If Cats Disappeared From The World
Paperback Published on: 20/09/2018
Price: £10.99
Bookseller Reviews
View all
What makes life worth living?
How do you decide what makes your life worth living, Genki Kawamura's beautiful tale of loss and reconciliation will make you question what really matters ... READ MORE
Stunning
What a wonderful little book! Not only is is incredibly well written (and translated), it is incredibly moving. I am not ashamed to say I had a little week... READ MORE
unexpectedly heartbreaking and heartmending
I received Genki Kawamura’s novel to review and was immediately engrossed. It follows a young man in the days after he is given a fatal diagnosis by his do... READ MORE
Quirky Japanese tale
It seems that cats, like Alphaville, are big in Japan - and I really enjoy the way that Japanese writers use these animals to explore some big issues. In t... READ MORE
Synopsis
Our narrator's days are numbered. Estranged from his family, living alone with only his cat Cabbage for company, he was unprepared for the doctor's diagnosis that he has only months to live. But before he can set about tackling his bucket list, the Devil appears with a special offer: in exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, he can have one extra day of life. And so begins a very bizarre week . . .
Because how do you decide what makes life worth living? How do you separate out what you can do without from what you hold dear?
In dealing with the Devil our narrator will take himself - and his beloved cat - to the brink. Genki Kawamura's If Cats Disappeared from the World is a story of loss and reconciliation, of one man's journey to discover what really matters in modern life.
This beautiful tale is translated from the Japanese by Eric Selland, who also translated The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide. Fans of The Guest Cat and The Travelling Cat Chronicles will also surely love If Cats Disappeared from the World.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Pan Macmillan
- ISBN: 9781509889174
- Number of pages: 208
- Dimensions: 197 x 134 x 14 mm
- Weight: 156g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allSimple yet so clever!
This tale will really make you think. Memories...making you reflect on the choices you have made.
It is easy to get caught up in the little everyday thing... READ MORE
If you enjoyed The Guest Cat, you'll love this book!
"The fact is, people tend to be surprisingly calm when they hear news like this. When I found out, the first thing that occurred to me was that I was only ... READ MORE
Some things just aren't worth giving up
This book beautifully demonstrates the little things in life that make our lives happier, it causes you to reflect on what is important and question what w... READ MORE
not as simple as it at first seems
This short book caught me by surprise. At first, I thought it was a fairly shallow thought experiment about making things like phones disappear from the wo... READ MORE
Unexpectedly now one of my favourite books of all time
I saw this whilst I waited in the line at Waterstones buying Traveling Cat Chronicles...I thought this was a sequel or something (I figured out quickly eno... READ MORE
Heart-warming tale of humans - and cats
‘In order to gain something you have to lose something’ - that, in a nutshell, is pretty much the moral of this charming, offbeat little novel that has sol... READ MORE
A wonderful look at the randomness and arbitrary nature of what life may hold.
Genki Kawamura is a writer and film producer who's debut novel If Cats Disappeared from the World has sold over a million copies in Japan. This moving and ... READ MORE
Choices If Cats Disappeared From the World
A surprising book that opens doors for so many of us. Although I was so affraid for the cat, I was fascinated by the results of selfish selection. A tho... READ MORE
Amusing, thought provoking, sad and poignant... JAPAN
If Cats Disappeared From The World by Genki Kawamura (excellently translated by Eric Selland) – amusing, sad and thought-provoking novel set in Japan.
If ... READ MORE
A beautiful little book
I've really enjoyed the Japanese fiction that I've read. This book however was very different from what I had anticipated. I suppose the title made me thin... READ MORE
Interesting concept but lacked depth
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to read this book, but unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed with i... READ MORE
Quirky Heartfelt Tale
My thanks to Pan MacMillan/Picador for an ARC via NetGalley.
I was attracted to this novel due to its title. As someone devoted to cats I could not imagin... READ MORE
What do you value in life?
'If Cats Disappeared from the World' makes the reader think, what would I do in these circumstances. If death is imminent would I make a deal with the devi... READ MORE
Get your tissues ready!
Oh,absolutely beautiful book,i read it in a day,and unashamedly cried like a baby! Dont let that put you off,it is a book with positive affirmations runnin... READ MORE
Aloha
I wasn’t sure about the informal writing style at first, but ended up getting sucked in and pretty much inhaling this book! Very interesting concept, emoti... READ MORE
Amazing couldn’t put it down!
Stumbled across this while browsing the bookshelves and was instantly hooked. Reading the introduction to the book I knew that I would love it. Recommend a... READ MORE
Poetic philosophy
A delightful story with profound insights to life, and what is important to us. Thought provoking and delightful. A joy to savour.
I could not recommend this book more
This is absolutely one of the best books I’ve ever read. Written beautifully, telling a story that triggers a sea of different emotion while reading. I’ve ... READ MORE
If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kamamura
If cats disappeared from the world by Genki Kamamura is a deceptively simple, short read. It is very profound and entertaining. What would you do if you we... READ MORE
A book that makes you think
If Cats Disappeared from the World opens on our narrator finding out he has only a short while to live. Just after this revelation, the devil approaches hi... READ MORE
Perfect in basically every way
This isnt my usual genre of reading, but the cover and title caught my eye - it was all perfect - the pacing, the writing style, watching the main characte... READ MORE
Japanese lit | Translated by Eric Selland
Melancholic, yet lighthearted, comedic, and gently moving in the face of death.
Find my Instagram: @globallitreview
Just re brought it, excellent
This is an amazing, creative story. That gets you thinking, whilst making the world (possible) seem not so bad.
It's that good, I've just re brought it ag... READ MORE
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