Marley & Me

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
By John Grogan
HarperCollins Publishing, 2005

When I spotted the title on this book, my first reaction was "Pardon me, Johnny, but I beg to differ. There is NO way your Marley could be worse than our JJ." Seriously -- I loved our old Australian shepherd/blue heeler mix, but he was definitely a bad dog. Any dog who attacks the vacuum cleaner, nips your heels wherever you go, rips off the kids' shoes as they board the bus, swallows pancakes whole, eats Ziplock bags, and wages an ongoing war with the UPS man cannot be honestly called "Good Dog."

Having completed Marley & Me, I must now concede that Marley could have given JJ a decent run for his money.

Marley & Me chronicles the life of Marley, a Labrador retriever adopted by John and Jenny Grogan as a puppy. Like most puppies, Marley starts out as a lovable ball of fluff. However, like all puppies, he grows up... and becomes a holy terror. He swipes valuables (combs, chess pieces, used Kleenex, paychecks, and on one memorable occasion a gold necklace) and hides them in his mouth, occasionally swallowing them. He shamelessly swipes food, sometimes right off of children's plates. He crashes through screen doors. He tears through solid wood doors when locked inside during a thunderstorm. Once he arrives home carrying a pair of women's panties in his mouth. He is a walking disaster, a ball of endless energy, an obedience school expellee, a movie star (in a straight-to-video release, granted, but still...), a financial black hole... and a beloved member of the family.

Having had several dogs in my family, I found myself laughing fondly and nodding in agreement many times throughout the course of Marley & Me. I'm sure anyone who has ever befriended "man's best friend" can identify with John Grogan's trials and escapades as he first tries (unsuccessfully) to control Marley's exuberant nature and (quite successfully) integrates this precocious animal into his family. Grogan's writing style is easily accessible, witty, and fun (though this is only natural, as he was originally a newspaper columnist).

Highly recommended for dog lovers, breeders, or anyone who's ever known a dog.