James Bowen

James Bowen is the author and first person narrator of The World According to Bob. When Bowen is a young boy, his parents get divorced. His father leaves his mother and creates a new life for himself in the UK. Meanwhile, Bowen grows up in Australia with his mother. He has behavioral issues, spends years in and out of the hospital, and is diagnosed with a range of mental atypicalities. When he finally leaves home, he moves to London to pursue a career in music. This soon proves too difficult for Bowen, and he ends up living on the streets. He soon becomes addicted to and controlled by heroin.

Ten years later, Bowen finds an injured cat in an apartment stairwell. He nurses the cat back to life. He names him Bob and they become inseparable companions. For two years, Bob reawakens Bowen to life’s...