John Grogan is indeed a natural born writer.  Following his success with Marley and Me, which also became a hit movie, he has now written his biography, The Longest Trip Home.  I have not yet read the prior book nor seen the Marley movie, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I will do both now that I have read this new book!

The book is written with a voice and with detail enough that you feel you are right there, and I already have pictures in my mind of actors and scenes from the book for a movie of its own.  The story begins with a low key telephone call from John’s father—although the call takes on a more dramatic note as they talk.  The author flashes back to his childhood and all of his adventures and misadventures are shared in a humorous and introspective fashion.  The family is made up of strict Catholics, but John faces many a challenge and detour while trying to follow his parent’s deep and abiding religion.

There are the usual references to nuns at school and the joys (and misdeeds) of being an altar boy.  However, they are uniquely presented as he remembers them and there is an underlying fondness to these memories.  Of course, there is also a measure of Catholic guilt that continues to bother him well into his adult life.

We are treated to an inside view of not only his childhood and adolescence, but also to his adult life and ultimate marriage and adoption of Marley the dog.  The book is joyful, funny and painfully sad as his parents age and face illness.  It is a biography that most anyone will enjoy, but especially adults who remember their growing pains and struggles to please their parents and not really succeeding, but still knowing that their parents love them no matter what.  This is an excellent book and I thoroughly enjoyed every page.