Book review:

Marley and Me:

Life and love with the world's worst dog
By John Grogan
Price: $21.95

WRITER John Grogan is an award-winning newspaper columnist and a former editor-in-chief of Organic Gardening magazine. Marley and Me: life and love with the world's worst dog, is his first book and an international best-seller with three million copies in print and rights sold in more than two dozen languages. He lives with his wife and three children and their new dog, Gracie, in Pennsylvania.

Marley entered the life of the Grogan family as a puppy. John and Jenny were just married and decided that a dog would complete their lifestyle - walk alongside them in the park, and play in the yard - but they found that their idea of life with a dog and Marley's interpretation were a whole lot different.

Labrador retrievers are meant to be laid-back, easy-going and quiet in their general presentation. Marley was none of these. As a puppy he was sweet and affectionate, but as he grew although still lovable and affectionate he was also very naughty and over-active. The Grogans decided that obedience school was the best option for Marley, but that was short-lived - he was expelled for humiliating the headmistress, called the dominatrix.by Grogan.

Marly steamed through his days, eating anything that was unfortunate enough to be left within his reach, including a solid gold necklace which of course had to be recovered. That one was simply a matter of waiting, waiting, washing, disinfecting, washing and washing! There was a time when Jenny was so stressed out with a new baby as well as Marley in the house that she ordered him gone, but later relented when she realised that she had not been herself.

This book could be called a celebration of Marley's life and the joy and humour he spread wherever he went. His escapades are often hilarious and his affection and capacity for love is both boundless and infectious. A story that will cause all readers to look on their own dogs and think "wow, he's not so bad after all"! - EP