Marley & Me

John and Jenny Grogan are newlyweds and both journalists in South Florida. Before starting a family, they bring home a Labrador puppy named Marley, hoping to practise looking after something small. The dog proves a much bigger handful than they expected.

Marley swipes food, leaps at every visitor and panics during thunderstorms, tearing up doors and a garage as he does. None of it dents his devotion. He greets each new stage of the household's life with the same unconditional affection.

This is a memoir narrated by John Grogan, covering thirteen years with the dog. Marley is there through a miscarriage, then through the arrival of three children, as the couple settle into being a family. The destruction is told with warm humor, and the quieter passages are tender.

The book follows what a difficult, loving animal teaches his owner about loyalty and about growing old. It first appeared in 2005 and was adapted into a 2008 film. Readers get comic chaos early on and a gentler, more emotional stretch as the years pass.