Libros / Books: 'A Streetcat Named Bob' - James Bowen

Hola, chicas:
Aquí os traigo la reseña de uno de los últimos libro que he leído.

Me sonaba vagamente este libro y en su día pensé que seguro que me gustaría. Cosas de la vida, lo teníamos en la biblioteca del trabajo y comencé a leerlo en mis ratos cubriendo la misma, poco antes del confinamiento.

James Bowen era un músico callejero que malvivía en las calles y en apartamentos de Londres arrastrando un doloroso y problemático pasado. Una noche escuchó los maullidos lastimeros de un gato herido en el descansillo de su piso. En su situación, lo último que podía permitirse era aceptar la responsabilidad de cuidar del gato pero su noble espíritu decidió hacerlo. Le llamó Bob. No por Dylan sino por un personaje de Twin Peaks que le gustaba mucho. Lo que no esperaba James era que haber conocido a ese gato iba a salvar su vida y ambos, entre aventuras, situaciones cómicas y, en ocasiones, peligrosas por las calles londinenses, iban a sanar sus propias heridas que arrastraban del pasado y les iba a dar a los dos una segunda oportunidad.

Si os gustan los animales, estoy segura de que este libro os encantará. No nos piden casi nada a cambio de un amor incondicional. En el caso de James, que primero se gana la vida como músico callejero y luego vendiendo un periódico benéfico *Big Issue* le aporta la visibilidad que le falta como persona con pocos recursos. Son muchas las razones que llevan a una persona a vivir en la calle: adicción, problemas psiquiátricos, el desempleo, el perder su vivienda, etc. En una ciudad como Londres, donde todo es carísimo, imagino que esto será más frecuente de lo normal.
Le ayuda a ganarse la vida y le da el empujón final para dejar atrás por fin sus problemas de adicción.
Para James, Bob es como un hijo, alguien por el que se desvive y que le impulsa a ser mejor persona.

Hace unos tres años se llevó la historia de James y Bob al cine. Os dejo el *trailer*.
Aprovechando la cuarentena, la he visto también por Internet. Aunque han cambiado algunos detalles respecto al libro, es muy recomendable también.

Y aquí os dejo otro video de Luna en acción, tan juguetona como siempre. Molly ayer tuvo visita al veterinario para una vacuna y está estupenda. 

¿Habéis leído mucho durante el confinamiento? Me consta que algunas sí.

Hi girls,
Here is my review of one of my latest reads.

I had a vague recollection of this book and thinking this would be right up my alley. It's a small world, I guess and it turns out this book happened to be in the library at work, so I started reading it while I was on call there shortly before the lockdown.

 James Bowen is a busker struggling to make a living sleeping rough or in vulnerable housing in London. He is also a recovering drug-addict, a result of his troubled youth. He goes home one night only to find a ginger injured cat in the hallway of his apartment building. Given his own situation, that was the last thing he needed, but he just couldn't ignore the suffering animal. He named it Bob, not after Bob Dylan but after a character from Twin Peaks he really liked. What James couldn't expect was this chance encounter with the cat would save his life and that together, they would have their fair share of adventure and fun situations but also face danger in the streets of London. Their wounds will heal, they will leave their troubled past behind and get a second chance in life.

If you're an animal lover, you're going to love this book. They ask for very little in return for their unconditional love. As for James, at first, he makes a living as a busker and then becomes a *Big Issue* magazine seller. Having Bob with him provides him with a companion but also with the visibility he lacked with his hand-to-mouth existence.
There are many people sleeping rough for different reasons: addiction, psychiatric conditions, unemployment, having their homes repossessed, etc. In a city like London where everything is crazy expensive, this will be for sure a problem more common than we think.
Bob turns his life around and gives him the final boost he needs to stay clean and leave his addiction behind.
Bob becomes a son to James, someone he goes out of his way to protect and who makes him want to be a better person.


James' and Bob's story made it to the big screen about three years ago. Here is the *trailer*.
I took the chance and saw that as well -the upsides of being stuck at home. Despite the fact that some aspects have changed, it is definitely worth watching as well.

And here's a funny video featuring Luna. She's as playful as always. And Molly went to the vet yesterday for a shot and she's as fit as a fiddle.

Did you read many books while in lockdown? I know for a fact that some of you did.