The international phenomenon that has sold more than two million copies, If Cats Disappeared from the World is a heartwarming, funny, and profound meditation on the meaning of life. The young postman’s days are numbered. Estranged from his family and living alone with only his cat, Cabbage, to keep him company, he was unprepared for the doctor’s diagnosis that he has only months to live. But … only months to live. But before he can tackle his bucket list, the devil shows up to make him an offer: In exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, the postman will be granted one extra day of life. And so begins a very strange week that brings the young postman and his beloved cat to the brink of existence.
With each object that disappears, the postman reflects on the life he’s lived, his joys and regrets, and the people he’s loved and lost.
This timeless tale from Genki Kawamura (producer of the Japanese blockbuster animated movie Your Name) is a moving story of loss and reconciliation, and of one man’s journey to discover what really matters most in life.
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A beautifully crafted and translated masterpiece of philosophy and reflection, all wrapped up in a fable-like story of a dying man who meets the devil. I loved this little book and read it in one sitting!
I am mystified. The hype for this book claimed that it was a multimillion copy seller in Japan. I’m not questioning that. I simply don’t understand how it could have that kind of following!
IF CATS DISAPPEARED FROM THE WORLD is a simplistic children’s tale, just plain silly as the adult novel it promised to be. The premise? A young man is diagnosed with a brain tumor and given a week to live. In his subsequent panic, he is visited by the devil, who offers him one extra day each in exchange for each major thing he gives up.
First, he gives up his cell phone, so we hear all about that. Next, he gives up movies. As far as I’m concerned, this says something about the young man, right there.
When, the devil suggests he give up cats, though, he balks. He loves his cat. He simply can’t bargain him out of existence. Realizing that he will now die, he bequeaths his cat to his estranged father in a letter. Then, postman that he is, he delivers the letter (and cat) to the man in person. Their meeting, after so many years apart, is as flat as the rest of the book.
I was drawn to this book as a cat lover, but feel that the author squandered an opportunity to write something even vaguely profound. Was something lost in translation?
This is a short book. If you do read it, I’d love to know your thoughts.
Main theme: How we don’t appreciate what we have until it is gone.
‘If Cats Disappeared From The World’ takes us on a journey of the narrator making a deal with the devil- whose contract is to make things disappear, in exchange for an extra day of life. Sounds simple enough, but oh the consequences or just maybe self-realizations to be paid.
I liked all the short little stories on each item that had disappeared from the world and the corresponding chapter titles.
This was a short read and was right in the middle of the road for me rating-wise at 3 stars. I expected a bit more, but it was simple and to the point. I think if I was someone who hasn’t already been practicing gratitude or appreciating the small things in life I would have been more in awe of this book.
The cover is very serene and pretty.
This story definitely got me thinking about my family and relationships. There was a lot of depth and reflection, that at certain points of the book I would stop and relate it to my life and just ponder on it. This is what I mean by books that are a meditation on the meaning of life.
If you are highly religious I would steer clear because you will not find the slight religious humor on the narrators take on the devil. Reading from this perspective was different but it did get me to contemplate a few things in my own life and for that, I am grateful to the author.
So many great metaphors and quotes from the book that I wanted to write down:
“Humans went ahead and had to impose their own order on a naturally occurring phenomenon.”
“In order to gain something you have to lose something.”
“There are different ways of showing someone you love them, you know.”
“You don’t just have a family. You make a family.”
Meditate on the meaning of life type quotes are good for the soul. Opens up perception.
All quotes may not reflect the final copy of the book, as I received an ARC via the Goodreads Giveaway Program. Thank you to the publisher- Flatiron Books and author- Genki Kawamura for releasing an early copy. All reviews are my own and voluntary.
At first, If Cats Disappeared from the World feels as light and puzzling as a fairy tale, but then, steadily, chapter by chapter―using nothing more than conversation, memory, and a winning narrator’s searching, sensitive thought experiments―it raises its cosmic stakes higher than any thriller. Like a padding cat or the shadow of death, Genki Kawamura’s book snuck up on me; the next thing I knew, I was crying.