Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
Audiobook9 hours

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

Written by John Grogan

Narrated by Johnny Heller

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

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 wriggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.

Marley quickly 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.

And yet his heart was pure. Just as Marley joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. A dog like no other, Marley remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateJul 5, 2016
ISBN9780062641168
Author

John Grogan

John Grogan is a columist for The Philadelphia Inquirer and former edtior in chief of Organic Gardening magazine. He lives with his wife and three children and their dog, Gracie, in the Pennsylvania countryside, USA.

More audiobooks from John Grogan

Related to Marley & Me

Related audiobooks

Dogs For You

View More

Related articles

Related categories

Reviews for Marley & Me

Rating: 4.126436781609195 out of 5 stars
4/5

174 ratings157 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    If you have ever had a dog this is a MUST read. I found myself laughing and crying, sometimes simultaneously, as I sat remembering all the priceless moments spent with my dogs of the past and present. Seriously... read this!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    5 stars!! A real tear-jerker! If you love, even like dogs, this one will get you. How a family loves this dog and yet, Marley doesn't make it easy!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I have never had a dog and never will since I am allergic to them, but I still loved this book. It was an effortless, enjoyable read, and yes, I both laughed and cried. Grogan perfectly captured that slightly human quality dogs have that make them so endearing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Let me preface ths review by stating that I am not a dog lover, nor have I ever owned one. I had a pet cat as a boy and recently acquired two parakeets for my children, but my wife and I are more custodians and housekeepers to them than animal lovers. So why did I pick up Marley and Me? Well, it was there for the taking on a stoop of my Brooklyn neighborhood and seemed the perfect read for a week in family camp this month - light and non taxing. Surprisingly, Marley and Me is a page turner, exceptionally funny, and most unexpectedly, a book more about a family in the making than a dog. Sure, Marley is as vividly drawn as the central character in a novel, but this book is truly about how Marley shaped, and to a lesser extent was shaped by, the Grogan family. It's really a love story and the truths it imparts about life's lessons, are universal. This book deserves its overwhelming popularity.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    With the film out, I thought should probably get around to reading the book; I also thought that the book couldn't possibly be as cute as the film. I was wrong - going on what I've seen in the trailer, there is absolutely no need for dramatic licence in telling Marley's story! From the opening chapter, John Grogan had me in fits of silent hysterical laughter, describing behaviour that I recognise from my own personal experience of labradors, not to mention Marley's own incredible adventures (including jumping out of the window of a moving car, and taking a restaurant table for a walk). Of course, I knew what was coming - family and friends who have read the book warn of the sad but inevitable conclusion - but I really wasn't prepared for how close I had grown to Marley throughout 250 pages of mayhem, and had to save the last few pages until I was alone. To say I cried is an understatement. Yet it is worth braving the tears, because the real belly laughs come as John Grogan recounts some of the horror stories he received in response to his farewell column for Marley - I was still half blind, sniffing and dabbing at my eyes with tissues, but now I couldn't breathe, either!An emotional read, particularly for dog owners, but really for anybody who has an ounce of sentimentality in them. Thanks to John Grogan - and Marley - for sharing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What a wonderful, moving book this was. Have your Kleenex by your side - I cried and cried at the end.Back Cover Blurb:The world's worst dog will bring out the best in their family.The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family in the making and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Found it to be a enjoyable, easy to read book. Tales from Grogan's ownership of a dog who caused a great deal of havoc in his life, but was a truly beloved pet. Nothing too emotion or earth shattering.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
      You walk through the door, all you can hear is a loud thud every second coming from the farthest room in the house, getting closer. Then suddenly a large yellow lab comes racing around the corner and crashes right into you. Tail slapping you in the legs as hard as someone swinging a rope at you. He swings his tail happy to see you, hitting everything in the room. Knocking over lamps expensive china and picture frames. In the non-fiction novel "Marley and Me" written by John Grogan, this is what it is like everyday walking into the Grogan family home. Marley is a great loving and caring family dog that is playful, silly and protective of his friends and family. John Grogan is a father of three children and married to Jenny. He is a serious yet fun loving guy that enjoys being around his family and is not afraid to say what he is thinking. Jenny is a happy, friendly and hardworking mom that is laid back but at times can be worry full. Patrick is the oldest child of three and is always the leader. He loves playing with Marley and getting into mischief, while always setting a good example for his younger siblings. Conor is the middle child that likes to spend time with his older brother and is always positive and happy to spend time with Marley. Colleen is the youngest and the only daughter in the family, she ids always young in the book and always hoping for the best while she loves to be part of the family and loves Marley very much. The setting starts off in South Florida where the Grogan's live right near the beach and enjoy their free live without any children. They enjoy time on the beach with Marley and later their one child. They soon moved to a different house in Florida when they found out they were having a second child. The house was soon too small when they were about to have their child and they wanted their children to witness snow on Christmas. They move to Pennsylvania and enjoy the cool weather and later years of Marley's life. The story starts off When Jenny and John are just over a year of marriage. Jenny is upset because she can't keep plants alive and thinks if she can't keep a plant alive then how is she going to be able to take care of children someday. They decide to get a puppy to help them prepare for parenthood someday. When Marley is full grown they decide to have a child and name him Patrick. They later have a second child Conor and are happy with their family. For a few years it was just the five of them including Marley. John and Jenny soon decide to have a third child, which is a girl named Colleen. They later move to Pennsylvania where they enjoy their lives. The main conflict is life with Marley with all the trouble he gets into. The book is good for animal lovers and young adult readers that love family stories. My opinion of the book is that a family dog is always great to have around and makes most things a lot easier. For example, "A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours." The quote shows that a dog can make a big difference in your life and teach you some of lives most valuable lessons. The author builds tension by Marley getting sick multiple times and then being healthy again.
  • 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
    I laughed, I cried, I remember dogs I've loved and crazy doggie behaviors that I had to put up with (and adapt to). A wonderful book for dog lovers and people who just love a good story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I put off reading this book for a long time, suspicious of the hype around the book and then, not long after, the movie. I needn't have worried so much. John Grogan has done for American dog lovers what Deric Longden did for British cat lovers. He has written a memoir with a deceptively simple premise - one man's story of life with 'the world's worst dog', his labrador retriever Marley. What actually leaps out of the story is a wonderful portrayal of family life with this huge personality in its midst, a heartwarming tale of one dog from bouncy puppy to geriatric old dog. There is enough humanity to keep the book grounded, enough Marley to fill the whole with boundless energy. It made me laugh out loud, it made me cry so much I had to do some serious mascara damage repair, it made me think, it made me smile... I'm definitely a cat person, but Marley's personality won me over from the word go, with his fierce loyalty and sheer enthusiasm for life."Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things - a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty."Beautifully written, full of hilarious anecdotes, and well worth a read!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I chose to do my book review on Marley and Me.Marley and me by John Grogan is a story about a mischievous, dopey, yellow Labrador puppy named Marley. Marley’s new owners knew that raising a puppy would be hard but they hadn’t expected it to be embarrassing and eventful as well. He means well but is always making problems for his owners. Even though they call Marley the worlds worst dog, they can’t stand to be without him and when problems arise, he steps up and becomes somebody everyone can lean on. He becomes more than just a dog; he becomes a valued member of the family. He is one of the many perfect examples of mans best friend.Marley and Me is an extraordinarily captivating book full of the highs and lows of raising a dog. Some moments in this book will make you crack up laughing, others will bring you to tears and some will make you wish you had a dog just like Marley. Even those who are not big fans of dogs should enjoy this wonderful book. It would best suit an older, more mature audience as some younger readers would have difficulty trying to understand it. It has a strong beginning, captivating middle and sweet ending. It has been written very cleverly and is one of the best books I have ever had the chance to read. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an amazing, wonderful book to read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Describes the passage from birth to death (i.e. life) as reflected in the life of a dog.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    By golly, if you can resist this story, you're Bah-Humbug-er than me.A dog, as flawed as they come, yet somehow strangely loyal and lovable.Deeply metaphorical, I'm sure. Marley as the classic American? Marley as our children? Marley as the typical male? Recommended, even if it is on the bestseller list.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An enjoyable read about Grogan, his family, and his loopy Lab Marley. As someone who shares a house with an aging, somewhat neurotic Shepherd-Lab-Who-Knows-What-Else Mutt, I could relate to Grogan's humorous tales of life with Marley.The book chronicles Marley's life, from puppyhood to creaky old age. While telling Marley's tale, Grogan also follows along with the story of his early marriage and growing family. Marley and Me is a good diversion - well-written, light, humorous - with a few life-lessons thrown in for good measure.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Well written. Laughed & Cried. Have a Choc Lab but not anything like Marley. Really felt for John & Jenny.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This book actually angered me. The dog was a monster, the owners were morons. It just felt like a self-indulgent snoozefest. bleh.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I actually had trouble plowing through this book, and I have a Lab. I think most would find this a pleasant, entertaining, easy read about a "troublesome dog". A very heartwarming ending.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really enjoyed most of this book...maybe it was because my dog was looking better all the time...but the end was waaaay too sad for me.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A love story about an energetic, destructive, neurotic, loyal, and loving dog, and the deep impact he made on the life of his family.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I took this book one morning as I ran out of the apartment, for my usual train reading. It was so funny I burst out laughing by myself several times, drawing stares from the other passengers. During the office hours it was hard to keep from reaching out and read a few more pages. Six o’clock came and I heaved a sigh, starting to walk to the station with the book open in my hands. Alas, a senior colleague happened to ride the train as well, in the same carriage, and out of politeness I closed the book and paid attention to his conversation, all the time thinking, “Oh why, why, why of all this time he should be on my train today! I could have read a few more pages of the book!” However, later on after getting home and throwing myself on the sofa to continue reading I thanked heaven for sending that guy on the same train with me. It turned out that the next few pages were tear jerker. Imagine bawling my eyes out on the train? Yes, Marley and Me is such a book. John Grogan writes it with wittiness and slight cartoonish exaggeration it sends you to chuckle if not downright roaring laughter. He also writes it from such a depth of emotion that you sometimes need some tissues around to wipe the tears of your cheeks. Marley and Me is a biographical book telling the story of a huge Labrador retriever named Marley, and his family, which started with a pair of young couple John and Jenny, and as the years go by added with three children. Marley was not a perfect dog. On the contrary, he is, in Grogran’s words, a chewer of couches, slasher of screens and slinger of drool. Marley was not the smartest of dogs, he’s always hungry and loved to steal food. He crashed into things and was prone to mischief. He was once kicked out of obedience class. He was also neurotic and had a big phobia to storm, which would turn him into a home destroying machine. However, John and Jenny are not perfect either. I say half of Marley’s problems are due to them, who, Grogan himself admits, are hapless, weak-willed masters. I’m sure Tamar Geller and Cesar Millan (both dog trainers with best seller dog training books) winced reading how they treat Marley. Too much love, not enough discipline. Which is why this book is so endearing. We see our dogs in Marley and we see ourselves in John and Jenny. We are not the only hapless, weak-willed masters in the world, and Marley and our dogs are in the same Bad Dog Club, belonging to which is now a source of pride. Yes they’re not perfect dogs, but they’re so full of love and so faithful, they’re there in our happiest and lowest moments, what more could you ask?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is wonderful! I was crying the last 40 pages or so because it reminded me of my dog when he got to such an old age. Recommended to anyone who has loved a pet sometime in their life. :]
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    After I read this book I felt so much better - my three mutts are the delight of my heart and I love them but boy oh boy are there moments when they would try the patience of an angel - and I'm no angel! This book reminded me that I'm not alone, it reminded me of all the dogs I have loved and have been privileged to share my life with, it reminded me why we are incredibly lucky that dogs look on humans with generous hearts and curiosity about these hairless pack members who pee in the big white (and best!) water bowl in the house.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this book. Being an animal lover and the owner of 3 dogs, I could connect with the behavior Marley exhibits(my dog would definitely have been kicked out of obedience school). I laughed out loud at parts and of course had to wipe away a few tears. Definitely would recommend to anyone, but especially any dog owners.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Oh wow, that is probably one of the BEST books I have ever read! It was funny, sad, and heartfelt all at the same time. I love Marley and his mischief. I wish that he could have lived forever. Clearance puppy made them millionaires.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    very touching and sweet book. I'm not a dog owner, but it is still a great read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is not the best book in the world, but it lasts enough to touch your heart and it’s short enough so that you can read it in the bus without getting too lost in the story. It’s about a journalist named John Grogan who has just married a woman who works in the same area. Amidst the happiness and romance of the newlyweds, they decide to get a puppy as an “experience” to see if they were going to succeed as parents. The problem? Marley, the family’s new acquisition, is hyperactive, excessively happy and extremely messy, turning the couple's life upside down. Still, in spite of all the weird and sometimes irritating habits, Marley is a puppy that does not seem to know the meaning of the word "sadness" and gains a special place in John's and Jenny's hearts.

    What people may NOT like about the book: well, the story DOES need a background, doesn't it? Moreover, the main character is just a regular person, who has a regular life, a regular routine, works, has a wife. The majority of his narration (when he's not talking about Marley's pranks) revolve his own daily life, which may turn the story repetitive and somewhat boring. Personally, I don't think that this affected the story's pace. In fact, I think that the fact that John was able to lead some sort of a normal life is what turned the book into a light, pleasant and fun reading.

    In other words, you won't find action and suspense in this book, nor a philosophical essay. And yes, there must be better books about daily life with dogs than this one. But frankly, I do not regret having spend a couple of hours reading this one.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    A nice, easy read - which usually and also with this case means totally forgettable. Marley was a vivid character and deservedly pushed all the other characters aside and surely I know the feeling of living 15 years with two dogs and then loosing them, but this just didn't reach me. I cried and laughed, yes, but just like watching some "smart" tv-series, it left me empty and the only thing that keeps disturbing me is how long Marley had to suffer his bad hips before he was put to blissful sleep - and I know how hard that final decision is.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A real life story about the author, his family and life with a very boisterous, naughty but ultimately lovable labrador dog. It follows the 13 or so years of Marley's life.This was a really nice, enjoyable book. It's well written, easy to read and a heartwarming story. For dog lovers, yes, but also tells the story of a man starting out life with his new wife, starting a family, living in Florida and then rural Pennsylvania. It's not overly long, about 340 pages. Well worth the time spent reading it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Hilarious and heartfelt. loved it!