Metropolitan’s Comments (group member since Aug 25, 2014)

Metropolitan’s comments from the Metro Library ReadUp group.

So far I'm enjoying the chapters set in the past far more than the present day ones. I think the author isn't as good at writing dialogue for modern young people, but at this point it's not too bothersome. Also I feel horrible for both girls and I barely know anything about them yet!

I've read up to page 45: the Prologue and the first few bits of Molly and Niamh's stories. I only hope that things pick up for these poor kids over the course of the story. And I'm guessing there will be some kind of strong connection between the two stories.

What do you guys think of the book so far? (However much you've read--share your thoughts.)

This one got the most votes, so get your copy today! Make sure to discuss as you read so we can get a good conversation going.

Glad you liked it, Robyn! There's a second book about Bob and James too, called The World According to Bob. In it, James tells how they moved from selling magazines to writing books.

Here are some videos of Bob and James in action! One follows them on a day out, and another is a talk show interview.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Let's get a head start and choose our next book! Vote in the poll.

We'll decide on one of these:
The Hobbit: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Orphan Train: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Small Blessings: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

And remember, you have all month long to post about A Street Cat Named Bob. For that matter, the discussion boards for the previous books aren't closed so you can still post in them if you like. There are no real "read-by" deadlines here, and it's totally all right to post as you read, in fact I encourage it.

Thanks for playing, and enjoy your reading!

It's not currently. It's in large print, audio CD, and regular size print. I think when I made my big list of books it was in eBook format, but now it's not showing up. Sorry.

It's 11/17, so that means there are only about 2 more weeks to discuss this lovely book! Share your thoughts here!

Thanks! Everyone who wants to, please take the survey, you have until this Friday, 11/21.

I finished the book last night and I thought it was just lovely. I love the close relationship between James and Bob, it's so sweet!

I loved how Bob gave James a sense of purpose, something to live for, and even helped comfort him when he was physically sick from coming off of drugs.

Thanks for the suggestion, Amanda!

I'm loving Bob! I was quite surprised to read that he gladly wore a scarf and vest--no cat I have ever met would tolerate that. And I keep imagining what my cat would do in the situations Bob and James get into. Probably she'd freak out and run away at the first startling thing that happened. So Bob really seems like a special cat.

I was curious about why the police bothered the buskers so much, and found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_p...
"In London, busking is prohibited in the entire borough of the City of London. The London Underground provides busking permits in tube stations." So even though James said there are areas where it's permitted, I guess it's really not.

Hi guys,
Could you take a moment to take a survey on the book club? Thanks so much! The link is here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7V6DMYJ

Here are some discussion questions from litlovers.com about the book:

http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guid...

1.) Talk about the strange connection that exists between humans and animals. What makes us bond with one another? James was barely able to care for himself, as he admits, so what prompted him to undertake the care and added expense of a sick animal?

2.) On the publisher's book trailer one man says that James and Bob's story changed his perception of homeless people. He came to see them differently than he had in the past. How do you react to the homeless? Do you ever stop to talk, learn their story, offer money, a word of encouragement, a cup of coffee? Has this book made you see homeless people differently?

3.) Talk about your own relationships with your pets. Perhaps not as dramatically as Bob has done for James Bowen, but have animals in any way shaped your life?

Thanks for the spoiler alert! When I was a kid, I totally stopped reading books about animals because it seemed like they were just in the book to teach kids a lesson about mortality.

I have to agree with this reviewer: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/boo...

"One wishes Morgenstern had spent less time on the special effects and more on the hauntingly unanswerable question that runs, more or less ignored, through these pages: Can children love who were never loved, only used as intellectual machines? What kind of magic reverses that spell? It’s not as pretty a spectacle, but that’s a story that grips the heart."

I really wanted to like it, but I didn't enjoy it very much. I think the author did a wonderful job of describing things visually, but the emotional core of the book was not really much of anything for me.

I also thought that the jumbled up sequencing wasn't really serving any purpose, and just made the story harder to follow. It seemed gimmicky to me.

I think it would make a good movie because the imagery is so interesting to imagine, but the story didn't grab me.

Anyone who loved it care to share your thoughts?

Talk about it here.

All right, lets go with A Street Cat Named Bob!

Please vote in the poll, there's no clear winner yet.

It's time to think about what we'll be reading next month. I am going with a cozy/Fall/food theme for the choices. So vote in the poll and keep on reading!

A Street Cat Named Bob: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

My Life in France:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...


Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...