A Street Cat Named Bob question

I wouldnt call a Big-Issue seller a 'Busker.' To me, a busker is someone playing a musical instrument or providing entertainment for donations - such as street actors or these human statues you see everywhere these days.
Big issue sellers are not asking you to give them money for nothing - and I think that is explained in the book. And I would say the same about people collecting money for charity.
There is a huge difference between a busker and a Beggar - these people who just sit on the streets and expct people to hand them money - I dont respond well to that!
For buskers though - if what they are doing is good/entertaining, I will generally give them a few quid. There have been more than a few occasions when I have been cheered up on my commute home after a rubbish day by buskers singing uplifting songs, or by street comedians!
And especially after reading this book - if I see a big issue seller I will generally buy a copy!

If I see a busker and they're playing music I like if I have any spare change I may give it to them. Being a small town I don't see buskers that often, occasionally you'll get a guy who plays the accordion and one who plays the flute but their music is just annoying.

Big Issue sellers I personally tend to avoid. In my area it tends to be the foreign immigrants who barely speak any English (and often don't bother trying to learn) and that really gets my hackles up. Plus I am not going to pay £2 for a magazine that I know nothing about and may be rubbish. Maybe if they halved the price more people would be willing. They could be it for 50p, sell it for £1 and they're still earning double what they're paying and the lower price may tempt people in to buy it more.

That being said after reading this book if I have the time and I see a Big Issue seller (likely with animal) then I may go and talk to them. But of course there's still that worry that you're giving them your hard-earned money that you need to live as well and they may not even be homeless and may just go and spend your money on drink or drugs.

I appreciate that life was often very difficult for James as a busker but I was surprised that he gave up busking for the "Big Issue". I am wondering how the problems between busking and selling the Big Issue were so different. Musicality is a god given gift which is not given to many and I could not imagine anyone not wanting to express this. I live in a big city and buskers make my day most of the time as music is an instant mood lifter.

There is an interesting experiment organized by the Washington Post involving Joshua Bell. He is one of the most famous and prestigious violinist in the world, who had played days before Boston's Symphony Hall with seats costing $100. If you google “Washington post Joshua Bell metro station” you’ll find the full report. While playing incognito in a metro station in Washington during rush hour, Bell was completely ignored. People didn’t recognize him, and most importantly did not recognized the quality of his music. And he was playing some difficult pieces of music, like Bach’s Chaconne. He was art without a frame. And without the frame, people simply did not recognize him as a high achiever artist. Bowen may not be a highly accomplished musician, but I remembered Bell’s experiment while reading the book. And how, like Bowen said, all buskers become invisible to the passersby. Bob made Bowen visible again, something not ever the million dollars Stradivarius violin Bell was playing could make for him.

After reading the book I would like to hear James playing the guitar