Marley and Me is a non-fiction book about a man and his dog. The book spans Marley’s life time and recounts all of his adventures, be they good or bad. It is written by John Grogan who kept some of his newspaper articles about Marley which helped him write the book.

     The main characters are John (who is married to Jenny), Jenny (who is married to John), and Marley, their lovable Labrador who gets up to all kinds of mischief. John is Marley’s best friend and his master, but instead of doing everything John tells him to do, Marley does his own thing and it usually gets him (and John) into some kind of trouble.

     John and Jenny are trying to start a family but Jenny can’t keep a plant alive, so as a test John buys Jenny a Labrador puppy who they call Marley. As Marley grows John tries (and fails) to teach him how to behave correctly. Although Marley seems like a lovable dog at first, he soon turns out to be a nuisance and his bad manners are received with criticism from the whole family. Marley creates havoc everywhere he goes and much hilarity ensues. The story follows Marley from his young years as a puppy in the south of America to his older (and slightly slower) years in the north.

     It is written in a reporting and personal style because the author is a newspaper columnist. John Grogan saved his columns about Marley and later put them together as this book. It is a memory of a dog that was terribly behaved, but loved by all. It is written in modern language that portrays the writer’s life through his eyes.

     I think this is a very good book which has a rather emotional turn at the end. It gives an insight into a dog owner’s life which can be a wonderful experience. It is written from both external and internal points of view. The author refers to his time with Marley but also includes some thoughts about what other people think. It is written with a comic view and it is a rather easy read as it does not over- complicate the language or structure of sentences.

     This book is suitable for all ages and all different types of people. There have been several adaptations of this book and I would give this book five stars as it is one of the best books I have ever read.