The Travelling Cat Chronicles (Gabriel Philip (переводчик), Arikawa Hiro); Doubleday, 2017

A japanese bestselling sensation translated by Philip Gabriel, a translator of Murakami to be published in over ten languages. Never give up on friendship and it will never give up on you. Nana the cat is on a road trip. He is not sure where he's going or why, but it means he gets to sit in the front seat of a silver van with his beloved owner, Satoru. Side by side they cruise around Japan through the changing seasons, visiting old friends. There's the brusque farmer for whom cats are just ratters; the warm-hearted couple who run a pet-friendly B&B; the mournful husband whose cat-loving wife has just left him. And even a dog who forces Nana to reassess his disdain for the canine species. But what is the purpose of this road trip? And why is everyone so interested in Nana? Nana does not know and Satoru won't say. But when Nana finally works it out, his small heart will break. A life-affirming anthem to kindness and self-sacrifice, The Travelling Cat Chronicles shows how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy.