I loved this book. It made me laugh and cry (sometimes within pages of each other). The twists and turns of the story are John Grogan and his family's everyday twists and turns. That is the beauty of the story.

As we live our "ordinary" everyday lives we are creating powerful memories that shape who we are as people. When we tell of our memories they can, as in Grogan's case, shape other peoples lives as well. Marley & Me is a touching story full of beautiful memories that are worth sharing.

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This was the first book I purchased for my new Amazon Kindle - and I could hardly put it down - from the begining John Grogan draws you into Marley's world of mischief. As I finished the book, i could barely see the words for the tears in my eyes - this is a wonderful heartwaming, laugh outloud story told by a master storyteller. I highly recommend it.

I was forced to listen to the audio book version of this. If you find Grogan annoying throughout the book, wait till you have to listen to his voice (yes, he reads it).

Basically, the guy writes an autobiography. And his dog Marley was evidently a part of it. I might try the same when I get a dog because there is nothing special about this story so hopefully my ordinary life can sell a bunch of books too. It's not like this dog saves the world or anything. It's also not like he's that big of a terror either. The heinous acts of Marley are for a large part quite cliche and you could probably see them all by watching an afternoon of TV (the bedroom scene comes to mind...how often have we seen that?).

The author complains about how awful this dog is, but it seems like he's probably the bigger problem. The dog was not trained or disciplined but constantly spoiled from the sounds of it. They 'gave up' on obedience school.

Overall, skip this one. I'm not an expert on sentimental dog books but I bet there's a better one out there.

This is truly a wonderful book. Although it is emotional, and I had to put it down twice because it hit me that hard, I would recommend this book to everyone. It is very well written. You will find yourself laughing out loud and crying with this book. It is a great life story - not just about his dog...

I find dog stories usually inspirational and a credit to their masters. This story left me flat. Retrievers need room to roam about, and they are social and friendly critters. Marley's life was not usually like that. The Grogans should have taken dog obedience classes as well as a lot of lessons in general parenting. Thank goodness I didn't put out the twenty bucks to be irritated and wanting to give the Grogans some worthwhile tips in raising an animal. A dog-owner friend gave me the book to read - she enjoyed it totally. Dogs are a big responsibility and shouldn't be brought home on a whim. For all that, Grogan is a good writer and I enjoyed his work...maybe this one shouldn't have gone public. PS - I have been a dog-owner for many years.

i just love that they find a dog that is not really well manered and they take him! i am really happy because it was such a good book! i want you all to read it, because it is funny,loving7and i hade a great time! so i really want you to read it!

I have a Marley (actually a Charley, and she can get into more mischief in five minutes than both my grown children ever got into during their 2's & 3's together). But when she looks up at you with that big dumb lab look and her tongue hanging out on the side, how can you not love her?

This book was written for everyone who ever wondered at some point "Maybe I should just give up. Owning a dog just shouldn't be this hard!" This is the book that gives them the answer to that question.

Wonderful Book! I love the journalistic writing style. The story is just wonderful. I laughed out loud so many times that I lost count. I also cried.
Thank you Mr. Grogan.

My daughter, a 20-year-old who only reads required college texts and cartoons, is a dedicated dog lover. So I took the chance (which I have done unsuccessfully many times) and bought this book as one of her birthday gifts. She adored it and finished reading it in just a few days, then lent it to me. I, too, loved it and found it a very fast read. We love dogs, but probably couldn't have put up with Marley's exuberance for so long. We do, however, recognize the true heart and dedication that Marley and many dogs have for their owners. The author (John Grogan) had an easy, passionate, and effective style and I hope to read more of his books in the future. Thank you, John Grogan!

Anyone thinking of getting a Lab should read this book. Lab's are the best but I swear there's Goat in thier DNA. Reading Marley and me reminded me of the joy my Choc Lab Hershey had brought us. His love and understanding made it easy to open our home to two rescue dogs who are also Lab breeds.

It's a good thing I read this book right after we got our own Yellow Lab as a 1 yr old from a local rescue organization. He could have been Marley's cousin. Reading about all his crazy energetic antics gave me understanding into my own dog's behavior, and helped me train him better. At 3, Charlie is now a great dog and I see why so many people love the breed. Once you get through the puppy stage, which can last for a few years, Labs are the best dogs!
Marley was one of a kind. I laughed so hard reading some of the accounts of this wild dog! The book is well written, an easy read and very entertaining. When I got the the part where he was dying, it took me 3 weeks to get up the courage to read it. However, the book ends on a humorous note, so that you are not left with sadness.
Anyone who has ever owned a dog, not necessarily a Lab, will enjoy this book.
Can't wait for the movie!

This is wonderfully written and I'm so glad that it's being made into a movie. I recommend it highly.

I had the audio book on CD of Marley & Me and it was soooo funny I had to pass it on to others. Then when I saw the book on Amazon I knew I had to have it. If you are a dog lover you must read this book.

This book could be more properly sub-titled "Life with the world's worst dog owner". I'm surprised Mr. Grogan would admit to his inept and unfeeling gaurdianship of the unfortunate Marley, let alone write a book about it.

For thiose that have ever had, or now have a dog, this book is a must. But be prepared to forgo meals for 2 days as you will not want to put it down. I think I laughed 2# off my body weight. A great book for adults as well as children. I feel like I have "walked in their shoes many times during my 73 years, and would do it over if I had to with another dog.

This is a wonderful book about a person's love for an animal and the ultimate loss of that beloved pet. Only a person who has loved dog and put up with their quirks could have written such a touching story.

Marley & Me is a well-written heart-warming and memorable story of a family and their neurotic but very lovable dog. I don't agree with the author, John Grogan, that Marley was the world's worst dog. While Marley was probably one of the most mischievous dogs, he was far from being a "bad dog." As a matter of fact, he was the type of friend that all people should hope to have -- undyingly loyal, treasuring every moment of attention you gave to him, enjoying every detail of his life no matter how trivial. Despite his neuroses, Marley taught his family (as well as the readers of Grogan's tribute to Marley) very valuable lessons about what really matters in life. As a writer, Grogan deserves all the credit and rewards he has received for reinforcing in his readers an important lesson about life and love, and for writing a book that is both heartwarming and ultimately heartbreaking. As an owner, Grogan was not a bad owner by any means; although he might not have been as deserving of the adulation given to him by his loving dog, Marley. Would a person who proclaims himself to be a loving owner and best friend, as Grogan does, try to justify his decision to not spend the couple of thousand dollars to give his best friend of thirteen years the surgery needed to try to save his life because "it seemed obscene, almost immoral, to spend that kind of money on an old dog at the end of his life when there were unwanted dogs put down every day for lack of a home, and more important, children not getting proper medical attention for lack of financial resources?" What a cop out and warped rationalization! Grogan, who was a notable newspaper columnist at this point in Marley's life, was not offering to donate this money to people who were more in need than his old dog, Marley; he just didn't seem to want to spend it on his old friend. Without going into details, there are a few other instances that might make you question if Grogan was as deserving of Marley's unwavering devotion. Putting aside these personal gripes I have with Grogan as a dog owner, Marley & Me is a very worthwhile read and is highly recommended.

There are nine pages of one-star reviews of this book, so maybe the last thing that the world needs is one more person saying why they were completely disappointed with "Marley & Me." The problem is that I keep seeing the same things in the one-star reviews -- "Oh waah. John Grogan was so mean. He used a choke collar on his 100-pound mountain of a dog. He took the family to Disney World when he should have instinctively known his sick, old dog was going to have a problem. His depressed wife lost her temper and walloped the dog when it had randomly destroyed a room for the umpteenth time. These guys are obviously savages. Poor wittle Marley."

Ugh! Stop it already. The only thing worse than Grogan's constant and insipid indulgence of this neurotic, destructive dog is listening to book reviewers try to out-do themselves about how much more indulgent they would've been.

I want to make it clear to anyone who is considering reading this -- the dog in question is NOT (as some reviewers try to make it out) a normal Labrador. This is a dog who is so destructive that it demolishes entire rooms . This is a dog that's so neurotic that it responds to anything like a thunderstorm by thrashing around to the point that the walls are covered with blood and drool.

Other BIG turnoffs:
* The cavalier way that Grogan talks about letting his dog drink seawater at a dog beach until it first vomits and then spews diarrhea in the water where the dogs and people are swimming. I'm sorry, but what kind of an idiot would let that happen? (And he merely remarks as an afterthought that the dog beach was closed down eventually. Hm, wonder why?)
* The jaw-droppingly insensitive passage where he talks of going to Shanksville, PA on the anniversary of 9/11, spending the day talking with people as a part of his job as a columnist (all the time wondering what HIS take on it would be), and what is his epiphany standing on the site where Flight 93 went down? "Hey, you know what? My 90-year-old dog is going to die. What a bummer." It ... was ... unbelievable.
* The ending of the book. Yep, I finally share an opinion with the other one-star reviewers, but again I disagree on the details. I thought there was something really, really cruel and selfish about letting this big, lolloping dog get old, toothless, deaf, and wracked with pain for years and years. Two simple injections take Marley out of his misery, but the author isn't willing to allow that until he has selfishly kept the dog around until it's so sick that even he can't ignore the humane alternative.


So maybe I just seem to all these animal-nutjobs like a big ol' meanie, but don't get me wrong. I have a dog myself and I'm a bit of a nut for her. I think she's the best dog ever. I never have to do anything more than give her a look or a tone of voice when course correction is needed. But that's because (a) I didn't get more dog than I could handle and (b) I did the work of establishing that I was the boss back when she was a puppy and we were building our relationship. I didn't think I was being a genius when I did either of these things, but this book is making me think maybe I was.

After loosing our border collie last year, this book brought back all those funny memories that our dog used to do, but mostly it made me laugh and cry. I couldn't put it down. I truly enjoyed this book because it made me remember the sad passing of our most beloved family pet, our girl.

I think the author said it best stating that once in a lifetime a dog comes into your life that's irreplacable. You wish their short life would continue on forever. Our border collie was not nearly as riotous as Marley in fact she was one of the best dogs who really seemed to know what you were thinking. We will miss our girl just like the author misses his Marley, especially when you come through the door-- and they're just not there anymore to tell you about their day and celebrate your return. You just will miss them forever!

It was so funny to compare our yellow lab to Marley because in a lot of the ways those habits seem to be character traits of the breed. Like the constant shaking, sheading and their annoying habits you just can't seem to break. Beware of labs, they'll grab your heart and you'll get mad at them but you just can't let them go!

I read this book in a about a day and a half. Great book. Great read. Highly recommended, even if you're mourning the loss of your best friend.

Enjoyed the story very much, especially since I love animals. It did bring some tears, but any worthwhile story should do that!

This is a great read. It pulls you right along. I'm saving the book to read again someday when I need a happy story to put me back in the mood.

This book really pulled at my heart strings. It was so loving and touching! It really hit home since we have a yellow lab of our own. He's not quite as mischievious as Marley, but many times during the book I found myself nodding in agreement. I highly recommend this book for all animal lovers.

I think this book is about the world's worst dog owner, not worst dog. He's just being a dog and doing what dogs naturally do. It was built up to be so funny and so far I'm not captivated.

I bought Marley & Me while in an airport terminal between layovers. I ended up buying two more for friends. My copy disappeared again because someone stole mine. So, I'll buy another one.

Yes, people enjoy the book that much.

If you have animals in your life, this book will touch you and force tears into your eyes. On those recommendations, I say buy it as soon as you can.

Wolfe

I read this book last night. Yes, its a cute story but I think it is way over rated. Pretty much everyone in life has a pet they love and has stories about it. This book just seems to be about one families life and their dog. I didn't think there was anything magical or tremendous going on in the book where it deserved to have a movie made. But the good news is that if he can be this big of a success then so can anyone!
Really its a story a man's life with his family and some funny things his dog does.
Doesn't everyone have those?

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

What a delightful and real book about a labrador and his family. I laughed out loud in some parts as my lab does the same unusual things!

This book is great! Its perfect for an animal lover and/or dog owner or anyone who's had their ups and downs in life. The author has a great and simplistic writing style which is so much fun! I laughed when he described Marely's antics and I cried when they lost their first baby and when they finally had their first son. I can't wait for the movie and recommend this book to anyone and EVERYONE!

This book is definitely for dog lovers. Only a person who has (or has had) a dog can understand this book as it tells of a young couple's bond with their dog as they grow older and then start a family. A person who isn't a dog lover won't get this book, which is a shame because it's a touching story. I couldn't put it down! WARNING: keep tissues nearby!

I can't even think about this book without crying!! I have never cried at a book in my life . . . until "Marley and Me." I get tears in my eyes even when I speak of this book to anyone. Amazing! Oh yeah . . . I laughed my head off a lot throughout it as well. This book brings out emotions in people who aren't even dog lovers!!

Bought for my daughter. This is a great book, especially if you have a dog.

I thorough enjoyed reading Marley and Me. Josh Grogan has a warm engaging writing style and brings us into his family. He shares with us very tender moments and hilarious antics.

I laughed outloud while reading this book and I am not one to do that. I also cried openly at times. If you are a dog lover, you will be able to relate to the stories of Marley.

While Josh Grogan is the not the shining example of dog ownership and how to handle specific dog behavior problems, you can tell that he really did love his dog and usually had his best interest at heart. Although I must say I have to question his motives when he returns from Disneyworld and fails to rush to his beloved pets side as he is near death. I know from my personal experience that nothing could have kept me away from my dog at a time like that.

All in all I would recommend this book as a quick read that that will bring enjoyment, laughs and tears.

I just finished this book and can say all the bad reviews, you people just have it wrong. This is a great read about John and Jennie's life with Marley. I laughed and cried through this entire book. Marley is quite something. His fear of thunderstorms didn't suprise me. I had a dog as a kid with this same kind of fear. He was afraid of hot-air balloons in the same way too. My heart was in my throat when he was comforting Jennie. He was a gentle giant with his "siblings". And his last days were very hard for me to read through the tears. I've had a couple dogs in my life and it never gets easier. If you love dogs, recognize the author is human, understand some dogs are highstrung, and you want to laugh and cry this is the book for you. It's a easy read and fast too. I'll defiantly keep this on my bookshelf. For someone who just isn't interested in nonfiction works, I took a chance on Marley & Me and I'm sure glad I did. Please read it.

Having labs I could totally relate to this book. It had me laughing and crying. A great book for any dog lover.

This book made me laugh out loud and cry - which is the first time a book has had that type of impact on me!

I got my first dog two years ago, so I could absolutely relate to the stories in the book. It makes you realize and appreciate the bond between dogs and owners.

I would recommend this book to all dog owners!

You will laugh, cry, laugh even harder, and cry maybe a little more. I loved this book, and admittedly I wanted a dog just like Marley after I read this book! It was such a great book that made you understand a dog a little better and that you should never give up on your animals. No matter what. If you are a dog lover, I know you will love this book. And even if you aren't you will still love this book! John Grogan is a wonderful author and I WILL read this book over and over again! A wonderful tribute and a nothing but honest truth about the Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog.

My son bought a beautiful Golden Retriever. When he was a kid we had one named Sam, a beautiful, sweet tempered, loving creature.

Now my son Greg decided to duplicate that before he and his wife Dawn decided to have children.

DISASTER!

Their dog, Cheney (named after the vice president) was nothing like Sam. He thought he was a lap dog --- a 100 pound lap dog that loved sitting on your lap with his butt in your face. Not a pleasant experience. Cheney ate everything, including your meal, as he lunged out from under the table with a tongue like that of a giant frog.

So this book brings home the fact that not all dogs of the same breed are the same way --- kind of like humans don't you think?

This book is a beautiful story about a dog who becomes a huge part of a family. Marley is as spirited a dog as they come, but you grow to love him as if he were your own through his life story. I laughed and cried with the author and his family as they journey through life with their beloved dog

I read this book for a book club and I fell in love with that rascally dog just as Grogan did. It is really hard to know who is master and beast in this book as it seems like the beast was the master of all he reigned. This book is perfect for animal lovers, especially for those who have dogs who may be as rascally as Marley or not.

This is a delightful romp through a dog's life. Chewing on shoes and clawing the doors? Yep. Been there and had that. Messy accidents in the house? Oh boy, sounds like my dog. Man's best friend? Check.

This is really a heart-warming story of a man who has a dog who is a big lovable lug that taught the author the lessons of loyalty and enjoying life to the fullest. There is humor injected throughout the book, whether it was at himself or at Marley. It is hard to remain mad at your best friend as I know since my own dog has chewed up my favorite pair of shoes or dragged me running through the minefields to chase a car and so on.

I know that there are over a thousand reviews of this book, so I will keep mine short. It is a lovely homage to Grogan's best friend who taught him so much in his short life. It is also a wonderful reminder of what our friends do for us in our own lives. This is a perfect book club book as well as a perfect book to read throughout the summer, lying there next to your own best friend. Be sure to have kleenexs handy though. It is heartwarming and sweet and in spots, so sad. All pet owners know the special kind of grief losing your friend is like.

Pick it up and have a delightful romp through the pages! This is perhaps a first book where I actually laughed out loud in places simply because of the humor of the incidents and the joy that Marley brings even to strangers like me. And I couldn't put this book down for the life of me. It was just too irresistable. So, enjoy this furry tale!

5/3/08

Let me first say that this book had its touching moments, especially if you had or have a dog. You can related to the happiness and sadness that a dog brings to your life. However, I do not believe this book contained enough material to warrant more than John Grogan's original newspaper column; he should have left it at that. Out of respect to the kind readers on Amazon, I will continue the review as a reply to this thread as to prevent any "spoilers". To those who have finished the book, please click on the `Comments' link and feel free to respond with any feedback.

I received this book extremely quick!! the book is so awesome! any animal lover/owner needs this on there 'must have' list

And I've read several. Maybe it's because I have a lab who is as neurotic as Marley or maybe it's just a well-written book about a topic dear to my heart. Anyone who likes dogs stories must read this book - and likely already has. Can't wait for the movie although I doubt it will do the book justice.

This was recommended to me and I thought, "okay, why not?" Now I know why not....a few chuckles and that is all. Where have GOOD books gone to? Does anyone know?

Great reading, and so entertaining. Full of cringe-worthy moments I can relate to, and Marley's personality jumps off the pages.

I received this as a gift and am a huge dog-lover, so really enjoyed reading a tale from a like-minded person.

I am dreading the film (but will probably have to watch it just to 'see' what it's like), as I cannot imagine Owen Wilson & Jennifer Aniston replicating these 'normal' people with their dog-filled days!!

Reading the other reviews of this book, there seems to be some polarisation among dog-lovers for or against Grogan as a dog owner. I'd like to present the view from a non-dog owner, non-dog lover. Journalist John Grogan is a great writer, and you get the feeling that whatever subject he tackled, you'd soon be enthralled with his easy going, zippy writing style. Somehow the strapline on this book ('the world's worst dog') lured me to read this book and it wasn't long before I was locked into Grogan's life with a Labrador that had some serious attitude. Now I don't know whether he did all the right things as a pet owner, but I do know this is a fantastic read that is much too good to be reserved for dog-lovers. It's a spirited 'novel' of the very best kind that just happens to be true. Ignore the debate over how you best look after a dog. That can be settled elsewhere and this is not a training manual. Simply enjoy Grogan's brilliant style, the consistent laugh-out-loud incidents and treat this book as the great read that it is.

Too many things My Dog and my life has happened in this book. Had to stop at one point. Will continue at some time..

John Grogan addresses how special a dog is to a family not only through the many heartfelt and meaningful moments, but also through the frustrating and humorous memories in the stories and experiences in his book, Marley and Me. Even though Marley's sense of curiosity always put him in the middle of trouble, John and Jenny never gave up on him or the bond that held them together.

John Grogan writes in his book about how Marley grew, how his career grew, and also how his family grew. He now has three children and lives in Pennsylvania as a newspaper columnist and journalist, a career he has stuck with for more than twenty-five years. In the early years of John and Jenny's marriage, he covers how difficult their schedule was with handling work and Marley. They were always worried about what they would come home to- shredded pillows, eaten valuables, a destroyed door, or even a trash-ridden garbage bin. Does this sound familiar to any animal or dog lovers? It certainly applies to my family, which has an energized, troublemaker puppy like Marley. Then again, doesn't every pet have its "bad dog!" moment?

By the time I got near the middle of the book, I was laughing away at Marley's struggles with obedience school, his obsession with poodles and diapers, and many more of his mishaps. It made me realize how much I care about my cocker spaniel puppy, and how much I can relate with in this book. Marley completed their family, comforting them when they grieved over the loss of their unborn child, protecting them and making them feel safe from the outside crime, making them wonder and laugh "how did this happen, Marley?" and most of all, teaching them about loyalty, trust, and love. Marley and Me is a great book for animal lovers, who will be touched and will be able to relate to the story, no matter if their companion is big or small, feathered or furry, two legged, four legged or no feet at all.

People who thought negatively of the book claimed that Marley was constantly left behind, and detached from the Grogan family. As a dog owner, I know how hard it is to leave a pet behind because you can empathize with their lonliness and fear, especially when a storm is approaching. I remember reading that John hurried home after receiving a scary phone call about Marley, and another instance when Jenny called every day when they were vacationing and wanted to hear how Marley and the dog sitter were doing. The Grogan family loved Marley, and their memories and moments of him will forever hold a dear place in their heart, and in the hearts of their readers.

I agree with all of the negative reviews. These people do not deserve to share there lives with one of these noble creatures. It broke my heart to read how this dog was treated - - and then BLAMED.

This is a great book about a man and his dog and how they bonded throughout life. It tells all about the obstacles and adventures that life brings: family, children, moving, career changes and adds in the joy (and challenges) of sharing these moments with a dog. It tells the tale of a family and how the dog they loved touched them through all the major points of their lives. Take from the book whatever you want, but this book inspired me to remember that my dog will not always be here and how nice it is to have a great companion through the good times and the bad and how even in those moments when my dog has done something terribly wrong, I look into those big brown eyes and think "how can I be mad at you?"

My first thought after finishing Marley and Me was what a wonderful book for anyone to read before adopting a dog as a pet. Here are all of the problems one might encounter when living with a dog. Not all dogs are going to be so destructive, it's true. But the possibility is always there and the prospective dog owner should know what can happen beforehand. Grogan also tells of the depths of love and devotion that can be shared by a pet and its human companion. Is it always enough?

There is as much in this book about the family as there is the pet in Grogan's honest portrayal. That Marley sometimes dominated the family because of his bad behavior is true. Most pet owners know and understand that there is a commitment to the welfare of not only the pet, but also to the rest of the family. When does one become too much?

Some readers will, no doubt, feel that Grogan went too far in keeping Marley in spite of his destructive and erratic behavior. Others will commiserate, probably having done the same thing at one time in their lives. Whether the reader agrees or disagrees with how this family handled the problems, it is an interesting book that grabs the reader's attention and holds on until the end. This is a good read, quickly finished. Those with dogs and those contemplating getting one will get much from Grogan's tale.

Marley is a dufus labrador. Her tale wraps around a growing family. Her tail clears all horizontal surfaces daily. You will laugh out loud. You will probably cry. And you will be a happier person for knowing Marley.