If Cats Disappeared from the World, by Genki Kawamura (2012)
What if you learned that you had only days to live, but were offered an opportunity to extend your life? That is the premise of this novel. The narrator learns that he has only days to live. Then, the devil arrives, dressed in a gaudy Hawaiian shirt, and offers him a deal. The narrator will be granted an extra day of life for every item he eliminates from the world. Since the narrator is in seemingly good health, despite the recent diagnosis of a brain tumor, he “sells his soul” to the devil. He agrees and eliminates cell phones, movies, and clocks. Then, when the devil suggests cats, the narrator stalls. He is unable to imagine a world without his beloved cat, Cabbage. (As a child, he had a cat named Lettuce, so when he acquired another cat as an adult, he named it after another leafy vegetable). This little novel is a true delight, as it reflects on life and love.
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