Marley and Me By: John Grogan

Summary
“Marley and Me” takes place in Palm Beach, Florida; Boca Raton, Florida; and Allentown, Pennsylvania from 1991 until 2004. When they lived in Palm Beach and Boca Raton, they were living in the city, but in Allentown, they lived a country life. Marley is the main character and was a very rambunctious dog. He was scared to death of thunderstorms and became destructive during them. He was the definition of a loyal dog. Even though he cost the Grogan’s a lot of money in repairs, he was a part of the family and they loved him. John Grogan is just a guy who was trying to get his wife a dog so that she wouldn’t hang on the subject of having a baby. He had a perfect dog as a kid and didn’t understand that dogs can misbehave. His wife, Jenny Grogan, was like any other wife. She loved her husband and wasn’t sure when she wanted kids. She loved Marley a lot even though she got really mad at him sometimes. Marley was willing to fight for his family’s safety and was extremely loyal. He taught the other characters to live with unbridled exuberance and joy, also to seize the moment and following your heart. He also taught selflessness, love, and, above all, loyalty.

Review
I could really relate to this book because I have owned a few dogs and understand that they can be a pain but at the same time give you unconditional love. A dog is a man’s best friend, quite literally. The author wrote the book very well. He recounted this true story with good details and personification. One of the revealing scenes include when John first brings Marley home and he sleeps with Marley by his side. Another of the most revealing is when Marley gets in trouble and is sent to the hospital. This story is very credible and extremely realistic because it did actually happen. The characters developed and grew a lot in the story. They learned love, loyalty, and how to let loose and have fun. This novel was accomplishing a memory of a well loved dog. The story is a reminder of Marley’s life. Marley is this troublemaking, hyper dog and he grows up and lives life with a typical American family. Find out what happens after John and Jenny have kids and move to Pennsylvania by picking this great book up.