Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog (Paperback) by John Grogan

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09/19/07

Dave rated it:

(review of isbn 0060817089)

Read in December, 2006

This is a mediocre book written by horrible dog owners.

Marley sounds like an amusing guy; but I think pets are like kids - you don't get nearly as much joy from people telling you stories about their kids as you do from watching your own. I have dogs whom I love very much, and often things they do I find to be very entertaining even though others might not derive the same level of enjoyment if I were to tell them all about it. For this reason, there are no parts of the book that are ...more This is a mediocre book written by horrible dog owners.

Marley sounds like an amusing guy; but I think pets are like kids - you don't get nearly as much joy from people telling you stories about their kids as you do from watching your own. I have dogs whom I love very much, and often things they do I find to be very entertaining even though others might not derive the same level of enjoyment if I were to tell them all about it. For this reason, there are no parts of the book that are truly funny. Perhaps I would have laughed at some parts of the book if Marley was my dog, or if I at least knew Marley - but he's not, and I don't.

Unfortunately, this isn't what I disliked most about the book. What really stands out is that the author and his wife are horrible pet owners. At best they are negligent parents. More accurately, I think quite a bit of their behavior borders on animal abuse. In the half of the book I read, they did the following:

* Decided to get a dog for purely selfish purposes (parental practice)
* Read nothing about the breed before choosing to adopt a Lab
* Failed to do any research into the breeder
* Failed to seek out a trainer to work with Marley's quirks despite obvious behavioral issues
* Failed to provide Marley with adequate protection from storms which completely terrified him
* Used a choker with zeal, while almost deriving joy from Marley's near self strangulation
* Allowed Marley to escape from a moving vehicle, seemingly finding humor in Marley hanging out a moving car by his collar

The worst part comes at the end. During the last few weeks of his life, Marley becomes very sick. What does the author do? He leaves the dog at the vet's office and packs the family into the van for a Disney vacation. Fortunately he gets back just in time to have Marley put down. I then get the impression that he expects us to feel sorrow for his loss.

I can't imagine going on vacation while either of my pets are left, deathly ill, at the vet's office. I had already developed a strong dislike for the author's idea of pet care. This last incident really validated that opinion. (less)

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03/02/08

James rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

Read in February, 2008

I have a dog (my first) and like all good, over-excited, enthusiastic first-time parents, when I got it I had every intention of reading every single goddamned book on the topic. Marley & Me by John Grogan was the next on a long and ever-expanding list. It had been on the bestseller lists for quite a long time and so I was expecting it to be a light, enjoyable read. The kind palatable to the masses and easily read between Mitch Albom and Nicholas Sparks.

With “Marley & Me,” I was ...more I have a dog (my first) and like all good, over-excited, enthusiastic first-time parents, when I got it I had every intention of reading every single goddamned book on the topic. Marley & Me by John Grogan was the next on a long and ever-expanding list. It had been on the bestseller lists for quite a long time and so I was expecting it to be a light, enjoyable read. The kind palatable to the masses and easily read between Mitch Albom and Nicholas Sparks.

With “Marley & Me,” I was expecting a dog book, a man’s book. I mean, right on the cover is a picture of a cute little puppy looking up at the camera with innocent, loving eyes and a subtitle reading, “Life And Love With The World’s Worst dog.” So I was expecting a book about a man and his dog.

What I got was a book about marriage and babies, two things that gross me out. Two things that my feelings about rank somewhere between ironing shirts and slamming my penis in a sliding door.

That being said, this book is very, very good. By page thirty-two, my eyes were welling with tears. The book actually ended up being a relatively slow read because I had to stop every other paragraph to lift weights, drink beer at a strip club, and watch kung fu movies in my underwear while eating a bowl of cereal for dinner. You see, “Marley & Me” is not a story about a man and his dog. “Marley & Me” is the story of a young married couple that adopts a dog. Like all good characters in good stories, this particular dog is not perfect. In fact, it’s an outrage. Marley is a barking, drooling, rampaging, gnawing, destroying, pillaging Viking of a dog. His energy is endless. He is kicked out of obedience school. He eats expensive necklaces. He rips apart furniture. He destroys an entire garage. He transforms into a howling terror of a werewolf during thunderstorms. He never stops. He is always moving, his frenetic tail constantly wagging and tipping over anything in its oscillating path.

With Marley’s hyperactive and destructive back story carefully laid out, it is an emotional scene when the couple gets pregnant, only to lose the baby in the first trimester, and the mom comes home to be comforted by the surprisingly now-calm Marley with his big head on her lap and his still, patient body consolingly at her side. I am a non-breeder and when reading this scene I was an absolute mess. I was a thirteen-year-old girl saying goodbye to her friends at the end of summer camp. I was a mother at her daughter’s wedding ceremony. I was the girlfriend who didn’t get anything from her boyfriend on Valentine’s Day. I was Meryl Streep in a Meryl Streep movie: weepy and distraught. Grogan poignantly balances the humor, stress, and satisfaction of pet ownership with a young wife as they transition into parenthood. His story is a pleasure to read in its effortless weaving of funny anecdotes, emotional growth, and the changing priorities that come with parenthood, all with an amusing animal for comic relief. Hollywood could not have done better.

The Grogans get pregnant again and their birth story is one of the more interesting ones I have heard (again, I’m a non-breeder so hearing this kind of schmaltzy crap usually bores me to tears. Why do you tell me this stuff? What do you want me to say, “Congratulations, you successfully carried out a maneuver that baboons accomplish every goddamned day, but with less fanfare, books, websites, and talking?”) But the Grogan’s story is quite remarkable as it offers a unique window into the child birthing methods of America. Before the birth, they reserve and pay extra for an upgraded, special birthing suite. When the big day arrives, however, they arrive at the hospital to learn that all of these suites are full. “We can’t control when women go into labor,” a nurse tells them. Not only that, however, but all of the “normal” labor and delivery rooms are full as well. A few phone calls, some scrambling, and they are led into a completely different part of the hospital. The room they are put in is bare and unadorned, lacking the floral curtains, pastel pillows, and cushy couch for dad that they had expected from their pre-natal tour.

The section they are in is for the poorer, mostly immigrant population of their southern Florida community. Seeing their dismay and concern, the Grogan’s doctor assures them that since the poor typically cannot afford prenatal care, they tend to have higher-risk pregnancies so their room was actually equipped with more specialized tools and instruments to prepare for these higher-risk deliveries. Also, these poorer immigrants cannot afford the expensive, pain-relieving epidurals that have become such a common part of births in America, so throughout their entire birth the Grogan’s are treated to the un-drugged screams and painful yelps of their impoverished neighbors. As a non-breeder and a bleeding heart liberal, all of this was thoroughly, thoroughly fascinating. Who would have thought? I open a book looking for a Jack London-esque dog story and get a socio-economic examination of the United States. Ah, books! And to think there’s more to this world than the news and current events I was getting from my usual two sources: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and my pot dealer.

From there, the story meanders down a gently twisting road into an enjoyable story of an American family, complete with happiness and sadness, disappointment and success, children and pet, jobs and vacations. The Grogans get pregnant again and with this baby mom goes into labor months too soon and is relegated to strict bed-rest to prevent a premature birth. A healthy baby boy is finally born at the same hospital and the day after Donald Trump’s baby. Afterwards, mom battles severe post-partum depression and demands that Marley be given away. At this point in the book, I remember silently chanting my encouragements to the narrator to “Get rid of the wife! Keep the dog! Keep the dog!” Ultimately, there was no need for such drastic measures, it’s too good and perfect of a story for tragedy. This story is one where wives and misbehaving dogs learn to live in harmony. There is the birth of a third kid (a girl!), a new job and move to Pennsylvania (complete with dog bellowing from the belly of the plane, serenading all un-amused passengers as his owners play dumb, feigning ignorance and similar disgust at such an obnoxious beast).

And through all of this idyllic American family’s adventure and change, Marley is there, though growing ever older. Marley of course eventually trots into the sunset and my tears were plinking down on the pages the whole way, Grogan tugging every one of my heartstrings. Since I have gotten a dog, I have often remarked that they make great starter-kids. In fact, I have often wondered why parents bother upgrading to human children given that dogs are expensive, entertaining, time-consuming, and very rewarding.

Now I know. Dogs die. We need something that will stick around a bit longer and wipe our ass.(less)

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09/13/07

Kristine rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

Read in January, 2007

recommends it for: dog lovers (especially Lab lovers)

This is the first book that has ever, and I emphasize EVER, made me laugh so hard and cry so much. All in one book!

Marley & Me is the predictable and somewhat cliche story about a dog and his owner. If you pick up this book expecting a unique story, put it down and look for something else.

If you pick up this book expecting to learn about how to train your dog, put it down and look for something else.

If you pick up this book wanting to read a touching, but ve...more

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07/14/07

Oceana2602 rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

bookshelves: 2006, dogs, english, male-writers

Read in June, 2006

recommends it for: dog owners

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

This is one of the handful of books I have read where I have read the ending first. See, Marley and Me is a book about a dog. And books about dogs, especially the ones written by men, usually end with the dog dying. They describe the whole life of the dog, make me fall in love with it, and then it dies. So, after I had fallen in love with Marley the dog, I decided to read about his death first, and then read about the rest of his life, leaving him at a point where he is still young and healthy a...more This is one of the handful of books I have read where I have read the ending first. See, Marley and Me is a book about a dog. And books about dogs, especially the ones written by men, usually end with the dog dying. They describe the whole life of the dog, make me fall in love with it, and then it dies. So, after I had fallen in love with Marley the dog, I decided to read about his death first, and then read about the rest of his life, leaving him at a point where he is still young and healthy and I could imagine a happy end for him.

Other than that, this book is entertaining, but it's a particular kind of entertainment only dog owners can fully appreciate. Because I really doubt people who don't have dogs will want to read about fleas, or dog puke, or drool dripping off everywhere. Marley, of course, isn't the worst dog, and this is the part where I got angry. See, where I live, no one would ever have the idea that a dog would be happy with the backyard and could be left alone all day in the garage. People frown upon that kind of behaviour here, even people who don't own dogs. Dogs are commitment, they need walks, at least three times a day, ideally more, they need someone to be with them at least half the day, and they need contact with other dogs. So, if I read about Marley's "dog poo bombs" in the backyard, I don't feel sorry at all. My own dog would never even pee in our garden. There is no reason for a dog to pee in his own territory unless there is no other place they can go to.

And if I read about Marley being untrainable and having to be calmed with sedatives, I see a poor Labrador, whom nobody ever tried to train properly, who doesn't know what to do with his energy because he is only taken for walks every couple of days, who never really had the chance to play with other dogs.

But what made me even more angry was that the author in the book becomes a father, and they leave Marley with the little babies. He has the audacity to make a smart remark about people who warn against leaving your dog with a baby, because "the wild animal could surface every minute and the dog could kill the baby in seconds". Which Marley would never do,because "everyone can see that he protects the baby."
*bangs head against wall*

See, he is right about that. I believe that most normal dogs will protect a baby that they consider part of the family. Even strange babies, because they see them as puppies, and normal, sane dogs don't hurt puppies. What they do with puppies however, is that they teach them not to totally misbehave. And they do that by taking the baby's whole head into their mouth and shaking it gently. I've seen my dog do that with puppies, and apart from being wet from dog-spit, the puppy was impressed, but not hurt. Some dogs will also take the puppy by the neck and shake it a little bit, or gently put their mouth over the exposed neck of the puppy to show them how such misbehaviour would end if they weren't so small.

All these methods have one thing in common: if applied to a human baby, they end up in serious injuries.

So I can not stress it enough: NEVER leave your kids alone with a dog. NEVER. It's up to you to know when your kids are old enough to understand what to do and what not to do with a dog, but hair-pulling or nose hitting or anything else that babies do out of curiosity can lead even the most patient dog to teach your baby some manners. You cannot fault the dog for this, because it only reacts like a normal dog would react. But if you read up on "formerly harmless pets" hurting babies "out of the blue", you will see that it's mostly head injuries, and that all those poor dogs are being put to sleep because their owners thought it was cute how they took care of the baby. Those owners should be shot and never allowed to have kids (or dogs) again.

Right.
Where were we? Oh, the book. Well, I liked Marley, but I think that people who have a dog for 13 years and still don't know the first thing about dogs, shouldn't be allowed to write books about them. Let alone get a new dog.(less)

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03/16/08

Julie Crowley rated it:

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Sit down and make a list of all the things your dog might do if he was brain damaged. Of course, you're a good person and you love him anyway so write about that. There, you just wrote Marley and Me.

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05/06/08

Valerie rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

Read in August, 2008

recommended to Valerie by: Mom
recommends it for: dog-lovers, people with a soft heart

Ahhh! I loved this book. I laughed, I cried, I remeneniced. I thought about my beloved black labrador, Duff. Just like John said, "They really are they when you need them." Duff was always there for me. Walks down the hill, over the streets, down by the Golf Course, with the sunsetting. Sitting on the couch together watching a movie. Sitting out on the hill, at my sunnyspot on the hill, writing or listening to music. Duff was always there. Sometimes he slept on my bed, but usually he h...more Ahhh! I loved this book. I laughed, I cried, I remeneniced. I thought about my beloved black labrador, Duff. Just like John said, "They really are they when you need them." Duff was always there for me. Walks down the hill, over the streets, down by the Golf Course, with the sunsetting. Sitting on the couch together watching a movie. Sitting out on the hill, at my sunnyspot on the hill, writing or listening to music. Duff was always there. Sometimes he slept on my bed, but usually he had too many fleas. I fed him, gave him water, took him on the most walks out of all the family members, he helped me lose weight that way. Then he got sick in his old age, he was 13 years old. I was there for him during his last months. I was living at my parents house and happened to be dying. I took him on some of his last walks trhough the countryside. He would sniff the cows and they would try to knock him over, probably 'dumb old dog'. But he was ours. Michelle saved another dog from his viciuos tearing. I was too afraid to do it, but she just jumped in there and saved the dog. I mopped up Duff's 'who know' when he was too old to move. That is how much I cared about him. Dad would lift and carry him up and down the stairs. I would give him hugs. I loved his little face. He just celebrates my teenagehood for me. We got him when I was 11? and then he died when I was 24? I love Logan, but I really loved Duff. Probably because of our long walks we took together. Him and I would walk for hours on the ranch and I would let him chase things in the river or down the gravel path. I loved playing frisbee and ball with him when we lived at 5899 Marigold Ln at San Miguel Elementary, he was so good at it. He kept us safe too, in our house on the hill when my parents were out at business meetings until 2 or 3 in the morning, Duff was there and he watched over us all, barking at anyone that came to the door. He was one of the best things that happened to our family, one of the few things that made us 'normal' and human. I loved trips to Healdsburg memorial Beach with Duff and Dad. Jeff and Michelle would come too and we would play for hours at the river, Duff swimming, fetching sticks, and grabbing rocks in the water and struggling to bring them back to Dad. It was one of the times when my Dad was truly happy. If it wasn't for Duff, I don't know if we ever would have spent much time together as a family. He was a beautiful, genuine soul. He made my mom a Dog-Lover and I myself will always be a Dog Lover. I have a Dog personality, rather than a cat. Fun-loving, carefree, and free-spirited. Dogs rock! My favorite quote from the book is: "I have a theory, and writing the book sharpened it, that people can learn a lot from their dogs. Lessons on how to lead happier, more fulfillinf lives. Lessons for successful relationships. Think about it. Many of the qualities that come so effortlessly to dogs-loyalty, devotion, selflessness, unflagging optimisim, unqualified love-can be elusive to humans. My hunch is that people who act more loke dogs have happier marriages. That's assuming, of course, you don't marry someone who emulates cats. Then you're in trouble. Cats will outsmart dogs every time." Page 304

Yes, I am a dog person, and yes, my first marriage was to a cat person! He has said he loves cats! So that's why it didn't work out! Now I look for someone that has that same free-spirited nature that I have.

This book made me think about my beloved black lab. I pray that I can have my own black lab someday. I want one so bad! I need a house, a stable job to care for the dog, and time, as well as patience. It's funny because the way I think about having a dog is the same way most people think about having children, the responisbility factor. For me, having children, was like, yeah, let's just jump right in! Dogs, I know better, I know what it takes.

I love this book and I am glad John Grogan wrote it. His memoir is so complete, moving, and beautiful. I want to live with that family. I want to be able to have Marley or Duff to lean on when times get hard. I absolutely love and cherish this book and will probably reread it just to live it all over again. I was at work when I was reading it and I was sitting there at my desk, literally sheding tears. No one saw me though! I also highly enjoy the fact that John is a journalist, editor, and columinst. He inspires me! I want to go to his book signing in November 2008 down in Corte Madera, I may actually go meet him, he is that good of an author and now one of my favorites! Love it, love it, love it!!!(less)

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07/03/08

Jen rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

Read in October, 2008

recommends it for: no one

I couldn't fininsh this book. All I heard was blah blah blah chewed drywall blah blah bad on leash blah blah blah ad nauseum. It read like an autobiography of a really bad dog owner, not a bad dog.

As a dog owner of 2 sweet good well mannered dogs (one of them a lab) it frustrated me to no end.

I would not recommend this book to anyone.

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11/10/07

Beth rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

Read in December, 2006

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

So I'm actually one of those who tend to sway to the Molly Mormon side of things (okay, okay; I’m a stick-in-the-mud goody-two-shoes), and consequently I’ve got to preface my whole review by saying that Marley and Me will probably not be available at Deseret Book anytime soon. It’s not that it’s full of inappropriate language, sex, and violence (if it was a movie, I’m not even sure it would go to PG-13), but there’s some of that kind of thing included. I’d feel embarrassed bearing ...more

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10/17/07

Ryan Marquardt rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

Read in July, 2007

OK, I'm a complete sucker for this book. Yes, some of the anecdotes are things that every pet owners experiences, and are not really that compelling as a result. And some parts of it are more about life with a dog than the life of a dog. It was well written though, and really funny at times. Marley sounds like he was a complete love.

And that is why it was so tough to read the end. Yes, you know how it ends. But Grogan's description of the canine aging process is really accurate. Dogs...more

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05/08/07

Rachel rated it:

(review of isbn 0060817089)

SO my mom sent me this book because she thought I was all down after a stupid break up, and she wanted to cheer me up. I wasn't really down. I was totally fucking pissed off. I went into reading this book seeing red. Maybe that's affected how I interpreted it, but I really think this John Grogan guy and his wife are complete idiots.

There is no reason to ever buy a dog, ever. Ever. There are dogs dying all over the country because people abandon their animals or neglect to ha...more

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07/21/07

Matt rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

Read in December, 2006

You have to read books your grandma gives your for Christmas. Having said that, Marley's antics were mildly amusing (I guess), but I couldn't see past the fact that the owners were simply moronic. Example: they know their dog goes bananas and tries to claw its way to perceived safety anytime thunderstorms hit, tearing the house to shreds in the process. So what do they do to prevent it from ripping apart the house in the event of a thunderstorm in their absence? They put it in a little dog c...more

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01/10/09

Glenna rated it:

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I was fully prepared to give this book 3 stars before I started reading it. (based on seeing the movie) but the book really touched my heart. I laughed and yes I cried. (listening on CD might not be a good idea because driving home from work with your eyes full of tears makes staying in the lines hard)

Because each book we read is affected by the experiences in our lives that we bring to the reading, I'm not sure if someone who has never loved something furry would love this book. ...more

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12/29/08

Dixie Diamond rated it:

bookshelves: biography, dogs

recommends it for: nobody

To be honest, I couldn't even finish this because it was so stupid.

"Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog Owner." For crying out loud--get this poor dog some exercise and a trainer!

I hate books (and movies) like this: The "zany" antics of poorly-trained, poorly-raised, poorly-managed pets and their self-centered, moronic, owners. I'm always afraid stories like this will encourage other ill-informed, clueless people to adopt dogs they can't handl...more

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09/06/07

Donna Bolton rated it:

(review of isbn 0060817089)

Read in January, 2006

recommends it for: any one who has a love and passion for their "horrible" dog.

I loved this book. My now husband bought it for me last year for my birthday. When we had started dating, we found and loved a little mutt named Stella. When she was killed, our world was rocked. We felt foolish for being so upset over a dog. Neither one of us could stop crying for weeks. We didn't even have her a year when she died. This book made us both feel so good becuase it reminded us why we were so devistated. It was not only because Stella was a PERFECT dog. It was that she was th...more

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01/26/09

Stephanie rated it:

Read in January, 2009

Okay, I read two dog books in a row because my book club decided to do this for our February meeting. That said this book made me laugh so hard I cried and then, of course, I cried at the end as one must with all dog books if one loves dogs. I am the former owner of four Marley's--a black Lab, a yellow Lab (pure breed AKC registered and probably Marley's first cousin), a chocolate Lab, and a Lab/Husky/ Wolf mix. They all cost me thousands of dollars in vet bills, household and yard improvements ...more

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01/31/09

Sheila rated it:

(review of isbn 0061687200)

bookshelves: dog-books

Read in February, 2009

This is a book for dog lovers, and for those who have been loved by a dog. The Grogans may not have been the best dog trainers in the world, and they may have made a common mistake of buying their dog from a backyard breeder, but what they did right was they loved their dog, and stayed devoted to him through his whole life, from puppyhood to old age. In this throwaway society, where many people consider pets to be "disposable", to be dumped at the pound when they are no longer a cute...more

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10/28/08

margueya rated it:

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Read in November, 2008

I hate dogs. Always have, always will. I cannot at all understand the time, energy and devotion that people so willingly dish out to a furry monster who will wreck their home and treat the greater world as one big public bathroom and not even grow to be a contributing member to society and take in their owners in their old age which would at least justify it.
So in that sense I may not be the best person to review this book. I certianly wasn't interested in the premise, which is, couple...more I hate dogs. Always have, always will. I cannot at all understand the time, energy and devotion that people so willingly dish out to a furry monster who will wreck their home and treat the greater world as one big public bathroom and not even grow to be a contributing member to society and take in their owners in their old age which would at least justify it.
So in that sense I may not be the best person to review this book. I certianly wasn't interested in the premise, which is, couple gets psycho dog and things are therefore psycho. Yippee. My feeling on the matter of memoirs is, either your life is fascinating and write about it, or your life is actually not that interesting but YOU are so you can make it a good read (sort of like Elizabeth Gilbert). Well this was neither - I guess I was supposed to find JOhn and Jenny endearing or something but they just seemed like two orindairy Joes (even their names were ordinary) and the entire book felt like a belabored attempt to bring color into a work that just doesn't have any.
So enter Dog. Well, for one thing, I echo the reviewer who chastised the couple for being irresponsible - I mean I don't think they were abusive as he says, in fact they seem ridiculously loyal to this fur ball demon, and the fact that they bought a lab with no knowledge of what that entails sounds like smething I would do (if I bought a dog, that is, and I would sooner eat nails), ie, you're overly excited and sort of stupid. I was annoyed, though, that they did this to train for parenting (I mean sheesh, get a sack of flour and walk around with it all the time like they do on TV if you're worried about parenting skills, and flour doesn't need to be housebroken) and that if anything, their parenting seemed more bothersome - aside from having this special needs canine on baord with them which I can't imagine was beneficial for the genuine children who actually require attention and care whereas pets are second tier (though psycho dog could be nothing less than number one) they also spent over a decade in a city that had prostitutes and heinous murders going on on their block, figuring psycho would be their protection (his main attack being saliva).
The thing is, if you're going to try and pull at my heartstrings, a four legged freak just isn't going to do it for me. At the end of the day, you do not sell your children, you do not put them to sleep, you do not have those options. Whereas with a dog and certianly one that is clearly not meant to be a pet, you do. Which always makes me wonder, what exactly is the appeal? You are putting more of yourself (and your money and your house repairs) into something that actually isn't really YOURS. So if your life gets flipped around from a mentally unstable animal, I say, lose the animal. What is so complicated?
At what is supposed to be a heart wrenching moment, I guess, post partum Jenny insists that the dog GO and I applaud her head on. She has just had her second child in two years and she is tired and cranky. The dog in the best of times is a liability. But they march on, and this is supposed to be heroic? This dog is like taking on an untamed lion for a pet and then writing about it.
So at the end of the day at times it was humorous, but I again echo that reviewer in saying, when its yours its funny, when its not, who cares?

(less)

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12/26/08

Dixie rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

Read in January, 2009

"A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbols mean nothing to him. A water-logged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his."

I never 'dog-ear' pages in the books I read. I like my books to remain looking as new as possible and I enjoy perfectly ...more "A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbols mean nothing to him. A water-logged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his."

I never 'dog-ear' pages in the books I read. I like my books to remain looking as new as possible and I enjoy perfectly pressed paper with no hint of wear. Last night as I finished the last few pages of the book, "Marley & Me" I dog-eared two pages; very unlike me. I couldn't help it. I was so moved by Grogan's words that I wanted anyone (myself included) who read or re-read the book to be as moved as I was.

This book for me was something special. I am stingy about giving 5 stars to any book I read. When I was about 2/3 of the way through, my husband asked me what I thought of the book. I hesitated before responding, "Uh, its alright". I was not overly impressed at that point. I was enjoying the story but I knew where it was heading. I knew I would finish the book with tears (which is not out of the ordinary for me). Sure enough, when I finished the book, tears streaming down my face I was sad it was finished and knew, for me, it was going to be a 5-star book. I was swept away with the writing and the story. It moved me emotionally and the more I think about it, the more I love it.

The author, John Grogan, is the owner of the crazy dog and the storyteller. For his profession, Grogan is a columnist so he has amazing writing skill. I enjoyed his sarcastic humor and the creative way he told his story about Marley. My husband and I are non-pet owners and will likely remain so. We both work full time. We are clean freaks. We like to travel. That being said, my mind for a half of a second wanted to change as I dog-eared the second page:

"He became part of our melded fabric, a tightly woven and inseparable strand in the weave that was us. Just as we had helped shape him into the family pet he would become, he helped to shape us, as well- as a couple, as parents, as animal lovers, as adults. Despite everything, all the disappointments and unmet expectations, Marley had given us a gift, at once priceless and free. He taught us the art of unqualified love. How to give it, how to accept it. Where there is that, most of the other pieces fall into place."

I'm not sure I'll see the movie because I know the book is better. I don't have to see the movie to know that I already like the book more. A movie can't capture the thoughts of Marley's family like the book can. The movie will also lose the enchanting writing of very talented author.(less)

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05/26/08

Shira rated it:

(review of isbn 0739461192)

Read in July, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I really enjoyed this book, probably because I could identify a bit too much with the author's woes with his crazy dog, Marley! Although I have to say that next to Marley, even our nuttiest family pets seem relatively tame! The author did a very good job of interweaving the tale of Marley with the overall story of over a decade in the life of his family, encompassing all of the ups and downs and heartaches that a family faces. I found it hysterically funny at times, deeply touching at others,...more

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07/18/07

Mark rated it:

(review of isbn 0060817089)

Read in March, 2006

recommends it for: dog lovers, humor fans

I'm a dog person. I see them as basically goofy entertainment accessories most of the time, and every so often a dog will do something to win your heart. However, this is usually a difficult thing to describe completely and honestly to someone unfamiliar with dog ownership. John Grogan has managed to capture in a relatively brief 300 pages all the joy (and sadness) owning a dog can bring to a life, and to a family.

If, like me, you've shared part of your life and living space with a ...more

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