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Cover of Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John GroganMarley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
Modern · Nonfiction, Young Adult

Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog

by John Grogan
2005 · 488 pages · Nonfiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

John Grogan and his wife Jenny were newlyweds in Florida when they brought home Marley, a yellow Labrador puppy. He grew into a ninety-seven-pound force of chaos: he ate couches, flunked obedience school, terrified repairmen and wrecked a film shoot. Over thirteen years, as the Grogans moved to Pennsylvania, struggled to have children and raised three of them, Marley was there for everything, and Grogan, a newspaper columnist, writes about what the world's worst dog taught them.

Why it's worth reading

It spent months at #1 on the New York Times list and became a film with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. It's funny and true to life, and it's one of the most beloved books ever written about dogs.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

Marley dies at the end, and almost every reader cries.

By the numbers

78.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers71 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller79 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (23 weeks at #1)

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Quick answers

Is Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog worth reading?

Yes. It spent months at #1 on the New York Times list and became a film with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. It ranks #477 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog about?

John Grogan and his wife Jenny were newlyweds in Florida when they brought home Marley, a yellow Labrador puppy. He grew into a ninety-seven-pound force of chaos: he ate couches, flunked obedience school, terrified repairmen and wrecked a film shoot. Over thirteen years, as the Grogans moved to Pennsylvania, struggled to have children and raised three of them, Marley was there for everything, and Grogan, a newspaper columnist, writes about what the world's worst dog taught them.

How long does it take to read Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog?

About 12 hours (488 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog?

If you liked it, try A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron, All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot or Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.