What a truly delightful book it is!

Mr. John Brogan has masterfully penned a wonderful book that chronicles the life of Marley and the evolution of the Brogan household. But wait, who exactly was Marley? He was introduced as a lively and cute puppy brought home by the young couple, John and Jenny. Marley would later grow into a huge and handsome Lab, a massive hulk filled with boundless nervous energy. Words like discipline and obedience simply did not exist in his dictionary. He left behind a trail of destruction in his wake. He had cost the Brogan household a small fortune in damaged properties and had been a source of public embarrassment on many occasions. It's funny for the readers, but just imagine the plight of the Brogans.

At one point in time, even Jenny wanted to get rid of him. Only through John's patience and efforts was the crisis avoided. However, don't get the impression that Marley was only a troublemaker. He always rose to the occasion when the situation demanded. He was the best therapy for providing emotional solace or could transform into a formidable protector if he sensed that the Brogans were in danger.

I will quote these comments to convey Marley's importance to the Brogan family. "A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water logged stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?" "He taught us the art of unqualified love. How to give it, how to accept it. Where there is that, most other pieces fall into place."

Some readers might wonder why I have given this book a 5-star rating. A very sensible thought, I agree. It is not what you could call a specimen of superior literary fiction. It just tells the story of a wild but very lovable dog. In my defense, it deserves the rating by merit of the sheer positive impact that the book has on numerous readers.

If the book piques your interest, I would strongly recommend you to enjoy Marley's hilarious adventures.

Marley and Me was a truly pleasant read.

I found myself thoroughly enjoying it, as it effortlessly brought back precious memories of growing up in Michigan with my dear mom.

She was an absolute dog lover, and Marley in the story strongly reminded me of our own family dog, Shep.

The book was not only a nice read but also a great story that tugged at the heartstrings.

If you have ever owned a dog or are currently a dog owner, I highly recommend that you read Marley and Me. It is truly a classic that captures the essence of the special bond between humans and their furry friends.

Mr. Grogan, thank you so very much for sharing the wonderful story of Marley with the world.

It has touched the lives of many and will continue to do so for years to come.

Animal lovers, get ready to have your hearts stolen by a dog when you pick up Marley & Me by John Grogan. \\n  Review originally published January 2006\\n

In life, we often need reminders of the things that truly matter: loyalty, courage, devotion, simplicity, joy, and unconditional love. Marley, a golden Labrador retriever, does an outstanding job of emphasizing these values.

John Grogan chronicles the highs and lows of life with Marley, spinning a highly enjoyable and heartwarming yarn. Grogan is a master at creating vivid word pictures. Just imagine reading:

“Marley didn’t actually wag his tail. He more wagged his whole body, starting with the front shoulders and working backward. He was like the canine version of a Slinky.”

I wholeheartedly recommend Marley & Me to all readers. Although this book is classified as nonfiction, it reads like a novel!

Marley & Me is currently on the New York Times \\"Best Sellers List.\\" All five La Crosse County Libraries display a copy of this list and indicate which titles they own. You can request these books in person or by phone using your library card. We are delighted to fulfill requests for readers as the books become available.

Discover this book and other titles within our catalog.

I have always hated dogs and will always do so. I simply cannot fathom the amount of time, energy, and devotion that people freely give to a furry creature that will destroy their home, treat the world as a public bathroom, and never grow up to be a contributing member of society or take care of its owners in old age.

In that regard, I may not be the most suitable person to review this book. I had no interest in the premise, which is that a couple gets a crazy dog and chaos ensues. Yippee. My view on memoirs is that either your life is fascinating enough to write about, or you are an interesting person who can make an otherwise ordinary life a good read (like Elizabeth Gilbert). Well, this book was neither. I was supposed to find John and Jenny endearing, but they just seemed like two average Joes (even their names were ordinary), and the entire book felt like a laborious attempt to add color to a work that lacked any.

So, enter the dog. For one thing, I agree with the reviewer who criticized the couple for being irresponsible. I don't think they were abusive as he claimed; in fact, they seem ridiculously loyal to this fur ball demon. The fact that they bought a lab without knowing what that entails sounds like something I would do (if I were to buy a dog, which I would never do). I was annoyed that they did this to train for parenting. I mean, come on, if you're worried about parenting skills, get a sack of flour and carry it around like they do on TV. At least flour doesn't need to be housebroken. And their parenting seemed more bothersome. Besides having this special needs canine with them, which I can't imagine was beneficial for the actual children who require attention and care (while pets are secondary), they also spent over a decade in a city with prostitutes and heinous murders on their block, thinking the crazy dog would protect them (its main attack being saliva).

The thing is, if you're going to try and tug at my heartstrings, a four-legged freak just isn't going to cut it for me. At the end of the day, you can't sell your children, you can't put them to sleep. You don't have those options. But with a dog, especially one that clearly isn't meant to be a pet, you do. Which always makes me wonder, what exactly is the appeal? You're investing more of yourself (and your money and your house repairs) into something that isn't really yours. So if your life gets turned upside down by a mentally unstable animal, I say, get rid of the animal. What's so complicated?

At what was supposed to be a heart-wrenching moment, I guess, postpartum Jenny insists that the dog go, and I applaud her. She has just had her second child in two years and is tired and cranky. The dog is a liability even in the best of times. But they persist, and this is supposed to be heroic? This dog is like taking in an untamed lion as a pet and then writing about it.

So, at the end of the day, at times it was humorous, but I again agree with that reviewer who said that when it's yours, it's funny, but when it's not, who cares?