FOND DU LAC PUBLIC LIBRARY

Every October, the Fond du Lac Public

Library encourages the community to

read one book and hosts Fond du Lac

Reads events to foster discussion and

understanding of themes in that year’s

title. We hope you enjoy A Street Cat

Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life

by James Bowen.

FDL ReadsR E A D E R S ’ G U I D E

October 2019

Find Fond du Lac Reads events atfdlpl.org, click Calendar

A Street Cat Named Bob:And How He Saved My Life by James BowenRecovering addict James Bowen was living hand-to-mouth on the streets of London; the last thing he needed was a pet. Yet James couldn’t resist helping the strikingly intelligent cat, whom he named Bob. He nursed Bob back to health and sent the cat on his way. But Bob had other ideas. Soon the two were inseparable, and their diverse, comic and occasionally dangerous adventures would transform both their lives, slowly healing the scars of each other’s troubled pasts. A Street Cat Named Bob is a moving and uplifting story that will touch the heart of anyone who reads it. ~ Amazon

B O O K D I S C U S S I O N1. Talk about the strange connection that exists

between humans and animals. What makes us bond with one another? James Bowen 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. Bowen says that Bob attracted people and motivated them to offer money, far more generously than when he was playing on his own. What is it about animals – but not people – that brings out people’s kindness? Is there something strange about that? Isn’t that backward?

3. On the publisher’s book trailer, one man says Bowen 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?

4. Bowen’s story, of an animal that changes one’s life, is exceptional but not unique. What is it about animals that can heal the human soul?

5. Talk about the trajectory of Bowen’s life. How did he end up on the streets? Did his mental health and/or his family history play a role? How responsible is/was Bowen for his troubled life? To what degree are any of us responsible for the path our lives take?

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

Source: LitLovers

S Y N O P S I S

NONFICTION

Homer’s Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen CooperDewey: The Small-town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki MyronMaking Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat by David DosaWesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacy O’BrienDogtripping: 25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-Country Adventure by David RosenfeltBono: The Amazing Story of a Rescue Cat Who Inspired a Community by Helen BrownCraig and Fred: A Marine, A Stray Dog, and How They Rescued Each Other by Craig GrossiAn Eagle Named Freedom: My True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Jeff GuidryThe Good Luck Cat: How a Cat Saved a Family, and a Family Saved a Cat by Lissa WarrenRescuing Riley, Saving Myself: A Man and His Dog’s Struggle to Find Salvation by Zak AndereggStrays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man, and Their Journey Across America by Britt CollinsTuesday’s Promise: One Veteran, One Dog, and Their Bold Quest to Change Lives by Luis Carlos Montalvan

FICTION

Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman CapoteKafka on the Shore by Haruki MurakamiThe Fur Person by May Sarton

F U R T H E R R E A D I N G

Past Fond du Lac Reads books 2018 Driving Miss Norma by Tim Bauerschmidt & Ramie Liddle2017 Wonder by R.J. Palacio2016 Struck By Genius by Jason Padgett2015 Dracula by Bram Stoker2014 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline2013 Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson2012 Wingshooters by Nina Revoyr2011 The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien When Pride Still Mattered by David Maraniss2010 Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn Iggulden & Daring Book for Girls by Andrea J. Buchanan2009 Living a Country Year by Jerry Apps2008 Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini2007 Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury2006 Population 485 by Michael Perry2005 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

R E A D S E V E N T S

MORE INFO AT FDLPL.ORG, CLICK CALENDAR

All October longPET SUPPLIES DRIVEHelp the animals of the FDL area by donating supplies to three local animal-support organizations: FDL Humane Society, Sandi Paws (abused/abandoned dog rescue) and Critter Junction (small-animal rescue). Donation bins located in library lobby.Noon-4 pm every Saturday in OctoberDIY NO-SEW CAT TOYUsing scrap fabric and a few odds and ends, make a cat toy in the Idea Studio. Supplies provided. For adults and teens 13 and older; younger children must be accompanied by a caregiver. Free. No registration.12:10 pm Tue Oct 8 @ Salem United Methodist ChurchBOOKS BETWEEN BITES Veterinarian Dr. Dan Griffiths leads a discussion of A Street Cat Named Bob. Bring a sack lunch. Drinks available. Free. No registration.6 pm Thu Oct 10PET FOSTERING – HOW IT WORKSBeth Rogan of the FDL Humane Society and Gaby Petersen of Lucky Dog Small Breed Rescue discuss how pet fostering works in their organizations and answer questions. With a good possibility that some of their furry friends will attend, too. Free. No registration.

10 am-2 pm Sat Oct 19SAVE A HOMELESS PETMeet the adoptable furry friends from Saving Sully Dog Rescue, and learn how you can save a homeless dog’s life through fostering or adoption. Saving Sully rescues and rehabilitates at-risk dogs from high-kill shelters. It relies on fosters to welcome dogs into their homes until the dogs can be placed in forever homes. Volunteers will be on hand to answer questions. Free. No registration.

6 pm Thu Oct 24PURRFECTLY GENTLE YOGAAll-ages, all-abilities gentle stretching floor and standing postures with real feline friends roaming free. With time at the end to play with the visiting kittens. Bring a towel or yoga mat from home and wear comfortable clothes. Registration begins Oct 10 at fdlpl.org, click Calendar. Free.

Kiki Ruby Pip