The Cat Who Taught Zen
James Norbury
From the author and illustrator of the international bestseller Big Panda and Tiny Dragon comes a beautifully illustrated exploration into the journeys we take for self-discovery and the connections we make along the way. In a distant city, an old cat considers himself as wise as can be, until he hears of an ancient pine far away, under the boughs of which infinite wisdom can be found. Thus, the Cat embarks on a journey deep into the forest to search for the tree. more
176 pages, Hardcover
First published William Morrow
4.35
Rating
2131
Ratings
237
Reviews
James Norbury
30 books 161 followers
Community reviews
4. 25/5 Although I enjoyed reading this book outloud alongside my husband, we both agreed that ending feels kind of "stretched out" and that some lines are a bit "try hard to sound smart". We did, however, enjoy beautiful illustrations and profound quotes. I expect we will revisit this book soon enough to seek some comfort and refuge. 🐱🫶🏻Beautiful book to contemplate and share with someone. more
Uvijek dok nešto čitam označavam lijepe citate i našla sam se ovdje u situaciji da bih najradije označila barem svaku drugu stranicu. Shvatila sam da nema smisla i ovaj put izdvajam samo tri koja mi u ovom trenutku „zvone“. Možda ćete i vi s njima rezonirati, a možda i nećete. Znajte da ćete sigurno u knjizi pronaći nešto za sebe i htjet ćete to izdvojiti i zapisati i staviti na neko vidljivo mjesto kako biste se svaki dan na tu misao mogli podsjećati. Više o utiscima pročitajte klikom na link: https://knjige-u-svom-filmu. more
“Spend time with those who bring out the best in you”. more
No words for how much I love this series. It's just so timeless, relevant and full of reminders we can all do with. Some of my favourite takeaways:❤️ Treat ourselves with gentleness because "after all, we are the one we spend the most time with, and we have a habit of taking our own opinions very seriously. "❤️ Sometimes what we think is bad ends up good, and something we have always wanted ends up harming us. ❤️ Fate leads us on a winding path and despite how bad a situation may appear, we can never really know how it will turn out, so don't stress. more
Тази книга ми донесе спокойствие и душевен мир. Много странно звучи, но книгите на автора са точно такива. Докато ги чета, винаги ми се оправя настроението и ми става едно такова леко. ♥️А за илюстрациите… НЕВЕРОЯТНИ СА♥️. more
Net als Grote panda en kleine draak kreeg ik dit boek als kerstgeschenk van mijn leidinggevenden. Dat geeft het lezen nog wat extra’s. Sowieso is ook dit boek weer vol van wijsheden, lieflijke en leerzame momentjes en prachtige tekeningen. more
There's something satisfying about a book that is relatively simple and yet so wholesome. With the first book from the author that I have read which is The Journey & Big Panda and Tiny Dragon By James Norbury 2 Books Collection Set, the Cat Who Taught Zen is how the author talked about the concept of Zen in a relatively simple manner that will be easy to understand by everyone and anyone who is reading it. Alike the first book from the author, the illustrations in here is just beautiful and so well done . It totally fits in the whole narrative of the story and I liked how its just wholesome to read till the very end. "This was about taking all the things he had learned over his life, all the gifts he had been given, and sharing them. more
Rekla bi da mi je dosla u pravi tren. I da cu je svaki dan citat dok se ne vratim na svoj put i zastanem udahuti i izdahnuti. more
باورم نمیشه چطور داستان های ساده و جمله های بی غل و غش میتونه اینقدر تحت تاثیرم بذارم. more
The Cat Who Taught Zen was a very sweet. Such a peaceful book. I never understood Zen philosophy but reading this book made me understand it a little bit. Still need to read more books about zen. The Cat Who Taught Zen followed the Cat's journey in searching for an ancient pine under the boughs in which infinite wisdom can be found. more
This was a lovely way to start my reading year. Such a beautiful, gentle, poignant book. I don't know much about Zen, so apologies if I sound a little ignorant or silly, but Norbury has tried to put across some of the teachings of Zen by telling a story of a cat on a journey to find peace and understanding. Along the way, the cat encounters many other characters, each with their own goal. The cat is able to impart wisdom to those that he meets, but the cat also learns from others. more
James Norbury nam je, uz pomoć Velikog Pande i Sićušnog Zmaja, pokazao kako mir i ljepotu možeš pronaći baš na bilo kojem mjestu i u bilo kojem trenutku, ako samo malo zastaneš, osvrneš se oko sebe, i u pomoć pozoveš svog najboljeg prijatelja. Nakon dvije prekrasne knjige, onakve kakve ne čitaš, već iz njih upijaš i u njima tražiš utočište onda kada ti je to potrebno, i dva predivna prijatelja koja smo u tim knjigama stekli, James Norbury vratio se s još jednom, ponovno predivnom i ponovno značajnom knjigom, koja će se pridružiti prvim dvjema. Veliki Panda i Sićušni Zmaj u ovoj su knjizi mjesto ustupili jednom Mačku, dok se oni sami pojavljuju tek u par dražesnih navrata, kroz Mačkove priče. A Mačkova priča započinje u jednom velikom gradu, u kojem je Mačak proživio čitav svoj život, ali mu je cijelo to vrijeme nešto nedostajalo, neki dublji smisao koji nikako nije mogao dokučiti. Čuvši od svog prijatelja Štakora za postojanje jednog veličanstvenog bora, duboko u javorovoj šumi, na čijim granama se možeš smjestiti i spoznati mudrost koju tražiš, Mačak se otisne na put, u potragu za borom - i onim za čime cijeli život traga. more
“You listened & that made all the difference. ”. more
"Kot, który nauczał Zen" Jamesa Norbury’ego to pełna ciepła podróż ku mądrości i wewnętrznej równowadze. W tej ujmującej opowieści o mądrym Kocie, autor ukazuje, że prawdziwa mądrość nie tylko tkwi w nas samych, ale też w otaczającym nas świecie. Poprzez podróż z miasta do wnętrza lasu, gdzie pradawna sośń kryje nieskończoną wiedzę, bohaterowie odkrywają, że odpowiedzi na nasze pytania są jak korzenie drzewa - głęboko zakorzenione w nas samych. Podczas tej magicznej podróży, Kocie towarzyszą różnorodne postacie, z których każda przynosi ze sobą nie tylko unikalne historie, ale także ważne lekcje życiowej mądrości. Niespodziewane spotkanie z figlarnym Kociakiem odsłania głębszy sens podróży - żeby dostrzec piękno życia nie tylko w celu, ale przede wszystkim w samym procesie podróżowania. more
We’ve crossed paths with a lot of souls throughout our life. Some of the connections we formed last long and some ended. Yet all of it was necessary, no matter how brief, no matter how painful it was. We might not understand it now, but in the end it will all make sense. 📔The Cat Who Taught Zen by James Norbury. more
I had seen some of James Norbury's work on Instagram. When a friend gifted me this book, I HAD to read it immediately. There's something about Zen that is so simplistic that we dismiss it - life is too complex to be mindful, gracious, kind, and all those silly things. Mostly, yes, that's true. There's also wisdom in the now, in seeking the stale truth that tells us that we can find our own paths, walk around in the curiosity of wondering what this day may bring. more
Ik heb tijdens deze mooi verhaalde en geïllustreerde reis geleerd over de daad van vergeving; kwaliteiten die best moeilijk (aan) te leren zijn; een goede vriend te zijn (ook voor jezelf); niet alles is wat het lijkt; enz. more
Such peaceful little books with beautiful art. ❤️. more
The Cat Who Taught Zen is staggeringly beautiful, highly memorable, charming, filled with well-researched wisdom and appeals to all ages. The Cat Who Taught Zen is a masterpiece. . more
Nice book, nicely written. For me personally, it’s sometimes a little bit too predictable and the message is a little bit too ‘on the nose’. The characters are quite two dimensional and not very interesting. But it is a quick read and it carries a nice message. more
It was really adorable, The Cat Who Taught Zen. What a serene book. It reminds of reading books like Ikigai and Zen: The art of Simple living. The narrative started off with the cat who has been through different trips in his life and wanted to achieve the ultimate peace. He embarked on a quest to discover the inner calm he was looking for after the rat advised him to locate the "big tree. more
Truly the most inspirational author I have read in a long time. The illustrations allowed for the story to be viewed the way the reader intended and not what our minds would choose to see. I never understood the idea or zen, now I do. I feel at peace knowing my kindness to the world does bring me peace. I used to just be kind because it's what you're supposed to do, I never really understood the real impact I was having on people until I read this book. more
This was an adorable, thought-provoking, cute and satisfying little read. I knew James Norbury from his Tiny Dragon, Big Panda books, which are quite good themselves , but this book has that little extra: an overarching story that ties together shorter stories from both Zen Buddhism traditions as own material, which makes it feel more as a finished product. The art is, as always, ever so beautiful: inspired by traditional Japanese design and illustrations, and the ideal way to highlight the messages within. Restraint, never too much, always enough. A book to read, reread, open on random pages and marvel at the art within. more
Such an amazing book with a brilliant story blended with traditional Zen stories and complemented by beautiful artwork. The book itself is a work of art, with a hardcover that gave me that special feeling when you hold a book—immediate connection and a sense of privilege while reading. I cannot stress enough how much this book deserves a place on your shelf. more
hihetetlen aranyos mesekönyv mind gyerekeknek, mind felnőtteknek. icipicit néha “the guy who did shrooms once so he understands the world now” feelingje van, de overall szép és jó tanításokkal van tele, az illusztrációk pedig gyönyörűek. more