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Marley & Me
Marley & Me
Marley & Me
Audiobook (abridged)6 hours

Marley & Me

Written by John Grogan

Narrated by John Grogan

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans.

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

Marley grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, and stole women's undergarments. Obedience school did no good -- Marley was expelled.

But just as Marley joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. Marley remained a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.

Marley & Me is John Grogan's funny, unforgettable tribute to this wonderful, wildly neurotic Lab and the meaning he brought to their lives.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateOct 18, 2005
ISBN9780060897567
Marley & Me
Author

John Grogan

John Grogan is the author of the #1 international bestseller Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog, the bestselling middle-grade memoir Marley: A Dog Like No Other, and three #1 best-selling picture books: Bad Dog, Marley!, A Very Marley Christmas, and Marley Goes to School. John lives with his wife and their three children in the Pennsylvania countryside. John Grogan ha sido un premiado reportero gráfico y columnista por más de veinticinco años. Vive en Pensilvania con su esposa Jenny y sus tres hijos.

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Reviews for Marley & Me

Rating: 4.02082093964997 out of 5 stars
4/5

3,314 ratings184 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I never thought that I would cry because of a book that features a dog. As I went through the story, it felt like I was watching a movie as I imagined Marley with all of his antics. The story was written in a very relatable way, especially for those who have/had a pet. The story was told in chronological order with a lot of highlights that feature the family's ups and downs including Marley's.

    The story is very touching because of Marley's unconditional love being presented in a heartwarming manner. I honestly wanted to look for a dog and say thank you because dogs are angels with paws and furs.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was an unexpected surprise. At first it started out as a sort of simple reading. During the middle chapters, John Grogan did get a bit tedious but what made the story worthwhile was the end.

    This is the story of a family that started with two. John Grogan and his wife Jenny wanted to prepare for parenthood by first trying to raise a dog. They wanted a tame and loyal dog. What they got was Marley. This book is about the good times and the struggles with Marley. John Grogan elaborated very well on the exploits of his dog. He detailed all of Marley's quirks and the situations Marley got them into.

    The story was simply told, which is what I found endearing. John brought you into his life and helped you look through the eyes of most of his family members, the predominant member being Marley. Towards the end, you shared deeply in Marley's life and how his end impacted the family as a whole. I challenge any reader to have a dry eye at the end of the story.

    I would recommend this book to anyone. It ranks high on the list of stories to be told....
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    loved it but how to start the free month without money
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I gave it a try, at least.

    I am a dog lover, but I couldn't go on with this because of the bland writing.

    Tell me if I should watch the film.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A delightful account of life with a spirited Yellow Lab. What's not to like about the exploits of a big-hearted goofy dog?
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    heartwarming and funny story about a lab.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Pretty good dog story and very emotional at the end. I don't think I could have kept such a "loopy" dog myself. It would have cost too much in damages! It's well-written though and highlights the good qualities of a loyal and loving dog, despite the problems.

    I had a small dog once that had to take obedience three times before it started to stick! A friend of mine has a part lab-pit bull that I have sort of adopted recently. Dogs are great, if they are treated right. Some breeds need a lot of time and attention.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A whimsical look at life with an ill-behaved family pet and eventually three small children. A view of the family's life with free-spirited, undiciplined Marley, the yellow lab who taught the family to seize the moment, follow your heart, and what unwavering loyalty really means. A delight to read.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    The dog was the best part. Grog an was a tad annoying and I was amazed at some of his choices. But hearing about a dog is always great!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Very good book. Anyone who has ever even petted a dog ought to read it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I am not a dog lover, but I loved this book. Very funny, very touching. I was laughing out loud.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The best story and writing ever. A true story and very emotionally evocative. Love Grogan's writing, but need to take a break from the heartfelt animal and Irish heart-tuggers for a good spell.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I love this book and it’s not my first time reading it. But the narration was really tough to listen to.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Hubby & I watched Marley and Me on the telly and I just had to read it right away. My granddaughter had forgotten her copy here so I read it and loved every page. I laughed, I cried..........quick read and I'm so glad that I did.This is the story of a yellow lab named Marley; supposedly the worst dog in the world. His family adores him but he has so much energy and is bursting with just the happiness of life that he simply cannot behave. A true story. A sweet story. A happy story. A sad story.We have a yellow lab too and I have a feeling that if our three year old Abby the Labby didn't have hip dysplasia, she could give Marley a run for his money. I thoroughly enjoy this little book and rated it a 4* read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    As expected, I cried through the last 30 pages or so. I wouldn't say this book was awesome, but it had some great laugh out loud moments, and I really appreciate books that can do that to me.

    Of course I'm peeved that they bought Marley from a breeder even though the author had adopted the most wonderful dog from a shelter as a kid. Toward the end, the author was struggling with whether to put Marley through a surgery that might have been really hard on him as an old dog, and he was questioning the best thing to do considering there were other dogs out there in shelters who needed homes and were otherwise going to be put down. Kind of ironic, buddy, considering you bought your dog from a BREEDER!! I thought maybe he just didn't realize that until after they had gotten Marley. At the end, I thought they were going to redeem themselves since they went to check out a new lab from a local rescue organization. I was happy thinking they would adopt the dog. The book ends before you find out if they do or not though. Then I was reading in an interview that they didn't end up getting that dog, but the did get a well-behaved female lab. No mention of where she came from, but I have a horrible feeling they went to a breeder again with full knowledge of what is happening to all those poor homeless dogs in shelters. GRRRR
    And what makes me even more angry is that even with how crazy and troublesome labs are portrayed in this book (doing thousands of dollars worth of damage, being really messy and mentally unstable), I'm sure people everywhere were off to their local breeder or even worse, pet store to get a lab. Gosh, I hate books and movies that spotlight purebreds....
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book restored my faith in the phrase “New York Times Bestseller,â€? after I only tortuously got through the last book I read with that at the top. This book was soooooooooooo nice and fun. I laughed out loud. And I am not a fanatical animal lover, either. I would say that I am somewhat tolerant of certain members of the animal kingdom. On a good day. But you don’t have to be a great lover of dogs to enjoy this book, because it is also about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. My family owns a Golden Retriever, and I sympathized with the author’s account of boundless energy and enthusiasm, as well as concerns that one’s dog might have a diagnosable mental issue.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was never a dog-lover. After reading this book, I think I'm able to become one. Of course, I have to start with a really small dog. I don't want someone like Marley barreling into me the first time.A touching, engaging, and satisfying read. This started my love affair with dog books and novels.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My daughter and I read this book together, taking turns reading chapters. It's hilarious, heartwarming, and sad at different turns. My daughter got choked up during the last couple of chapters, but she pushed through to read to the end.

    A great book for dog lovers and people lovers too!
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Nonfiction; dog ownership. decent dog story, if you can manage to not let it get ruined by the likes of Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston (actually, not having seen the movie, I kept picturing Matt McConnaughey and Jennifer--that didn't help either). A bit sappy at the end, as you might expect.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Adorable!!! But definitely reinforces my feeling that Yellow Labs are the dumbest breed out there if not the loyalist. But still, wouldn't have one if you paid me!!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    John Grogan's biography of Marley the lab's life and how owning Marley affected his own.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Having owned a dog I was familiar with somethings that happened in this book. I found the book entertaining and at times a little boring at times. Some of the antics that Marley got into had me laughing. I actually pictured my sister's dog. I knew this dog would have a sad ending and since I had to put my dog down this year it made me remember her last few days. If you have never owned a dog you will still enjoy this book.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    I sometimes get hassled by people who assume that I don't like dogs. This is untrue. What I don't like are undisciplined dogs, whose owners seem to think that destructive, dangerous, or disruptive behavior is somehow cute. And since the title character in this book embodies two out of three of those qualities, I'm not overly enthusiastic about it.

    Yes, there's some redemption toward the end, when the dog has become embedded in the writer's family. But overall, in the real world, having a pet like Marley would be an unending source of annoyance to me. Choosing to share that annoyance vicariously by reading this book was probably not my best reading choice.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was very well written and very engaging. It is especially endearing to dog lovers or just pet lovers in general. Especially those who have dealt with difficult but lovable pets.Grogon does a great job of creating a memorable memoire that shows how Marley affected every day of his family’s life. Part of this is how Marley, despite being very difficult, always contributed to the well-being of the family and was very loved and loved his people in return.This book brought back fond memories for me of a difficult dog my husband and I adopted a few years after we married. This sweet girl of ours was trouble but ended up being the best dog we’d ever owned and was a faithful and protective companion for my son. Anyone with difficult pets will get a laugh (and probably a cry) out of this book. Be warned the last couple chapters are tough especially if you’ve gone through losing a pet to the ailments of old age. However, the book ends on a hopeful note.Overall this was a very engaging and well done memoir about pets. I enjoyed it a lot and would recommend to those who have dealt with difficult pets in the past or just like reading about pets in general.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a humorous, affectionate and unashamedly sentimental memoir of the author's life with Marley, a boisterous yellow Labrador retriever, from his time as a puppy to his death as a senior citizen. As Marley grows up (though never quite losing his zest for life or his talent for causing mischief and destruction), so we follow the author on his journey as he and his wife experience the trauma of miscarriage and the joys of parenthood, and all the other ups and downs and minor disasters a family of five with a dysfunctional, neurotic dog experiences. It goes on a tad too long in my opinion, but there is no denying that the writing comes from the heart, and is able to impart a few life philosophies on the way.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What it was an amazing story if you love animals
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Being an animal lover myself, I could definitely relate to the story. I also loved John's humourous way of describing things, which makes it stick in your head long after you've read it. Though my dog isn't anywhere near as cheeky as Marley was (thank God? lol), Giselle can be quite a handful too. The last chapter of the story (Not gonna mention what, exactly.. just in case some of you haven't read it yet) got me bawling my eyes out, and gave me the sudden urge to just go downstairs and give Giselle a hug. It's definitely a MUST READ for all dog (and animal) lovers out there.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great book about the "Worlds Worst Behaved" dog. I also saw the movie. The last 20 minutes or so of the movie was very hard to watch.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A sweet story that any of who love dogs (particularly the big, goofy variety) can identify with. Marley's antics are laugh-out-loud funny, and to his credit Grogan didn't cross the line into pathos with the inevitably sad ending.

    A quick read on a rainy weekend.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A heartfelt book. Emotional feelings arise for dog and human alike. Any dog owner will thoroughly enjoy this read. A touching story of living life with a dog and all the highs and lows that come with it.