From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…

The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Hiro Arikawa,

Philip Gabriel (Translator)

Start date: November 15, 2021

Finish date: December 15, 2021

Discussion: Group Reads Discussions

Why we're reading this: November 2021 selection for Minority authors theme.
[close] November 2021 selection for Minority authors theme.

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 405 topics — 3,825 comments total

Group Reads Discussions

This topic has been closed to new comments.

* Links to Group Read Discussions
By Diane , Armchair Tour Guide · 3 posts · 1369 views

last updated Jan 18, 2013 07:12PM

I've Been Waiting
By Carole · 1 post · 12 views

last updated Sep 16, 2025 07:57PM

showing 10 of 32 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Sep 26, 2020 Stil de scriitor rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Mi-a luat mai bine de o saptamana sa citesc cartea, dar nu pentru ca nu mi-a placut, ci pentru ca este o perioada aglomerata si nu ma pot concentra la citit deloc. Cum mi s-a parut mie? Interesanta si spre final, foarte induiosatoare. Ba chiar am si plans. Povestea lui Satoru si a motanului Nana este o frumoasa poveste de afectiune si atasament. Si eu am doua pisici si m-am transpus in pielea lui Satoru. Povestea celor doi mi s-a parut frumos prezentata si m-a impresionat. Daca iubesti pisicile, ...more

15 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2021 Ann marked it as dnf

Dnf-ed 35% in. I usually slog through the book if I'm this far out but I was getting too annoyed and wanted to go back to my Pride Month reads. The reviewer who said it's twee is right. The cat's POV is especially annoying. ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2018 Karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: travel-the-world

A few years ago I found the author Spencer Quinn. I love his Chet and Bernie series. The books are from the dog's perspective, so when I found that this book by Arikawa was from the cat's perspective, I knew it was a book for me. I don't want to say much about the plot, it is best read without knowing anything about it. Nana and his human, Satoru embark on a road trip all over Japan. I fell in love with the story and its main characters. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 01, 2018 Sunflower rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, fiction-read-2018

When I first started this book, I wondered if I had happened across a children's book by mistake. As the book progresses and the narrator changes between the cat and the man who takes him in from the streets, the tale becomes more complex. The travelling from childhood friend to the next childhood friend, in search of a person who can look after the cat, reveals more about the humans in the story, and the cunning of the Nana, the cat. It becomes clear why the travelling was necessary, and the en ...more

Like · see review

Jun 15, 2019 Jana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: x2019-reading-challenge

What a great book. At first the stilted feel to the English was hard to get used to, but then it no longer mattered because the story was so delightful. I enjoyed the feeling of suspense in the middle. Such a great number of themes and lessons throughout the book that this cat taught us...

Like · see review

Aug 22, 2023 Astrid Lim rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: animals, travel, asia, translated

3,5 stars.

I think this book is just not really for me, but I can understand why all cat lovers love this book. It has everything that you hoped for a good animal-human friendship story. For me, what turned me a bit off is how Satoru, the main character, was pictured as a perfect person, without any flaws. It's quite unrealistic for me and made me enjoy the book less. Also - why do dogs and dog people are negatively portrayed here? XD ...more

Like · see review