A Gift From Bob Film

 

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

 James Bowen was an addict in the streets of London, busking and selling copies of The Big Issue, a paper which helps those who are down and out earn money to support themselves as a way out of poverty.  James was barely scraping by when he encountered an injured orange cat.  He took the cat to a charity vet for medical attention, spending the last of his money to do so.  When he recovered, the cat—now called Bob—attached himself to James and went out with him to the streets every day.  James credits Bob with giving him the incentive to get clean.

Publicity about the unlikely duo attracted a book publisher and soon A Street Cat Named Bob appeared and was a best seller.  That book was followed by others, including A Gift from Bob, The World According to Bob, and The Little Book of Bob.

The Cinderella story continued with a movie starring Luke Treadaway as James in A Street Cat Named Bob which included some scenes with the real Bob.  

Now we have a sequel film, A Gift from Bob, which arrived just in time for your holiday viewing pleasure.  When the film opens, we see James enjoying the benefits of his new status as author but a chance encounter with a street performer being harassed causes James to remember his last Christmas on the streets.  Out of money to pay his bills, he is struggling and not at all interested in the seasonal spirit. His friend Bea tries to bring some holiday cheer in the form of a Christmas tree to be decorated with notes of what to be thankful for, but James isn’t in the mood.

Things only get worse when someone reports him as being unfit to keep Bob, causing the local animal services to launch an investigation. Even Bea loses the spirit when the charity she work for is burgled, and all the gifts and food stolen.

As with almost any holiday film, the outcome can be guessed but the happiness is in the journey.  It’s a sweet, feel good film with some lovely performances.  Bob the cat—yes, the real Bob—appears in the film quite a bit with just a few “stunt cats” filling in at times.

Sadly, some months after the film was completed, Bob passed away.  The movie is dedicated to his memory.

The library owns copies of both movies and the books.  Reviews of the books have appeared at the Bookblog here and here.

If you’re looking for a new Christmas film to brighten the holidays, give A Gift from Bob a try!

Reviews of the books are here:

A Street Cat Named Bob

The World According to Bob 

A Gift From Bob 

Staff Picks: Christmas Books

Rita

  12 Days of Winter by Stuart McBride

This collection of short stories takes place in North East Scotland during the jolliest time of the year. These twelve interconnecting chapters, however, are anything but jolly. There are bungled burglaries, drug deals, kidnapping, and murder and those are just the lighter anecdotes.   

This is a quick read and oddly entertaining. I liked the way each story revealed a new twist to the characters from previous chapters. If you’re a fan of authors such as Tim Dorsey and Carl Hiassen then add this to your holiday reading list.

(Note:  a copy is available through Tennessee READS!)

Jeanne

   A Gift From Bob by James Bowen

Of course I’m going to pick a book with a cat in it! This is the third book about James Bowen, a drug addict who turned his life around when he found an injured cat and took responsibility for his care.  Even though this book covers some of the same territory as the first two, I found it to be a sweet and thoughtful look at the season as seen by someone who didn’t have a lot to celebrate at the time.   

If you’re looking for something a bit more fantastical, then I would recommend Miracle and Other Christmas Stories by Connie Willis.  She’s a science fiction-fantasy writer with a sense of humor and a deft way with characters.  All of the stories in the book are well done, but I found three to be especially memorable for chills, tears, or cheer:

• ·         Inn, in which a choir singer finds a homeless couple hiding in the church

• ·         In Coppelius’s Toyshop, about a self-centered man who gets stuck in a toyshop near Christmas

• ·         Miracle, wherein a young woman receives a Christmas Spirit.  Literally.

If you’re looking for something fantastical, funny, satirical,and definitely off beat, then I recommend The Hogfather by Terry Prachett.  In Discworld, presents are delivered by the Hogfather, a jolly man in a red suit who rides in a sleigh drawn by eight pigs.  When the Hogfather disappears just prior to his usual gift run, a substitute is drafted—Death.  Let’s just say Death doesn’t quite understand the concept.  

Kristin

Everything I Need to Know About Christmas I Learned From a Little Golden Book by Diane Muldrow is a lighthearted romp through a variety of Little Golden Books.  Remember that "Christmas is Coming", as you see an old fashioned Santa Claus and little animal helpers readying the house for the holidays.  The nostalgic pictures may bring to mind Christmases gone by.  I certainly enjoyed this book as well as other recently published "Everything I Need to Know" Little Golden books.  If you're a fan of Star Wars, Disney, or simply Christmas, be sure to check out this modern take on old classics.

A Gift From Bob by James Bowen

Reviewed by Jeanne

In 2007, a recovering addict in London found an injured ginger tabby and a friendship was born.  James Bowen was eking out a living busking and selling copies of the Big Issue, trying to get his life together; taking care of Bob the cat gave him purpose.  Having Bob join him on the job brought the duo attention and an eventual book deal, resulting in the international best-seller, A Street Cat Name Bob. Fans were eager for more, so other books followed, including editions aimed at children.

A Gift From Bob, the third adult book, centers around the Christmas holiday.  Christmas never held much meaning for James, shuffled as he was between parents on different continents.  Later his family relationships were strained due to his addiction, making holidays even more problematical.  From James’ point of view, Christmas was just a way of emphasizing how isolated and unimportant he was, proof that he had no place in the world.

The bulk of the book is built around James’ memories of those Christmases, especially the last one he spent on the street before his fortunes change.  Having Bob with him seemed to bring out the best in people, for the most part.  People were drawn to Bob, and their goodwill and cheer spilled over to include James. People brought Bob toys and scarves, usually slipping in something for James as well.  It was almost overwhelming.

Even though the book covers a lot of the same ground as the previous two, this book does a good job of fleshing out some of James’ back story.  His honesty about himself and his actions make him an appealing personality and does much to remind readers that even those who are homeless and substance abusers are human, too.  Belle, another recovering addict, has more of a presence in this book, clarifying her relationship with both James and Bob.

In short, this is a lovely feel-good read guaranteed to bring a smile no matter what the season.  Pen and ink sketches mostly of Bob adorn the pages, adding to the cozy feel.  Fans won’t be disappointed.

Note: a movie based on the first book is in post- production.  It stars Luke Treadaway as James.