The Travelling Cat Chronicles (Tabineko Ripôto)

Nana, a cat, is devoted to Satoru, his owner. So when Satoru decides to go on a roadtrip one day to find him a new home, Nana is perplexed. They visit Satoru's old friends from his school days & early youth. His friends may have untidy emotional lives but they are all animal lovers, & they also wonder why Satoru is trying to give his beloved cat away. Until the day Nana suddenly understands a long-held secret about his much-loved owner, & his heart begins to break. Narrated in turns by Nana & by his owner, this funny, uplifting, heartrending story of a cat is nothing if not profoundly human.

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A book that “speak[s] volumes about our need for connection—human, feline or otherwise” (San Francisco Chronicle), The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a life-affirming anthem to kindness & self-sacrifice that shows how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy—the perfect gift for cat lovers & travellers!

We take journeys to explore exotic new places & to return to the comforts of home, to visit old acquaintances & to make new friends. But the most important journey is the one that shows us how to follow our hearts…

An instant international bestseller & indie bestseller, The Travelling Cat Chronicles has charmed readers around the world. With simple yet descriptive prose, this novel gives voice to Nana the cat & his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru’s longtime friends. Or so Nana is led to believe…

With his crooked tail—a sign of good fortune—& adventurous spirit, Nana is the perfect companion for the man who took him in as a stray. And as they travel in a silver van across Japan, with its ever-changing scenery & seasons, they will learn the true meaning of courage & gratitude, of loyalty & love.

On New York Post‘s Required Reading List