With three dogs in my house, and the attempted breeding of one of them, it's no wonder that I love dogs. I love how they get so excited to see me when I'm gone for only a few minutes, or how they cuddle like life-size hot water bottles with me on a cold day. I saw life-size because their sizes range from 40-80 pounds. They're not small dogs, but regardless of their size, I've loved them all since day one.

I first saw the movie for Marley & Me and really enjoyed it. When I saw the book at a library sale, I knew I should snatch it up because if it was anything like the movie, it was bound to be awesome. The movie and the book are both quite similar. It's the story of a couple just having gotten married and getting a dog. Naturally, they fall for looks rather than researching their option and end up with Marley.

According to the movie, Marley is an absolute terror, but he really doesn't come across as one in the book. At least not so much. I hate to compare the two, but I really liked how the movie was based on newspaper articles written by Grogan, but that really doesn't happen in the book. In fact, the book comes across just as I said earlier, a couple who poorly researches a dog, gets one based on looks alone and has no idea what they got themselves into.

Being a dog owner, I know what it takes to yield a good dog. In fact, my husband and I researched our first dog so much and had to wait a year to get her because we wanted one from a specific breeder because they seemed like the best. They were wonderful and we met the mother and the father of the litter, got to know them before the litter was even born. After spending that long with the breed, we were more than certain when our litter was up.

I wasn't the biggest fan of the novel, suffice to say. We spent time training all of our dogs and while they're not perfect, they are excellent listeners when it counts. Sure, they still jump on people when they're really excited (usually just family, and it's only one dog who does it), but they don't jump onto the counter, they don't make a lot of noise, they don't make huge messes or cause a lot of mayhem, all because we took the time to make them respect us.

There were so many moments in the book that I just didn't understand, parts that made me shake my head wondering how the author could publish them. If you've seen the movie, you would have seen the part where Marley gets out the window of the car on the freeway - what kind of people would even let their dog get close to that point? Our windows are opened a crack for the dog, not even big enough to get their head out - enough room for them to get air, but not enough to hurt them. There's another instant that happens towards the end of Marley's life that I just couldn't understand. I'll just say this - if the time comes and one of my dogs is sick, I am NOT leaving its side.

Anyway, I felt like the book fell short. It had some cute and heartwarming moments throughout, but if you hope to read something similar to the movie, then you're not going to get it. Yes, the book is sad, and yes, Marley can be quite a handful, but if you're looking for a can't-put-it-down dog book, there are better books out there.

Six years ago today our life changed.

Shade was our pride and joy and crazy energetic black lab dog. And at 16 and a half years old she went to Doggie Heaven.

Our loss was insurmountable with only one story being a helping guide through our process of grief and remembrance.

Marley And Me tells the journey of one incredible golden lab and the impact he has on a families existence. This vibrant tale connected so well with us on multiple levels. We lived this.

Shade graced us with her joy in June of 1989. She exploded all over the house with an energy and verve that made the place shudder. Rules were to be mocked by this puppy and the laws of physics defied. My wife and I were still in high school back then, and whenever I accompanied her home after school we were always greeted by Shade and the ever present saliva filled tongue. Her forceful personality coupled with a slathering of dog spit told us more then any words of how loved we were.

John Grogan, the teller of Marley's mischief, was a newlywed newspaper writer who procured a puppy (or did Marley procure them?) and quickly learned who really was in charge. Chaos and destruction followed, along with many attempts to reign in his dogginess. As the Grogan family expanded with the birth of their three children, Marley continued on his merry way and infiltrated their hearts. And cause much property damage.

As Shade grew up and became a responsible adult (yeah right), we passed through high school and college and into civilian life. After several years, we moved forward with our lives and started planning our wedding. From the beginning, the inclusion of Shade in the ceremony was mandatory. On a beautiful June day, set in our idyllic backyard, our family and friends witnessed our wedding. And Shade walked me down the aisle, letting out a big yawn right at the start. Even with all her buddies and belly rubbers in attendance, she just acted like it was a normal day on planet Earth. After all everyone was really here to see her.

Age started to take its inevitable toll on Marley and causes much distress to the Grogan family. Repeated trips to the vet become more and more required. John and Jenny Grogan have to prepare themselves and the children for the hard next step.

A horrible nosebleed afflicted Shade a month after our wedding, derailing our honeymoon plans. After a slow, prolonged recovery, she was never quite the same. The mischievous spark was ever in her character, but the body was growing tired and weary of the escapades.

The coda of Marley's journey occurred just before New Year's and left the family devastated. John Grogan turned to his column in the Philadelphia Inquirer to pay tribute to the "world's worst dog." After publication on Tues Jan 6, 2004, a flood of responses poured in, giving him impetus to write Marley and Me. It became a bestseller and is viewed by many as the On Death And Dying for pet owners.

The beginning of Shade's next adventure also happened around New Year's and brought much sorrow to us. With her body slowly growing weaker, we took her to the vet one last time on Frid, Jan 13, 2006. Seeking solace with each other, we then discovered Marley, and slowly eased ourselves through our grief.

Massive success lead to more massive success for Marley and Me. A movie version captured the essence and facts of the story and is a worthwhile companion to the book. Various spinoffs rolled out, including a YA novel (Marley, A Dog Like No Other), and a picture book series (Marley and the Kittens).

We cleaned out Shade's belongings days later and started a mini collection of books that reminded us of her craziness. We connected with Remembering Farley by Lynn Johnston. Farley was the main dog in the For Better Or For Worse newspaper comic strip who passed away as well. The wonderful poems "Beau" by Jimmy Stewart and "The Rainbow Bridge" were also very enlightening. For young children, the picture book Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant became very touching to us.

Grogan exemplified Marley's crazy and loving life with his book. Telling tales of knocking over patio tables at cafes or destroying the garage walls during thunderstorms. We felt like Marley and Shade were comrades in arms. One time in the middle of the night she decided that the really loud laughing squeaky toy just had to be played with. Right now. Or the time she snuck into the kitchen and licked my mashed potatoes, just laying on the plate. She gave me a very innocent look when caught. No jury would have convicted. The tales are many and quite legendary. Shade made an undeniable impact on our lives, still felt even today.

So today we celebrate the life and excitement and joy that was Shade. Thanks to the catharsis of Marley And Me, our healing has been more complete. We can smile not cry now.

Shade and her slobbering saliva kisses would approve.

Scoopriches

An amazing, laugh out loud story, that will have dog lovers and pet owners alike zipping through.Having recently lost my dog this story reminded me about all the good things that I had forgotten about my own dog.

While the story itself is a bit sad by the end, it carries a happy tone throughout the rest of the book. Well worth the read.

really loved it i watched the movie 2 times but the book is even better

This book is amazing!! it will make you laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time. i have a dog exactly like Marley! She's always into something! even if you aren't a dog lover you must read it. Although if a dog is mans best friend, i'd hate to meet our worst enemy!

This is the true story of a newlywed couple who brings home a cute energetic yellow lab puppy. Marley turns out to be a dog who just cannot behave, but he is just so endearing and loyal and devoted and loveable, that his family couldn't help but fall in love with him. The book tells the story of Marley's life.

I loved it!!! It was so funny. I laughed out loud lots of times, and at one point, I laughed so hard I cried - and I couldn't stop laughing and crying! The book does bring us right to the end of Marley's life, too, so it is definitely a tear-jerker at the end.

I really enjoyed this book; I enjoyed learning about the characters and their funny anecdotes about things that Marley would do. I thought it was neat how they came up with his name, just out of the blue. It makes you realize how a pet becomes a part of the family.

As a dog owner/lover. I was able to relate to a lot of things that went on in this book. This book had me laughing out loud, crying and shaking my head in amazement. This book was a very enjoyable read for me because as I read on, I was remembering memories of my childhood dog, which was a yellow lab, and moments I experience everyday with my 3 dogs that I have now. John Grogan did an incredible job writing this book, the detail he used made it very colorful to read. You will need the Kleenex when reading this book. The Book touches very close to the heart. A Great read for any pet lover.

I loved this book. I laughed out loud every time I picked it up. And I had a couple good cries too.

John and Jenny's lives together were perfect without a care until they brought Marley home. The cute yellow puppy would change their lives forever. As puppies do they grow quickly and Marley grew rapidly tipping the scales at ninety-seven pounds.This Labrador retriever's heart was pure and knew the meaning of unconditional love no matter what. Marley was even expelled from obedience school. A heartwarming and unforgettable story.

An enjoyable story for animal-lovers, families and almost everyone!

Lifting, spirited, cute, John Grogan tells the tale of him, his wife and kids, and amazing dog, Marley, who opened their eyes to the world, and ultimitaley, inspired his family and his readers.

Everyone will love this book!

Marley and Me is a really heartwarming story. It is a great story for people who love dogs because they can relate to the situation more and feel what the owner is feeling. I have a dog and I was able to connect better with the story line. It is full of crazy adventures, hard decisions, loveable times, and moments of sadness.

Marley is quite the dog that causes a lot of ruckus but always creates a laugh. When difficult matters occur and the characters recall memories, he always jumps back in there. He brings the serious tone of the story to more of a humourous tone. Marley came about when John and Jenny, his newly married owners wanted to take the challenge of taking care of a pet before having a baby. There lives became revolved around taking care of this dog, who was full of energy. He sure is handful for them and causes many disasters too, but they never stop loving him. He is constantly distracted and chewing up things. There is so many adventures of Marley that are up lifting and exciting and the family does have its hard times, but Marley is there at every moment. When Jenny becomes pregnant they are become so excited that when they find out it is a miscarriage they are brokenhearted, especially Jenny. Marley is there comforted her. When they finally did have children, Marley was there helping. The family becomes attached to him and begin to love him no matter what. In the end Marley shows us that love is unconditional and live your life to the fullest because you never what is going to happen.

Marley and Me is a special story that can bring tears to your eyes. It has good life lessons that you need to take to heart. The book becomes more exceptional in my eyes because the story is based on the author's own dog. It really makes me think of my dog, Taffy. When I got my dog and she was a puppy she was into everything. She chewed up anything she could grab, tore up toilet paper, and would never stop jumping up on people. She was our new little ball of energy. Reading Marley and Me it reminded me of my dog and brought back memories. This novel really makes me think and puts a different perspective on life.

This true story of the worlds first dog is amazing and sure to leave you with tears in your eyes. who knew that the worlds worst dog could bring a family together for the best? If you are an animal lover this is a must read.

I saw the movie and still wanted to read the book and am happy to say that they were equally as excellent. I am an animal lover, especially dogs (I have 2 of them) and am dealing with the illness of one. There are no bad dogs out there, just ones full of lessons! It was so touching to be able to know, that there are others out there who see that some family members, don't only have two legs. Thank you John Grogan.

What is it about a dog's life that we all find so interesting?
I think that it is the fact that we can all relate to other peoples' pets as our own.

John Grogan wrote his story about his family - Jenny, Patrick, Conor & Colleen - and their dog - Marley.

Could Marley be the worst behaved dog ever? Have you ever heard of a dog that actually gets expelled for doggie obedience school? Well... have you met Marley!

A well written novel and enjoyable for those who have a heart for pets.

I think I was hoping for a little more substance to this book and I certainly did not get it. However, it did a fabulous job of reminding me of all the fun times that I had with my dog - Dixie - when growing up as a child.

Marley and Me was hilarious! I'm not a dog-lover, but I loved this book. The crazy things that a dog will do will make you appreciate that you don't have a dog that will drive you crazy. However, the book is based on a family and they life struggles and successes they go through together. The book is more touching than the movie. This book was very emotional: I cried, laughed, gasped and shook my head at the things a dog will do to gain attention.

I bought this book more out of curiousity than anything else... my thoughts were 'how good can a book be that is about a dog'. Having finished the book I can now say that it was one of the best books I have read. It had me laughing and crying and I felt very much a part of Grogan's family.

While there were episodes with Marley that left me thinking that if it was my dog - he would be finding a new home but at the same time having a little chuckle at the visual image I had. A friend reminded me of what I have put up with my own dog and while pale in comparison to Marley I have had destroyed carpets - the large vet bills - etc.

This will be a book that I retain for my library but it is also a book that will be shared.

You can't go wrong with purchasing this book - it is worth every cent.

I loved Marley, John and his whole family. This book is worth while reading as opposed to watching the movie, not the same experience.

I am reviewing the Movie. This movie was amazing. It's not your typical Dog movie, where the dog joins a perfect family and everything is peachy kean. This movie is so realistic, it shows the ups and downs of a real family, and how the relationship between the family and the dog evolves through out the whole movie. It's not all about the dog its does focus on the family's problems as well, which made me like the movie so much. It wasn't about A perfect family and their super dog. I warn you though grab the tissue, This movie will even have the men crying, It was very touching. I hope you enjoy this movie as much as i did

The book was alright, the ending was probably the best part. I probably would've liked this book a lot better if Grogan wasn't trying to be so humorous. I found the sarcasm and attempts to be funny really annoying, especially in the beginning.