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If Cats Disappeared from the World
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins
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If Cats Disappeared from the World
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Publisher's Summary
"Brian Nishii narrates this imaginative tale set in Japan about the complexities of death, life, and cats...A brief, charming parable." —AudioFile Magazine
The international phenomenon that has sold more than a million copies in Japan, If Cats Disappeared from the World is a funny, heartwarming, and profound meditation on the meaning of life.
The postman’s days are numbered. Estranged from his family, 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 before he can tackle his bucket list, the Devil appears to make him an offer: In exchange for making one thing in the world disappear, our narrator will get one extra day of life. And so begins a very bizarre week....
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.
Genki Kawamura’s timeless tale is a moving story of loss and reconciliation, of one man’s journey to discover what really matters most in life.
What the critics say
"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." (Robin Sloan, New York Times best-selling author of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore and Sourdough)
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What listeners say about If Cats Disappeared from the World
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Val
- 2023-01-16
Remarkable
Thought-provoking story about meaning of life and human relationship with death. Profound and insightful story.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- teach
- 2022-09-03
Entertaining but tries too hard to be profound
The author's "insights" and social observations e.g. about cell phone addiction, lack originality and are grating. Narrator was good.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Rubblemuss
- 2022-01-27
I couldn't finish this
So, to be fair, I got about halfway through chapter 2 before I could take no more… perhaps once the actual quandary begins something can be found redeeming. But for any critically thinking adult reader, I doubt it.
It is heavy on Christian themes, which isn’t for me… but it’s presented in a very juvenile way, which makes it worse. The main character is completely dense and boring and can’t think of a single thing he would want to do before death… and the list he does make is again, extremely childish and nonsensical. When confronted with the concept, by this silly devil, to remove one thing from the earth in exchange for one more day of life… his short list is parsley, promotional fliers, and user manuals for major appliances. Really? Whoa buddy, take it easy on those deep thoughts.
Ugh. I can’t imagine the ultimate moral of this tale to be very profound or enlightening if your age is above ten.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Maggie Hess
- 2019-10-02
Kind of a Fabulous Fable!
I adore this book. Needed something to get back in the swing with audio books. Found this and am so glad. So much to think about in this read. The connection between gain and loss is intriguing. It might not be 100% real that all gain comes with loss, but with emotion, we seem to go up and down in mood in equal increments. Everything physical comes from somewhere. Environmental loss seems a huge part of acquiring things.
Then just the idea of losing all the phones in the world. Not to give more away than that, but also, the devil playing with a cat in the floor and eating chocolates. Very funny!!!
Great read.
Well narrated too.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- neil stiles
- 2019-09-13
pleasant surprise
what a wonderful book. was expecting a good story with a laugh, but got that and so much more... warning, may have to fight back tears at some point!
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alan Villaverde
- 2019-03-24
A wonderful book
Everyone should read this book. The message of how to live your life and end your life is timeless and important.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Meggin
- 2022-01-24
Just OK
Was hoping it would be deeper. And took serious offense to his statement that only humans feel live! As if!
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mz
- 2020-04-04
Thought provoking
I am reading this book after having seen the movie derived from it three years ago. In the movie, there were memorable fantastical effects that are not in the book. I would say both are equally touching, though the book explained some things that weren't apparent to me in the movie, like why was he on a bike in the beginning. The book recalls scenes of the movie and makes me want to watch it again.
The book is really about, walking down a person's memory lane, you realize what is really important, and what is not so important; what you should really savor in life, and what you could do without. It is thought provoking and touching at several points.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Emily van den Berg
- 2019-10-16
this book was amazing.
I've been putting my phone down more and appreciating everyday as if it were my last.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Bethany
- 2023-02-10
boring
I like the premise of this book, but found the book itself to be boring.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Karen Sharkey
- 2023-05-20
It dragged on in some spots but I enjoyed it
Loved the thought provoking story line. I love cats and the title captured my imagination. I enjoyed listening to this imaginative tale.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Erin Smith
- 2023-05-12
It was ok
Good message and different. I hated using one credit for 4 hours though. Overall it good and at least it didn’t drag on