A friend and fellow dog lover recommended this book to me. I also read positive reviews by people who don't particularly like dogs. My copy arrived in great condition, and I consumed the story in 3 days. I found it to be very heartwarming, evoking laughter and tears. Having unconditionally loved and lost pets myself, I can relate to the bond this family had with their beloved dog, despite his hyper-active and sometimes destructive behavior. As the Grogan family grew, Marley remained a loyal member. He required alot of patience, particulary with his intense fear of thunderstorms, but the Grogans commitment to his best interests overcame the obstacles. The book spans the entire life of Marley, and is a wonderful tribute the author has given him. I'm circulating this book throughout my family, and they also enjoy it...I highly recommend it.Read full review
Our 3 mo. old yellow lab pup name Lilley was in an accident 11 days ago. I knew when I saw her something was broken but with those big brown eyes begging for help I scooted her onto a board to stablize her til I could get her to a vet. After several xrays our vet suggested we go to another vet in a neighboring town, 30 miles away. She would need an orthopedic surgeon, not only was her pelvis was broken, it was shoved down and forward about 1 1/2 inches both directions. Dr. Copeland, in Cookeville, Tn. was well known for his experiences with seriously injured pets. After explaining the xrays to me as I choked down the tears he stepped into his office and returned handing me this book and asking me to read it while Lilly was in his care. He explained all the cost involved but at that point none of that mattered. My husband says, "it's only money". And it is only money when it comes to the love, devotion and total dependancy animals have on us. Leaving Lilly with the Doctor, I went to discuss the challenges that lay ahead with my husband. I explained to our 8 yr old daughter, the dangers of the surgery and suggested she pray for Jesus to take care of Lilley, whatever the end results would be, never mentioning the alternative to either of them. She walked into the house as we remained outside going through all the details and in just a couple minutes she appeared at the door and said, "She's going to be just fine, Jesus told me he would take care of her." We both looked at each other in amazment at the conviction in which she spoke. From that moment, there was absolutely no question, Lilley was going to be just fine. I read the book in just a few days, and throughout the giggles and the tears, my heart wrenching for Lilly hoping and praying she would make it. Today we brought her home. Her thin crooked little body wiggling with the swing of her tail and the excitment in seeing her little playmate, Pepper, a 5 month old Miniture Schnauzer. She has alot of rehab ahead of her but she's on the mend. Also, in the final xrays it was detected she also has a hernia which will be repaired in a few weeks after she gains some weigh and strength. As for now we are so blessed to have her home. Your book has truly inspired me to look at both our pups with much more patience and understanding that ever before. They are defintely a big part of our hearts. Thank You for revealing to me that I'm not the only foolish dog lover.Read full review
just finished Marley and Me last night. I picked it up last weekend at Barnes & Noble as I was walking near the magazines. The adorable photo on the cover caught my eye....they had a display of the book out in the open. Being an avid animal and dog lover, I couldn't pass it up. Needless to say, I devoured the book in two days. I loved it. To me it was so refreshing to see such commitment in another dog owner. I have always believed that when you adopt a pet it should be part of the family, and it is a lifelong commitment. You don't give up and get rid of them, just because of hard times or problems. I applaud Mr. Grogan, and his family, for being the kind of people who love and care for their dog friends and for writing such a heartfelt tribute to his pal, Marley. Pets ask for so little and return so much. I have had many dogs and I always get a kick out of the commercial on TV for a new ziplock dogfood bag for a certain chow...they use the expression "Dogs Rule". How perfect. There is nothing quite like having a dog, whether they have impeccable manners or not. I laughed and I cried and I understood everything that Mr. Grogan had to say. I also live in Florida so I felt a special connection to the Grogans when they were speaking of the culture here and the thunderstorms--and how dogs hate them. All in all, Mr. Grogan's writing is clear and interesting and down to earth. I couldn't put the book down. It is a joy. I even went so far and to visit the website he has listed in the book. There was an email address to write to him, which I did, and I was absolutely amazed when Mr. Grogan wrote back to me three hours later to thank me for my nice comments. Do yourself a favor and read the book.....you'll close it in the end and your heart will feel like it is too large to fit inside your chest.Read full review
I personally purchased the book because I am a proud owner of a Labrador Retriever. I knew very little about the breed, therefore, after a couple of mishaps here and there, I found out how active these dogs are. At one point, I wasn't sure if I truly wanted to keep the dog. Nevertheless, after reading the wonderful story of the Grogans and Marley, I didn't feel like I was alone. The narrative depicts the life of a pair of newlyweds who struggle to tame a "beast" as they call their dog. Soon, they find out that this "beast" is the most wonderful dog. Like the Grogans, my own dog has grown close to my heart. She has given me so much love and affection despite my continuous reprimands and punishments. I have come to realize that this breed is one of the most intelligent and loving. Labs will always love every member of the family with equality. In a labs' eyes there are no favorites. I truly recommend this story to anyone who is thinking of purchasing a dog, a Lab in particular. Despite their eagerness and their activity, they are the "BEST" dogs by far. Just read the book to find out why. The wonderful plot will have the reader captivated from beginning to end. This is a beautifully written story that is a classic amongst dog lovers!!Read full review
I just finished Marley and Me last night. I picked it up last weekend at Barnes & Noble as I was walking near the magazines. The adorable photo on the cover caught my eye....they had a display of the book out in the open. Being an avid animal and dog lover, I couldn't pass it up. Needless to say, I devoured the book in two days. I loved it. To me it was so refreshing to see such commitment in another dog owner. I have always believed that when you adopt a pet it should be part of the family, and it is a lifelong commitment. You don't give up and get rid of them, just because of hard times or problems. I applaud Mr. Grogan, and his family, for being the kind of people who love and care for their dog friends and for writing such a heartfelt tribute to his pal, Marley. Pets ask for so little and return so much. I have had many dogs and I always get a kick out of the commercial on TV for a new ziplock dogfood bag for a certain chow...they use the expression "Dogs Rule". How perfect. There is nothing quite like having a dog, whether they have impeccable manners or not. I laughed and I cried and I understood everything that Mr. Grogan had to say. I also live in Florida so I felt a special connection to the Grogans when they were speaking of the culture here and the thunderstorms--and how dogs hate them. All in all, Mr. Grogan's writing is clear and interesting and down to earth. I couldn't put the book down. It is a joy. I even went so far and to visit the website he has listed in the book. There was an email address to write to him, which I did, and I was absolutely amazed when Mr. Grogan wrote back to me three hours later to thank me for my nice comments. Do yourself a favor and read the book.....you'll close it in the end and your heart will feel like it is too large to fit inside your chest.Read full review
In return for just food and water and a pat on the head, dogs will entertain us and love us, protect us, and break our hearts. And once in awhile they'll chew up something really important and poop where they're not supposed to. Every time I've had to put a dog down, I think that's the last one, but another always finds it's way into my home and my heart. I picked up this book since, like the author, I'd grown up in the midwest, moved to Florida, was a journalist, moved to Pennsylvania, and had big silly dogs. Lots of similarities. And I'm so glad I did. Marley reminds us of the love we have inside us, and should be sharing as willingly and openly as does he. Marley's misadventures are hilarious. You will laugh hard, and you will cry hard. Please read it. And if you want a smaller silly dog, I recommend the Boston Terrier. Just got a young one, and what joy and energy he's brought into the home!Read full review
So I'm all for mushy animal tales, and I'm all for stories of hilarious antics. This one has both. The author blends his life and that of Marley's existence into a seamless story of love, laughter, fear, trust and loyalty. This book really shows how animals impact our lives and change them, sometimes we don't think it's for the better but in the long run - it is. I really enjoyed reading it, I knew the ending would be sad. Most animal stories end that way. I knew I'd cry, and I did. Such is life. Mostly I cried because my dog is 8 and getting up there in years..and she exhibits some of the same old aging signs Marley demonstrated. It's difficult as a dog owner (or we think of ourselves as parents to our pets) to watch with no uncertain realization that their lives will invariably come to an end. And we will have to cope. And we do but it's difficult. This book really hits home and if you want a sweet read go ahead...and if you don't want to cry - just skip the last few chapters. :-)Read full review
Our family has always had a dog, and when we could afford it, always had golden retrievers. We both love to read, and like to read about dogs; even bloodhounds (Virginia Laniers' books). A close firend recommended the Grogan book, and I first read a copy from the library. When I wanted to buy one, I didn't bid very wisely, so got three copies of it! I will keep one, and share the other with two of my granddaaughters who also currently own goldens. I appreciated all the humor and love coming through the writing, also. Raising dogs from the puppy stage can indeed be a trying time. All ours, were quite normal and lovely as adult dogs. One of the others was quite a bit like Marley as a puppy. The other one is still a puppy; all were out-doors animals. Thank you for providing such an entertaining reading experience. Do you have more books in progress?Read full review
A delightful and light hearted read, I thoroughly enjoyed Marley & Me. John Grogan's style is easy, almost conversational, and perfectly suited for juvenille reading. I love reading any book about dogs. I can't say this is the best book I've ever read, but still I admire and respect Grogan for giving Marley a place in history and a tribute to honor the legacy he left behind. As an advocate of dog rescue and a dog trainer, I was very disturbed by his method of training Marley with a choke chain, and can only hope Grogan gets better counseling on kinder ways to train an out of control, over exuberant canine. Through it all, while not Grogan's biggest fan, Marley will always have a place in my heart, and for that I do thank Grogan for sharing with us Marley's spirit. Read it for what it is - a loving tribute to a dog who only wanted to please his person, a dog who gave undying loyalty, a dog who understood better than man ever will, what it means to have a soul. I would only ask that if you find yourself with a dog like Marley, get yourself some serious professional training from someone who will not consider a choke chain as a proper method of training.Read full review
The story really touched my heart. It was well wriiten and I really liked the pictures of Marley throughout his life. It almost felt like I actually knew him. The love between him and his human family was wonderful.I held my breath when they wanted to get rid of him. They redeemed themselves by keeping him. Pets should never be disposable, in my opinion anyway. I am happy to see them step up when Marley needed them. He gave ALL of himself to that family. Who could do less for him? The only part I hated was the end but I am old enough to know that death is a part of life. It is the hardest decision any pet owner has to face. It would be an act of selfishness to keep him alive to suffer. I had a good cry over the ending as I am sure any pet lover will understand. It would be great if our pets could live as long as we do.I would recommend this book to everyone from 6 to 96. Just have tissues handy at the end1Read full review
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