Marley, A Dog Like No Other: A Book Review

The first dog I ever really loved was named Sadie Poe.

She was a yellow labrador and she was the most well-trained canine to ever live under our roof.

When she passed away after nearly a decade of a long, happy and adored life, I cried.  She is buried under a cherry tree in Virginia.

We go to the library regularly (Yes, Smandy and I have come to a truce.  A truce helped along by the fact that I no longer have toddlers in tow.  My library fine issue has not entirely been resolved, however, I suspect it will be a lifelong battle.) and at the library I wander the aisles while the kids choose their books.

Marley: A Dog Like No Other stood out to me because of that gorgeous yellow lab that reminded me of our Sadie Poe and I tossed it in the bag, thinking the kids might enjoy the dog’s antics.

I had seen the movie Marley & Me years ago.  This book is a special adaptation for younger readers of John Grogan’s novel of the same name.  (I normally shy away from younger versions of novels, but as this was actually adapted by the author himself, I made an exception to my rule.)

The library books all have a home on a shelf in the living room.  After a few days I told Bergen, “You should read this one son,” and handed him the Marley book.

“Oh, I did Mom,” he said.  “I read it yesterday.  You should too.  It’s really funny.  It’s good.”

Well.  That boy is always out reading me and surprising me.  (He literally checks out AND reads the World Book encyclopedia.)

Every few days Bergen would ask me, “Have you read the book yet, Mom?”

After far too many answers of no to that same question, I decided the boy really did want me to read the book.  And how often will that happen?

So I read it.

It was a quick read, of course, but an enjoyable story lovingly and cleverly written.

Ryder probably helped my affections for the novel, which is a story about the love of a dog.  A dog who was wild and unpredictable and and loyal and faithful and rowdy and completely loved by his human family.

It’s also the story of a marriage and a family and a father and a husband and love and commitment.

John Grogan is a journalist by trade and he is a good writer and a great story teller.  I liked his easy reading style and I think he does a fine job of not writing down to his audience in the least.  It’s probably why Bergen thought the book was so engaging and so funny.

In fact, I’ve put the novel in Mosely’s hands to read and I want London to read it next.

Again, having loved a faithful dog in the past and now in the middle of loving a sweet fluff of a creature, my heart is certainly soft to the affections of a pet and dog stories are always my favorite variety of pet tales.

And I’m finding Ryder to be a buddy who is faithful and devoted to me.  Which makes me forgive him more quickly of his table thievery and his dirty paws.  You guys – that dog really loves me.  He follows me around and places his fluffy head directly on my bare toes when I wash dishes.  It’s a comfort I didn’t expect and I like it.

Which again, put me in a place of tenderness to this dog Marley and this family that loved him.

In the end, the way Grogan described Marley and what the dog brought to their life was just lovely.

Was it possible for a dog – any dog, but especially a nutty, wild one like ours – to point humans to the things that really mattered in life?  Things like loyalty, courage, and devotion.  And the things that did not matter, too?  A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. A waterlogged stick will do just fine.  A dog judges others not by how they look but by who they are inside.  A dog doesn’t care if you are rich or poor, smart or dull.  Give him your heart, and he will give you his.  It was really quite simple.

First – this was a good story.

Second – this was a book I had the privilege of reading after my son suggested I should and it was fun to talk about Marley’s antics with him.

Third – it was a story that reminded me that the trouble of having a pet to maintain and care for is a price worth something more valuable than the cost of Kibble and Bits and dog bones and dirty bed covers.  A dog adds a mess and a charm and a unity to a household and when he feels like family, it’s all the more remarkable.