Marley & Me

by John Grogan

      Marley is the world's worst dog.  At least that's what his family believes when he eats new necklaces, runs away with a cafe table attached to his leash, and jumps on just about everyone that comes to their house.  To the owners, he is a nuisance, but as most dog owners understand, he quickly becomes a member of the family.  This book follows Marley as he grows and also the author's life.

      John and his wife decide to buy a puppy on impulse because it would be great practice for the responsibility of raising kids.  John loves the idea, especially after thinking fondly of his childhood dog he loved so much.  Despite them both having jobs, they took this responsibility head on.  After getting their puppy John finally researches the Labrador Retriever breed and finds out that their high strung personalities, need for constant companionship with their humans, and stubborn personalities with training may be hard to manage.  John reads that a good indicator of the puppy's personality is the temperament of the parents.  John thinks back to his day at the breeder remembers that while the mother was calm; the only glimpse he had of the father was a frothing, charging, covered in mud lunatic.  Needless to say, the Grogans soon learn they might have bitten off more than they can chew! Marley is hyper, untrained, and chews just about everything he can get his paws on.  The Grogan's try to work out his energy with scheduled walks, times to play, and games.  Marley has a particular fear of thunderstorms, and will break through walls, chew doors, etc. at the sounds of a storm approaching.  For all of the moments that Marley is wild and uncontrollable, the family also finds that he is protective of the humans he loves, and can comfort them when they are in need of a shoulder to cry on.  While they struggle with Marley, they also have moments of emotional hilarious situations that make this book so enjoyable.

       This book was an intimate look into the relationship between an owner and his beloved canine.  It depicts the ups and downs, serious moment in their lives, and overall joys of owning a dog.  While this book is mostly about Marley's experiences and stories, it also follows the Grogans' lives.  John Grogan does not hold back on the details of his life, happy or sad, he tells everything.  It makes this book very personal and unforgettable.    

      .  Marley, over the course of the story becomes a member of their family and beloved friend to their children.  This book did not take long to finish at all and I loved each chapter.  If you have a soft spot for dogs or have one as a member of your family, this book should be on your reading list.  Enjoy!

Rating: 5 out of 5    

Up Next: Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

The Collectors

By David Baldacci
Rejoining the camel club after their last adventure, a whole new set of problems has emerged. The Speaker of the House has been assassinated, and the camel club has connected this murder with the death of the director of the Library of Congress’s Rare Books division. The director just so happens to be the boss of camel club member, Caleb Shaw. The Camel Club utilizes their inside man to directly “work against” a powerful and dangerous espionage ring. 

While we catch up with the Camel Club, we are also introduced to the con artist Annabelle Conroy. Annabelle is arranging a team for a con to settle a personal vendetta. Her target is Jerry Bagger, Atlantic City casino tycoon. After a series of short cons, they have built up enough capital to pull the big con against Jerry Bagger. After the con, the team parts ways, and Annabelle ends up in Washington. It just so happens that her ex-husband is Jonathan DeHaven, the former Director of the Rare Books Division. While attending his funeral, she runs into Oliver, Caleb, and the rest of the camel club. She agrees to meet with the camel club to discuss Jonathan’s private collection of rare books, to assist Caleb who was named his literary executor. The Camel Club begins to realize that the murder of the Speaker of the House and the death of Jonathan DeHaven are connected. Soon they are tracking down leads, and investigating suspicious characters trying to uncover major players in an espionage ring.

Baldacci once again does a wonderful job spinning an elaborate web of interconnected plotlines and interrelated characters. He slowly builds on the major theme, and creates additional tension with side plots. The two, related plotlines work well together. Baldacci effectively alternates between villains Roger Seagraves and Jerry Bagger. He makes good use of his opportunities to create tension and drive the story, often putting the Bagger story on the back burner and bringing you back to it when appropriate. I still feel that many of the characters in this book are underdeveloped. The majority of the Camel Club are practically faceless and placeholders for activity. In addition, some of the more technical (science-related) details in this book bothered me due to inaccuracy. As a reader, one thing that irritates me is when an author over-extends himself into an area in which he is unfamiliar. Baldacci should stick to government ops, and avoid science (for me). Despite these few faults, I really enjoyed the book and look forward to continuing the series.

Rating: 4 out of 5 bunsen burners

Up Next: Stone Cold by David Baldacci