Freddie's start in life is difficult, but he finds The Buddha and decides to become a Buddhist cat. When he's saved from the cat shelter, by John and Mary, his new life begins. That's when he meets Gemma. Gemma regards humans as Fascist oppressors as they took her kittens away. She believes Freddie is soft in the head but begins to see his approach to life brings rewards. Being a Buddhist cat isn't always easy. He tries to live in the moment and wants to treat all animals and plants with kindness and respect. Freddie finds himself at the centre of an adventure with his fellow animal friends. Freddie must help Rufus, who cannot fly as far as he wants from a children's slide. Freddie's mission is to convince his humans to help. From daring rescues to saving souls - Freddie's journey is not for the fainted hearted. This cat has the heart of a lion and the wisdom of... The Buddha.

A brilliant, unforgettable novel from bestselling author Ruth Ozeki, author of The Book of Form and Emptiness Finalist for the Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award “A time being is someone who lives in time, and that means you, and me, and every one of us who is, or was, or ever will be.” In Tokyo, sixteen-year-old Nao has decided there’s only one escape from her aching loneliness and her classmates’ bullying. But before she ends it all, Nao first plans to document the life of her great grandmother, a Buddhist nun who’s lived more than a century. A diary is Nao’s only solace—and will touch lives in ways she can scarcely imagine. Across the Pacific, we meet Ruth, a novelist living on a remote island who discovers a collection of artifacts washed ashore in a Hello Kitty lunchbox—possibly debris from the devastating 2011 tsunami. As the mystery of its contents unfolds, Ruth is pulled into the past, into Nao’s drama and her unknown fate, and forward into her own future. Full of Ozeki’s signature humor and deeply engaged with the relationship between writer and reader, past and present, fact and fiction, quantum physics, history, and myth, A Tale for the Time Being is a brilliantly inventive, beguiling story of our shared humanity and the search for home.

The "funny, wicked, and heart-warming" story of one fat cat's devotion to Spanish cuisine...and how far he will go to get his paws on it."A fantastically fun story for kids - and adults too " Wishing Shelf 5★ review"An entertaining and enjoyable little story, with a great plot and endearing well-drawn characters " Awesome Indies 5★ reviewPrawn-loving Ginger is a fat, scruffy street cat. Innocent little Sparky is his new best friend - and unsuspecting accomplice. When the chance comes, the two London cats travel to Spain to carry out Ginger's 'cunning plan'. Will they pull off the cat crime of the century...or will Ginger's greed prove his downfall? If you like Simon's Cat, Alice in Wonderland and A Street Cat named Bob, you'll love Ginger the Gangster Cat A modern day feline fable, this middle grade book is a comic romp full of action and adventure for any reader - children, tweens, teens... and beyond Read the reviews from real readers "What a delightfully funny book. And I'm not even much of a cat lover. 2 paws up " "I loved that Ginger, although tough, had a soft side too. Kids can learn from this ""This is a super funny book. I liked Sparky best.""My kids (6 and 8) were literally roaring with laughter as I read this to them at bed time.""A cat addicted to Spanish food. What a fantastic idea "

There's no doubt cats are a meaningful feature of Japanese life: from folklore to fashion, they've left a giant paw print on the culture. It's believed that felines first appeared in Japan with the arrival of Buddhism via China in around 552, when their main role was to stop vermin from damaging scriptures. But what can we learn from these philosophical felines? Surely they can teach us a thing or two, through the wisdom gleaned over the centuries residing in ancient temples and co-existing with artists, courtesans, monks and writers. The Zen of Cat is interwoven with stories and facts about cats, Japan and Zen philosophy. Carla Francis includes discussions with Japanese cat lovers, and invites reflection and 'mindful mewsings' on life through an A-Z of Japanese words to inspire. Cats are unburdened by worry. They maintain an enviable equilibrium. Maybe we can too?

A collection of stories based on the author's experiences as a mosquito exterminator.

A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick 'Ingenious ... touching, surprising and sometimes heartbreaking.' Guardian 'If you're itching to read a new novel by David Mitchell ... try this.' The Times _______________ In Tokyo - one of the world's largest megacities - a stray cat is wending her way through the back alleys. And, with each detour, she brushes up against the seemingly disparate lives of the city-dwellers, connecting them in unexpected ways. But the city is changing. As it does, it pushes her to the margins where she chances upon a series of apparent strangers - from a homeless man squatting in an abandoned hotel, to a shut-in hermit afraid to leave his house, to a convenience store worker searching for love. The cat orbits Tokyo's denizens, drawing them ever closer. 'Masterfully weaves together seemingly disparate threads to conjure up a vivid tapestry of Tokyo; its glory, its shame, its characters, and a calico cat.' David Peace, author of THE TOKYO TRILOGY One of the Independent's best debuts

Reveals dimensions of the interaction between Buddhism and Taoism in medieval China. This book demonstrates the competition and complementarity of the two great Chinese religions in their quest to address personal and collective fears of diverse ills, including sorcery, famine, and untimely death.