Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog
Ratings102
Average rating3.9
I laughed & I cried while reading this book. There were a few parts that did irritate me, like when Marley was ill and Grogan was talking about the cost of treatment, etc. All in all, though, I think this book was fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.
0-stars
True story...I read this book months before the film came out. Later, on the film's release day on Christmas Day in 2008, I saw the film with family and bawled my eyes out. TWO DAYS LATER...TWO DAYS LATER. My family's dog died. He was 12 which was understandable but the timing was atrocious. His name was Rocky and was a gorgeous Brittle-colored Greyhound.
I never saw the film or read the book ever since. One time, I even begged my high school teachers to leave the room while they were watching the film. They allowed me to luckily. The book/film is cursed to me hahaha
When we lost our family Golden Retriever in January 2009 my husband couldn't understand how I could read a book about a man and his best friend so soon after losing him, but for me reading Marley & Me was a huge source of comfort as it brought back lots of the lovely memories and joy that having a beloved family pet brings.
This book, although almost autobiographical was surprisingly easy to read - it was very witty, fast paced and contemporary. John Grogan writes very well and you very quickly are drawn into the story of himself and his wife Jenny as they decide in the early years of their marriage to test their parenting skills out by purchasing a puppy - Marley.
There were parts of this book that were laugh out loud funny, I also learned a great deal about labrador retrievers that I didn't know which were pertinent as we began to consider other breeds for our next dog and I shed tears at the end as he described the very difficult task of being with your dog as the vet puts them to sleep - an experience very raw and recent for our family and in some ways it helped to know that the emotions we experienced after the event were not unique to our family.
This is a book that will appeal to dog owners everywhere - whether they have a young puppy, an older dog or have lost their beloved pet. My stepson cannot wait to see the film as he says it looks hysterical and whilst I also cannot wait to see it on screen I know I'll always think back to how the book reached out to me at a time when I needed to find solace and remember the joys of being the owner of a dog who has devoted himself to your family.
I saw the movie years ago so decided I should read the book, which has been on my shelf for quite awhile! It was a great read - reading about the mischief Marley got up to. I was pleased Jenny got past her brief dislike of him after the baby and they didn't get rid of him! I did get a lump in my throat at the end and had a couple of tears!
By golly, if you can resist this story, you're Bah-Humbug-er than me.
A dog, as flawed as they come, yet somehow strangely loyal and lovable.
Deeply metaphorical, I'm sure. Marley as the classic American? Marley as our children? Marley as the typical male? Recommended, even if it is on the bestseller list.
Such an awesome book. Marley, the loopy Labrador “evader” is so much fun and such a wonderful “character”. Marley is a great example of how a pet is so much a part of the family, a part of us. John Grogan‘s writing is wonderfully engaging; I felt like I was romping around with Marley myself. I laughed so much while reading the book and I even cried quite a bit towards the end. A wonderful book. A must read for all pet lovers.
