Love of Lab propels ‘Marley’ author to silver screen

By Jeremy Twitchell

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008 | midnight

Adam Nadel / publicity photo

When John Grogan first put pen to paper for his memoir "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog," he knew he had something special.

But special as in 5 million copies sold, translated into 31 languages and made into a major motion picture? That has come as a bit of surprise, the author admits.

"It's been a bit of an out-of-body experience, but a good one," Grogan said. "I have no complaints."

The bestselling author will be at the Henderson Pavilion at 1 p.m. Oct. 26 to deliver the keynote address to culminate OneBook Henderson ­­— the Henderson District Public Libraries' program to get local residents reading the same book and participating in discussion groups and other events to get to know their neighbors.

"Marley & Me" was the library's selection for this year's OneBook campaign. The book, Grogan's memoirs of raising a disobedient but lovable Labrador Retriever, has been an international sensation.

"When I wrote 'Marley & Me,' I believed in the book totally," Grogan said. "But I thought it would have a small audience because it's a very personal story."

Grogan, a columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer when he wrote the book, first broached the subject of Marley in a column in January 2004, a month after Marley died after nearly 13 years with the Grogan family. The column elicited more than 800 reader responses, which Grogan said indicated to him that he had a larger story to tell.

"When we bring animals into our lives, as many people do, if we keep our eyes and hearts open, there are many things that those animals can teach us," Grogan said. "Marley taught us about the value of commitment and not giving up on those we love. That's the life lesson that we learned, and I think that's what resonates with a lot of people."

Between the success of "Marley & Me" and the movie that is being released Christmas Day, Grogan is a hot commodity on the interview circuit. Henderson is just one of 14 cities he's scheduled to visit in 14 days, a whirlwind tour that began with an appearance on Good Morning America.

As an author, he said, he could sincerely appreciate the Henderson District Public Libraries' effort to make reading into a community event and to get more people involved.

"I think it's fantastic, whether it's my book or somebody else's book," Grogan said. "Reading is a solitary pursuit, but there's an opportunity for community involvement when you get together and talk about a book. There's not many things that spark passion as much as a good book. It can provide something for the entire community to rally around."

As for his future plans, Grogan is scheduled to spend most of the rest of the year on a book tour for his most recent work, "The Longest Road Home," which was released Oct. 21. Also a memoir, "Longest Road" chronicles Grogan's experiences growing up in a family of devout Catholics and the struggles he went through as he unsuccessfully tried to grasp their faith.

Jeremy Twitchell can be reached at jeremy.twitchell@hbcpub.com or 990-8928.