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Discover the fabulous new double volume hardback gifting edition of The Travelling Cat Chronicles and The Goodbye Cat . Includes extra sparkle and elegance, with a brand new front-cover illustration ''Bewitching... as self-possessed and comforting as - well, a cat'' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ''A book about kindness and love, and how the smallest things can provide happiness'' STYLIST ''Quirky and life-enhancing'' THE TIMES ___ Set against the backdrop of Japan''s changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, The Travelling Cat Chronicles explores the wonder and thrill of life''s unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take. In The Goodbye Cat , seven cats weave their way through their owners'' lives. Bursting with empathy and love, it explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. Both huge bestsellers in Japan, at the heart of these books is a powerful message about the importance of kindness. Every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them. ___ Readers adore THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES and THE GOODBYE CAT: ''Delightful, insightful, full of warmth with plenty of humour'' 5 stars ***** ''Uplifting and heart wrenching in equal measure'' 5 stars ***** ''It had me in floods of tears but filled me with hope too'' 5 stars ***** ''Wonderful! These cats are charming and truly come alive. The book is full of human - or rather, cat kindness'' ***** ''Irresistible. This is the first time since The Travelling Cat Chronicles that I cried my eyes out over a book'' ***** ''I''m glad I didn''t read it outside because I couldn''t stop crying. Truly life-enhancing'' *****
About the author
HIRO ARIKAWA is the multi-million-copy bestselling author of THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLES and THE GOODBYE CAT. Passing through a scenic mountainous region of Japan, the famous Hankyu line is a privately run railway that connects Osaka and Kyoto and is famous for its maroon-coloured vintage-style carriages. One of its much-visited stops is the city of Takarazuka, where the author of this book lives. Published twenty years ago, this enduring Japanese classic has sold 1.4 million copies and has been published worldwide.Philip Gabriel is the author of Mad Wives and Island Dreams: Shimao Toshio and the Margins of Japanese Literature and Spirit Matters: The Transcendent in Modern Japanese Literature and has translated many novels and short stories by the writer Haruki Murakami and other modern writers. He is recipient of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature (2001) for his translation of Senji Kuroi’s Life in the Cul-de-Sac, and the 2006 PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize for his translation of Murakami's Kafka on the Shore.
