Hiro Arikawa

**YOUR NEXT PERFECT GIFT**Discover the fabulous new double volume hardback gifting edition containing two bestsellers by Hiro Arikawa: The Travelling Cat Chronicles and The Goodbye Cat. This edition includes extra sparkle and elegance, with brand new front-cover illustrations, full-colour inside endpapers and sprayed edges‘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 yet 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’ *****

DISCOVER YOUR NEXT FEELGOOD JAPANESE NOVEL, BY THE AUTHOR OF THE TRAVELLING CAT CHRONICLESOver 1.4 million copies sold in Japan'You will be wrapped in laughter and tears' Reader review*****'What I love about it is its Kindness' Reader review*****'I wanted to tap the shoulders of the characters' Reader review*****_________The contents of each traveller's heart is a mystery known only to themselvesTrundling through the scenic countryside of Kyoto and Osaka is the Hankyu line, a burgundy-coloured electric train that has been carrying its commuters to their destinations for decades. Over the course of a single journey in springtime, and the return journey six months later just as the leaves begin to fall:- a young man meets the woman who happens to take out the last copy of the library book he was about to borrow;- an angry wedding guest dresses in a white gown to upstage the bride;- a university student leaves home for the first time;- a twenty-something finally grows the courage to walk away from an abusive partner- a widow learns independence, as she and her granddaughter meet their new dog. As the seasons and the landscapes change, passengers jostle and connect, as this gentle timeless train carries each one forward towards the person they intend to become.

The uplifting new cat novel from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Travelling Cat Chronicles'Quirky and life-enhancing' THE TIMES Biggest Books of the Autumn _____________________Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives.- A needy kitten rescued from the recycling bin teaches a new father how to parent his own human baby- An elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be together for ever- A colony of wild cats on a holiday island shows a young boy not to stand in nature's way- A family is perplexed by their cat's devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father- A woman curses how her cat constantly visits her at nightBursting with empathy and love, THE GOODBYE CAT explores the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. A huge bestseller in Japan, every page is a joyous celebration of cats and how we cannot resist sharing our lives with them.'A book for every cat lover. An enchanting insight into the mysterious world of cats and their humans' CELIA HADDON, author of Being Your Cat**Includes seven beautiful cat drawings**_____________________READERS ADORE THE GOODBYE CAT- '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' *****

In the much-anticipated follow-up to the bestselling and beloved The Travelling Cat Chronicles, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives, climbing, comforting, nestling, and sometimes just tripping everyone up in this uplifting collection of tales by international bestselling author Hiro Arikawa. Against the backdrop of changing seasons in Japan, we meet Spin, a kitten rescued from the recycling bin, whose playful nature and simple needs teach an anxious father how to parent his own human baby; a colony of wild cats on a popular holiday island show a young boy not to stand in nature's way; a family is perplexed by their cat's undying devotion to their charismatic but uncaring father; a woman curses how her cat will not stop visiting her at night; and an elderly cat hatches a plan to pass into the next world as a spirit so that he and his owner may be in each other's lives forever. Bursting with love and warmth, The Goodbye Cat exquisitely explores the cycle of life, from birth to death--as each of the seven stories explores how, in different ways, the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down. A huge bestseller in Japan, this magical book is a joyous celebration of the wondrousness of cats and why we choose to share our lives with them.

STUNNING HARDBACK GIFTING EDITION, INCLUDES A RIBBON and SIX LINE DRAWINGSRECOMMENDED BY THOUSANDS OF READERS - the uplifting story of a journey around Japan with a cat by your side. 'Bewitching... as self-possessed and comforting as - well, a cat' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH_____________It's not the journey that counts, but who's at your side. Nana is on a road trip, but he is not sure where he is going. All that matters is that he can sit beside his beloved owner Satoru in the front seat of his silver van. Satoru is keen to visit three old friends from his youth, though Nana doesn't know why and Satoru won't say. Set against the backdrop of Japan's changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, Nana's story 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. TRAVELLING CAT has already demonstrated its power to move thousands of readers with a message of kindness and truth. It shows, above all, how acts of love, both great and small, can transform our lives.'Arikawa has a lightness of touch that elevates her story to a tale about loyalty and friendship ... while speaking to our basic human need for companionship' JOHN BOYNE, Irish Times'Anyone who has ever unashamedly loved an animal will read this book with gratitude, for its understanding of an emotion that ennobles us as human beings, whether we value it or not' LYNNE TRUSS, Guardian'It has the warmth, painterly touch, and tenderness of a Studio Ghibli film - and it is a delight to read' FINANCIAL TIMESWHAT READERS ARE SAYING:'I devoured this in just four days. Read it and weep'*****'What an astounding book'*****'Totally enchanting and delightful' *****'Full of hope. Just as good for non-cat-owners as well'*****'Absolutely amazing. I read it in a couple of days'*****'One of the best little books I have ever read'*****

A book that "speak s] volumes about our need for connection--human, feline or otherwise" (The San Francisco Chronicle), The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a life-affirming anthem to kindness and self-sacrifice that shows how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy--the perfect gift for cat lovers and travellers We take journeys to explore exotic new places and to return to the comforts of home, to visit old acquaintances and to make new friends. But the most important journey is the one that shows us how to follow our hearts... An instant international bestseller and 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 and 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--and 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 and seasons, they will learn the true meaning of courage and gratitude, of loyalty and love. On New York Post's Required Reading List

STUNNING HARDBACK GIFTING EDITION, INCLUDES A RIBBON RECOMMENDED BY THOUSANDS OF INTERNATIONAL READERS - the feelgood story of a man's journey around Japan with a streetcat. Translated by Philip Gabriel, a translator of Murakami. INCLUDES 6 BEAUTIFUL LINE-DRAWINGS ‘Bewitching... as self-possessed and comforting as - well, a cat’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH _____________ It's not the journey that counts, but who's at your side. Nana is on a road trip, but he is not sure where he is going. All that matters is that he can sit beside his beloved owner Satoru in the front seat of his silver van. Satoru is keen to visit three old friends from his youth, though Nana doesn’t know why and Satoru won’t say. Set against the backdrop of Japan’s changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, Nana’s story 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. TRAVELLING CAT has already demonstrated its power to move thousands of readers with a message of kindness and truth. It shows, above all, how acts of love, both great and small, can transform our lives. 'Arikawa has a lightness of touch that elevates her story to a tale about loyalty and friendship ... while speaking to our basic human need for companionship' JOHN BOYNE, Irish Times 'Anyone who has ever unashamedly loved an animal will read this book with gratitude, for its understanding of an emotion that ennobles us as human beings, whether we value it or not' LYNNE TRUSS, Guardian ‘It has the warmth, painterly touch, and tenderness of a Studio Ghibli film – and it is a delight to read’ FINANCIAL TIMES

Vas zhdet puteshestvie v kompanii obajatelnykh passazhirov i odnoj taksy po zhivopisnejshemu zheleznodorozhnomu marshrutu Japonii, soedinjajuschemu goroda Takaradzuka i Nisinomija. Kazhetsja, chto mezhdu personazhami knigi net nichego obschego, no v elektrichke ikh sudby udivitelnym obrazom soedinjajutsja v odnu istoriju. Kniga nepremenno poraduet tsenitelej zhizneutverzhdajuschej i sogrevajuschej serdtsa japonskoj i korejskoj "ujutnoj prozy". V mire, kotoryj s kazhdym dnem stanovitsja vse bolee pokhozhim na antiutopiju, etot roman sluzhit napominaniem o tom, chto kazhdyj iz nas sposoben chto-to izmenit dazhe na samom prostom, bytovom urovne i chto slova obladajut siloj i mogut polozhit nachalo peremenam.

Läs om sju katter vars liv sammanflätas med deras människor, och vad de betyder för varandra i den här livsbejakande novellsamlingen. En hjälplös kattunge räddas ur ett återvinningskärl och lär sin husse att ta hand om sitt nyfödda barn. En äldre katt försöker knäcka koden för att kunna följa sin ägare in i livet efter döden. En flock med vilda katter på en ö lär en ung pojke att inte ställa sig i vägen för naturen. En familj är förvånad över hur lojal deras katt är till den otillgänglige pappan. En kvinna svär över hur hennes katt konstant väcker henne på natten. Katten som stannade kvar utforskar livet och döden och hur katten alltid finns där för människan – på sitt vis. Hiro Arikawa föddes 1972 i Kochi, Japan. 2003 vann hon en tävling för nya författare som blev startskottet för en framgångsrik författarkarriär. En av hennes mest kända böcker är En katts resedagbok, som blev en internationell bästsäljare och som även filmatiserats.

La novela que ha conquistado a m s de un mill n y medio de lectores, por la premiada autora de Cr nicas del gato viajero. En la regi n japonesa de Kobe, Osaka, una l nea ferroviaria une Takarazuka con Nishinomiya. Las vidas de miles de pasajeros se entrechocan a diario en sus vagones y, a cada parada, nuevos pasajeros se instalan y se relacionan: dos desconocidos que siempre quieren tomar prestado de la biblioteca el mismo libro; una prometida despechada s edienta de venganza; estudiantes t midos; ni as crueles; mujeres rudas; una abuela exc ntrica y su indiscreta nieta; una joven dispuesta al fin a romper con un novio que no la merece. Con el paso de las estaciones, el tren de Hankyu recorre el trayecto en el sentido inverso, y el lector descubre a los personajes bajo una nueva luz y puede seguir discretamente sus destinos como si fueran los de viejos conocidos. M s que una oda al viaje, esta novela es una invitaci n a detenerse y reflexionar sobre uno mismo, un elogio de lo imprevisible y de esos encuentros fortuitos que pueden producir una sacudida en nuestras vidas. ENGLISH DESCRIPTION Welcome aboard the Hankyu Line train Come along on a heartwarming, funny, and perfectly cozy voyage with the charming and relatable passengers--including one dashing dachshund--whose lives intersect and affect each other on one of Japan's most romantic railway lines from international bestselling author Hiro Arikawa. Between the two beautiful towns of Takarazuka and Nishinomiya, in a stunning mountainous area of Japan, rattles the Hankyu Line train. Passengers step on and off, lost in thought, contemplating the tiny knots of their existence. On the outward journey, we are introduced to the emotional dilemmas of five characters, and on the return journey six months later, we watch them find resolutions. A young man meets the young woman who always happens to borrow a library book just before he can check it out himself, a woman in a white bridal dress boards looking inexplicably sad, a university student heads home after class, a girl prepares to leave her abusive boyfriend, and an old lady discusses adopting a dog with her granddaughter. With stories that crisscross like the railway lines, the Hankyu train trundles on, propelling the lives and loves of its passengers ever forward.

Esche do pojavlenija v zhizni Satoru Mijavaki kota so schastlivym imenem Nana pervym pitomtsem junoshi byl Khati. Nikomu ne nuzhnyj, broshennyj na proizvol sudby, malysh obrel novyj dom v seme Mijavaki. Pravda, dlja etogo Satoru prishlos reshitsja na nastojaschuju avantjuru i podnjat na ushi svoikh roditelej, roditelej luchshego druga, da i voobsche vsju okrugu..." Proschanie s kotom" - eto sem istorij, proniknutykh tonkim psikhologizmom, svetloj grustju i poistine koshachej mudrostju. Na stranitsakh knigi chitatelja zhdet vstrecha s uzhe poljubivshimisja personazhami iz "Khronik stranstvujuschego kota" i s novymi pushistymi gerojami, poroj nesnosnymi i nadoedlivymi, no vsegda do nevozmozhnosti ocharovatelnymi. Manga-bonus vnutri!

Welcome aboard the Hankyu Line train! Come along on a heartwarming, funny, and perfectly cozy voyage with the charming and relatable passengers—including one dashing dachshund—whose lives intersect and affect each other on one of Japan’s most romantic railway lines from international bestselling author Hiro Arikawa. Between the two beautiful towns of Takarazuka and Nishinomiya, in a stunning mountainous area of Japan, rattles the Hankyu Line train. Passengers step on and off, lost in thought, contemplating the tiny knots of their existence. On the outward journey, we are introduced to the emotional dilemmas of five characters, and on the return journey six months later, we watch them find resolutions. A young man meets the young woman who always happens to borrow a library book just before he can check it out himself, a woman in a white bridal dress boards looking inexplicably sad, a university student heads home after class, a girl prepares to leave her abusive boyfriend, and an old lady discusses adopting a dog with her granddaughter. With stories that crisscross like the railway lines, the Hankyu train trundles on, propelling the lives and loves of its passengers ever forward.

Esche do pojavlenija v zhizni Satoru Mijavaki kota so "schastlivym" imenem Nana, ego pervym pitomtsem byl Khati. Broshennyj na proizvol sudby i neprivlekatelnyj dlja prokhozhikh iz-za krivogo khvostika, malysh obrel novyj dom v seme Mijavaki. Pravda, dlja etogo Satoru prishlos reshitsja na nastojaschuju avantjuru i podnjat na ushi svoikh roditelej, roditelej luchshego druga da i voobsche vsju okrugu..." Proschanie s kotom" - eto sem istorij, proniknutykh tonkim psikhologizmom, svetloj grustju i poistine koshachej mudrostju. Na stranitsakh knigi chitatelja zhdet vstrecha kak s uzhe poljubivshimisja personazhami iz "Khronik stranstvujuschego kota", tak i s novymi pushistymi gerojami, poroj nesnosnymi i vyvodjaschimi iz sebja, no vsegda do nevozmozhnosti ocharovatelnymi. Manga-bonus vnutri!

"Khroniki stranstvujuschego kota" - bestseller Khiro Arikavy, pokorivshij serdtsa millionov chitatelej po vsemu miru. Eto udivitelnaja, trogatelnaja istorija druzhby kota so "schastlivym" imenem Nana, chto po-japonski oznachaet "sem", i ego khozjaina Satoru. Vmeste s tem eto roman-puteshestvie, v kotorom geroi peremeschajutsja kak v prostranstve, tak i vo vremeni: Nana otkryvaet dlja sebja bezbrezhnye morskie prostory i krasotu gory Fudzi, a Satoru kak budto zanovo perezhivaet sobytija detstva i junosti. Na pervyj vzgljad kot Nana, vystupajuschij v roli rasskazchika, realist i pragmatik do mozga kostej, so svoej, sugubo koshachej, filosofiej zhizni. Odnako emu udaetsja tak gluboko proniknut vo vnutrennij mir khozjaina, chto inogda on ponimaet Satoru luchshe ego samogo. Kto zhe oni drug dlja druga? Zachem Satoru raz za razom otpravljaetsja v put, prikhvativ s soboj ljubimogo kota?..

Japonskie pisateli "Khroniki stranstvujuschego kota" - bestseller Khiro Arikavy, pokorivshij serdtsa millionov chitatelej po vsemu miru. Eto trogatelnaja istorija druzhby kota so "schastlivym" imenem Nana, chto oznachaet po-japonski "sem", i ego khozjaina Satoru. Vmeste s tem eto roman-puteshestvie, v kotorom geroi peremeschajutsja kak v prostranstve, tak i vo vremeni: Nana otkryvaet dlja sebja bezbrezhnye morskie prostory i krasotu gory Fudzi, a Satoru kak budto zanovo perezhivaet sobytija detstva i junosti. Na pervyj vzgljad, kot Nana, vystupajuschij v roli rasskazchika, - realist i pragmatik do mozga kostej, so svoej, sugubo koshachej, filosofiej zhizni. Odnako emu udaetsja tak gluboko proniknut vo vnutrennij mir svoego khozjaina, chto inogda on ponimaet ego luchshe nego samogo. Kto zhe oni drug dlja druga? Zachem Satoru raz za razom otpravljaetsja v put, prikhvativ s soboj ljubimogo kota? .. Perevodchik: Dutkina G.

"Khroniki stranstvujuschego kota" - bestseller Khiro Arikavy, pokorivshij serdtsa millionov chitatelej po vsemu miru. Eto udivitelnaja, trogatelnaja istorija druzhby kota so "schastlivym" imenem Nana, chto oznachaet po-japonski "sem", i ego khozjaina Satoru. Vmeste s tem eto roman-puteshestvie, v kotorom geroi peremeschajutsja kak v prostranstve, tak i vo vremeni: Nana otkryvaet dlja sebja bezbrezhnye morskie prostory i krasotu gory Fudzi, a Satoru kak budto zanovo perezhivaet sobytija detstva i junosti. Na pervyj vzgljad kot Nana, vystupajuschij v roli rasskazchika, realist i pragmatik do mozga kostej, so svoej, sugubo koshachej, filosofiej zhizni. Odnako emu udaetsja tak gluboko proniknut vo vnutrennij mir svoego khozjaina, chto inogda on ponimaet Satoru luchshe ego samogo. Kto zhe oni drug dlja druga? Zachem Satoru raz za razom otpravljaetsja v put, prikhvativ s soboj ljubimogo kota?..