book is about? I was a little puzzled at first too. This book is about a young street busker named James Bowen and an injured orange Tabby cat named Bob. James was a homeless man on the streets of London, UK, and one day he was approached by a publisher while sitting on the sidewalk and the publisher asked him to write about his life with Bob the cat. That’s when The Little Book of Bob was born. Throughout the book, James tells us various stories of his life with Bob, how they met, and how much Bob has truly changed his life for the better. James’s life completely transformed after meeting Bob but fame hasn’t changed him much, all thanks to Bob. Bob has helped James to stay true to himself, and to treasure the smaller things in life. James has little life lessons within each story about Bob and it’s a lovely and uplifting read.
This is a great little book to have on your coffee table or in any room for whenever you need a little fun story about Bob & James. They do have quite a sweet story and you get to discover that all within the book. The book is split into 6 parts, and each part has specific life lessons that Bob instilled onto James. At first I thought the book was a tad cheesy, but as I read on, quite a lot of it made perfect sense and I found myself enjoying the little stories and the life lessons that James takes away from each story. Also, if you’re a cat lover then you will adore this book as I feel a lot of cat lovers can relate to all the funny little things that Bob does. I myself, am a dog person, but I learned quite a bit from James and Bob, there are loads of little life lessons that can be applied to everyday life. Some good, some okay, and some sweet. It's a good read, it lacks in substance which is why I did not give it a high rating, but beyond that it's a sweet cheerful little read.
This book would make a great gift for any cat lover, and would be a good book to have in the house, on your coffee table or on any bookshelf. It’s one of those books that you can read again and again over many years. It’s a fun little book with a whole lot of heart. They should totally make a dog version of this book, I would definitely read it!
Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:
Part 4 - Don’t be Ruled by Fear
“We seem to live in a world that is now filled with anxieties. People are crippled by fears, some genuine, but some completely irrational. We could all learn a lesson from Bob. He is careful and keeps his eyes open. But he doesn’t let fear rule his world.”
Part 3 - Seize Each Day
“If you can forget about what happened yesterday and treat today as a fresh start, you are already halfway towards ensuring that today is a better one”
Part 5 - Rich Cat, Poor Cat
“Bob’s Zen-like calm is a reflection of the simplicity of his life. He has no bills to pay. No mortgage to fret over. No responsibilities.
Bob has no possessions at all. And in that he might be lucky.
It sometimes occurs to me that the more you have, the more you worry about losing it all.”
Genre: Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Self Help
Published: October 30th 2018
Reviewed by Chrissy's Books