Marley & Me by John Grogan

Title: Marley & Me
Author: John Grogan
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: Biography
Details: Paperback, 289 Pages

The Story

The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life.

John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.

My Thought
To be honest, the very first time I came across Marley & Me on net, I’m not interested at all. A story about dog? What fun can I get from such a book? Moreover, hey it’s a biography! My least favorite genre of all. But then, after reading feedback and reviews from the readers, saying good things about the book I thought I have to try this too. And yes, this is such a stunning biography! I loved it.

John and Jenny brought a cute little Labs puppy, which was then named Marley into their life. Marley, a neurotic and a difficult to handle dog, gave so much joy to their life and also so much trouble. He chewed almost everything and listened to almost nothing instructed by the couple. So, basically, he was a real bad dog. But, the love between them grew even stronger. He was there to comfort Jenny when she had her first miscarriage and accepted the Grogan children into the family with so much love. But, as dogs’ lifespan is shorter that human, 13 year old Marley’s life was at the end. Now John and Jenny had to make the most difficult choice, to put Marley into an eternal sleep and to say a final goodbye to their beloved family member Marley.

Marley & Me is indeed a novel which is full of emotion and humor. I’m really impressed with the way John Grogan telling us about Marley and his life in particular. Sometimes, it’s so hard for us to tell people about our own life. But John Grogan narrates the story very honestly and in a way that people will think that, Oh..this is John Grogan and Marley and this is their story. When talking about biography, I’m very skeptical. You, know it’s not easy to get me interested to a biography and I always think that biography is just boring, but Grogan made a great job by telling the story in another perspective or in a way that moving my heart. And yes, I admit that this is the best biography I’ve ever read. It’s full of emotion, relationship, how to give love and how to appreciate love that we have. Though it’s a story about Man and Dog, but the message that John Grogan delivered is spectacular and it gave a great impact in me. 

I love John and Jenny because they are so sweet as a couple and they’re helping and understanding each other very well. Marley? Owh..I hate that dog when he don’t behave but his affection and love to his owner really extraordinary. John Grogan brilliantly describe Marley as the worse dog ever but at the same time the most amazing and adorable dog he ever knew. Well, all in all this biography of Marley and Grogan’s family is such a great book that left me weeping at the end of the chapter. 

Favorite Quotes

“No matter how hard life become, he reminded me of its simple joys. No matter how many demands were placed on me, he never let me forget that willful disobedience is sometimes worth the price.”

“In his own flawed way, he was trying.”

CoffeeNCrackers’ Meter

5 Cups of Coffee: This is not a typical biography. This is an extraordinary masterpiece and they it was told is just amazing and very honest. If you’re a dog lover, this is a must read this. But, if you’re not (like me), this story surely will be a tale that you’ll be talking again, and again. Highly recommended!