Read This Book!

I bought the book, Marley and Me for the school library awhile back. I've always loved true animal stories and was delighted to read this book before cataloguing it. And I was so glad I did! I don't often read 'best selling' books, because I'm usually reading something for Young Adults for my HS library or Christian Fiction for the church library. Oh, the sacrifices I make....teehee.

If you've seen the movie previews, you will know that Marley is the world's worst dog. He is incapable of being trained, is deathly afraid of storms and knows no boundaries. But in spite of this, his family loves him and puts up with his eccentricities. There's crazy moments, sad moments and moments of great joy all withing the binding of this book. Please try to read it before seeing the movie.

(Warning: Digression following!)

Last night, Les and I celebrated our anniversary with supper out and a movie. Usually I go to see what he wants and I usually don't much like the movie. Well, maybe I have liked the movie but there's this one that stands out in my mind and has blocked all other anniversary movies from my memory. That would be "Titanic" which was in my humble opinion the worst (as in emotional) movie I ever had to endure. Les is a huge Titanic fan and although I didn't want to see it, I didn't have the heart to out right refuse to go. After all, I already knew the ending. Lots of people would die, the movie creators would use lots of emotional scenes with little kids and old people dying.....death, destruction, emotional upheaval. We are surrounded by HS kids and other people we know (the curse and blessing of living in a somewhat small town), and it is all I can do to keep from sobbing out loud when those gates are slammed shut on the poor people on the ship, trapping them f-o-r-e-v-e-r........

At one point (being the loving, gentle person I am) I turned to him and hit him in the shoulder and said something anniversary-ish like--"I'll hate you forever for making me see this. " And then we had to leave the theatre and I had black streaks down my face from crying and looked pitiful.....And I pretended like I was very interested in the popcorn strewn carpet so I didn't have to look at anyone.

So you see, I'm not crazy about anniversary movie attendance after that traumatic event.

But back to "Marley and Me." The movie was great--it was based faithfully on the book even though it must have been difficult to make a horrible dog lovable withing the time constraints. The book gave you all those details of why they loved Marley in spite of his atrocities. The movie gave you enough glimpses to make you fall in love with that awful dog too.

I have to say, I was once again thankful that my dog (who is neurotic) just mostly sheds and requires attention!

Read the book, see the movie, you won't be sorry!

P.S. Have you ever viewed a movie from the second row of the theatre? You have to pan the screen because you are so close. And you must restrain yourself from asking the ten little boys who are all about eight years old sitting in front of you to go find their parents. And then there are the occassional times you have to realize that you and your husband do not have enough hands to cover all of those same little boys' eyes when the 'inappropriate' scenes come up! And then you get to listen to a burping contest.....Good thing the movie was good!