auchmeddan

Well, I finally finished “Marley and Me” earlier this week (on a night when I should have been studying).

This is the best book I have read in a long time, and slides easily into my Top Ten list of favourite books. It’s very simply written and easy to read, and if I had one complaint to make about the book it would only be that I wish it had been longer. I don’t remember reading any other book that has ever made me laugh out loud like this one did, or made me cry like a little girl for the last couple of chapters. Maybe it’s because I’m such a dog-lover that I was so moved by the book, or because I kept relating Marley’s behaviour to either Zak or Ricky, but either way it is one of the most satisfying books I’ve ever read.

Now I just need to get Jules to read it, so I have someone to talk to about it.

In other news, the weather here in Bermuda has absolutely sucked the past few weeks. We seem to have almost constant high winds. I think Spring got lost on the way here.

I read the first 30 pages of “Marley and Me” last night before going to bed and so far, so good. I haven’t laughed so much at a book in a long time. I know there are less happy moments ahead later on, but for now I’m happy. If it could just stay with the comedic adventures of raising a puppy, then I’d be a very happy camper. The book made me think of how Zak was as a puppy and brought back a lot of good memories.

I’m also reading 2 other books just now - Savage by Richard Laymon (the author I only discovered after he was already dead) and a Microsoft training book that I’m referring to while studying. “Savage” is one of the few remaining Laymon books I haven’t read and is pretty good - a lot better than the last one I read (”The Lake”). I got into the habit of reading two books at a time while toiling through the Stephen King “Dark Tower” Series…which are really some of the most boring books ever written. There’s a great story in there and some real flashes of brilliance, but it’s hidden inside several hundred pages of tedium. I got as far as book 4 in the series, but am in no rush to read the last Three.

After hearing Howard Stern rave on about “Marley and Me” on his morning radio show, I decided to go and buy the book, even though it sounded like it would make me a bit emotional (especially considering how much I love dogs).

When I got to the store though, I had a look at the cover photo and chapter titles (including later chapters “Borrowed Time” and “The Big Meadow”) and bottled it.

Yesterday I steeled myself and went out and picked it up. When I told Jules I’d bought it she immediately started making fun of me, and told me she wants to watch me read the book. Jules then hatched an evil scheme to snap a photo of me if she sees me getting upset reading it, although she wasn’t smart enough to keep her plans to herself.

Obviously, I now need to read the book in secret.