I agree...much more about their lives.....

Well I'm glad it's not just me that didn't rate it

I read some more last night and i assume in the next chapter, Marley you know whats. I agree the writing is better, since they moved to the countryside! I'm still not enthralled though. He does show he cares more about Marley, I agree, it is quite touching...but I've been irritated by it too in places.
I wouldn't say I hate the book or anything, but I am disappointed, I was expecting a funny portrayal of life with a mad lab...

No I didn't hate the book but it left me thinking "AND....." at the end of it. I didn't like the book though I found it down right annoying at times. Things that were supposedly funny such as the dog crate in the airport, I just found irritating and not funny in the least. I think the reviews on the cover were probably as much to blame as the book itself, I think one referred to it as rib cracklingly funny or some such comment, and it just wasn't, well not for me anyway.

Phew...I was worried about saying that, but that's exactly how I felt Trouble! I thought 'you inconsiderate b*****d' fancy not trying the crate out and ensuring the dog would be comfotable...then squeezing him in when he knew it was a bad fit...not funny at all! I didn't laugh very much...I thought some of the things they did as owners were just downright irresponsible.
You're right, the reviews didn't help....
I am thinking 'and..' too....I think it was more the story of the writer and his family...and to be honest, their lives aren't very interesting....
Think I'd give it a 6/10.....(that's being generous actually...)

Must admit I thought they were typical first time dog owners in as much as they thought they knew what they were doing as they had grown up with dogs and their parents had always had them. They basically bought the first dog they saw with no planning as to how they would meet the dogs needs. It was all me me me. I think Marley was an average dog in an average home and not worthy of a book, but hey he's a writer it's what he does for a living but I was left thinking maybe he's a better reporter than author. A better title would have been "how not to buy and care for a dog".

I did enjoy a lot of the book but the repeated references to the choke chains irritated me. Also the fact that Marley had a real phobia about storms frustrated me as they should have sought help from a behaviourist rather than letting the poor guy get so stressed out.

The ending is very sad. I cried - a lot . Dave thought that was cute until he read the end and then he cried - admittedly not as much as me though.

I agree that a lot of the story is about their family's life but I think the book was marketed as being about their dog's life because more people would buy it to read about a dog than would buy it to read about a man and his family.

Also - a bit sad I know but after I finished reading the book I tried google for the film he was in and there were some links to a Marley & Me website and you could watch the clips of the film he was in!! That was quite cool

oooo will have to have a look for that.

Dont read anymore if you havn't finished the book.............

I found the end so sad aswell, he and his family loved Marley so much. (i too dont agree with the crate incident and some stuff about the storms, but we can't deny how much they thought of him). The bit where he goes out to dig Marleys grave is so sad, he couldn't bear to put his beloved dog in the cold watery ground so found a spot near to where the sleigh ride came to such a sudden end. i could picture him placing him in the ground lying as though he was sleeping

I read this book last summer and its a nice easy read it made me cry as at the time my 13 year old retreiver was still with us but ailing somewhat i could identify with a lot of the aliments of marley and my own dog.. and now i have a puppy and can identify with the early part of the book...I dont agree with some of the treatment of Marley but everyone cares for there pets in their own way. and i dont think he was mistreated (physically) and did seem to have a enjoyable life with his family..overall a good read i have read a lot worse! i would give it a 7/10

Out of interest...what score out of 10 would other give it??? We've had a 6 and 7 so far...!!!