I read the book. Haven't seen the movie yet, plan to see it this week though.

My husband said he has never recovered from "Where the Red Ferns Grows", so he refuses to read the book or see the movie.

We were given the book - twice! Neither of us has read it because of the eventual ending (I think my husband scanned the ending and decided we shouldn't read it and refuses to see the movie). We've had three Labs. Riley is our current yellow and he is that Marley character and then some! I guess that's why people keep giving us the book. I could write my own book about our Labrador antics and tribulations, but sadly my book would probably have a bittersweet ending as well. Grief is the price we pay for love, after all.

I struggled to finish the book and don't plan on seeing the movie.

Unless they seriously sugar-coated the book, I think there will quite a few dog lovers out leaving the theaters shaking their heads and needing a tissue.

The book was beautiful and eloquently written. I never laughed so much reading a book. I read it during jury duty (not recommend)

I wept (not just cried) wept at the end. Marly had a full and wonderful life. I haven't seen the movie.

I did see Where the Red Fern Grows. OMGoodness, what a tear jerker ... I cry every time. I can watch Old Yeller at all.

I loved that book, even with the sad ending. The movie was very faithful to the book, and I thought both Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson did a great job. And the dogs they got to play Marley were excellent. Of course I cried, my husband cried, heck the whole theater cried. The point is to have loved a dog, even though you know you're going to lose them. And Marley was QUITE a dog!

I cried reading the book too, and sobbed at the end of My Dog Skip.

As for kids seeing such movies, I think it's okay to learn about sadness and heartbreak in real world scenarios like a pet dying. Much better than a lot of the disturbing elements in many movies that are okayed for children.

I remember children sobbing watching E.T. when we thought E.T. died. But people and pets in your life dying is normal, and children can't be protected from normal things.

Maybe you can tell your children that there is a very sad ending in Marley because it's the story of a dog's whole life, then ask the child whether he or she would still like to see it.

My daughter saw Hidalgo at 7 years old and as a horse lover who had encountered loss already, the concepts in that movie did hit home. And now she's 11 and we just made it thru a very real chance of losing our kitty so she has had to deal with it already.

I read MnM on a plane ride. I laughed out loud and wept embarrassingly. I highly recommend the book and plan on seeing the film with my daughter.

It was pet food IMO that killed the dogs either that or over breeding, genetics- labs are way over bred. 14 is about 60 or so would guess in human years for a dog on a proper diet.

nice story but sad ending.

My friend called me Friday night and told me not to go see it. She thought it would make me too sad. I have read excerpts from the book, but not the whole book.

My friend lives where one of the grown-up lab actors came from and was telling me the sad beginning, but happy ending, story of the actor dog. As sad as the movie might end, it sounds like this movie was good news for a dog that had a rough life before.

Heck, I can still remember crying over 'Old Yeller' when I was a kid.

Now, 50 years later(and several dear dogs/cats/horses later) I still have issues when a pet dies/is euthanized.

Nope, no Marley for us.

You too, Handymac? I still remember seeing that "Old Yeller" movie, back when I was a second grader, and the feeling I had when I realized that he was actually going to die. I knew it was "only a movie" but couldn't believe they would let the story take that turn.

I believe those who say "Marley and Me" is a good movie, but I don't know if I'm sturdy enough to go and see it.

I won't read the last chapter of Where the Red Fern Grows either and have no plans on seeing the Marley movie. It's hard enough to go through death in real life.

Oh!! I can't wait to go see this movie - I absolutely LOVED the book. Although I don't think I've ever cried so much reading a book as I did that one. Or laughed so much, either.

Though, I am a sucker for tear-jerkers. The more it makes me cry, the better it is, to me.

Definately one of those full circle stories, we can ALL relate to.

That is a good thought, Annie:

I also find the sad endings of animal stories terribly painful, so now that I know that the Marley movie is faithful to the book (which I did read to the end), I will not be going to see it. The book was very enjoyable, except for that inevitable ending. And thanks to the "heads-up" I got from this thread, I will never read "Where the Red Fern Grows," either.

One of the toughest moments in my life---and I was a DI during Viet Nam---was holding a pony with a shattered front leg while the vet euthanized him---the pony did NOT want to die-----even the vet had trouble and cried.

My eldest son family had a wonderful dog----one of the best I have ever seen----I have to---volunteered to---make an urn for his ashes. Damn tough to do.

You know death is a part of life. And stories like Marley and Me aren't not as sad as say Red Fern, Ol Yeller, or Handymac's Pony story.

Death is tough when the being (man or animal) is young and hasn't lived a long full life.

But Marley lived a long full life and it was time for him to go, just like we all will some day.

I would encourage everyone to read "Where the Red Fern Grows". Its a great story about a boy and his dogs, but its an even better story about determination and how hard work and perseverance do pay off. Stories like that seem to be lacking these days.

I have seen the movie, where the Red fern grows... its beautiful

"Where the Red Fern Grows" is a must see, and it's a classic movie. The end may be a tear jerker but it has great significance about love.

I adore the book but have never watched the movie. I reread the book every once in awhile.

All I know is, I just had my annual viewing of "It's a Wonderful Life", and I'm still drying my tears.

Life is rich in its peaks and valleys. The valleys do inevitably come, and I hope to prepare my daughter to deal with them, in as optimistic a way as can be done.

We just had a very real brush with reality as you know, and we dealt with it as realistically and practically as possible, couched with lots of love, patience, and expertise of 3 veterinarians, as well as all you great folks.

The book, as life with Marley really was I'm sure, was as happy as it was hard. One review I read said that dogs aren't our whole life but do make our life whole (paraphrasing slightly). It felt good to read that, as it's how I feel about my furbabies at home, as well as the ones we know and love at the barn.

Gee, I really wanted to see this movie. I haven't read the book or seen the movie but from reading the posts I kind of know now how the ending goes. Guess I should have skipped over this post and not read it. Unfortunately I started reading before realized what it was about. Too bad you all gave the ending away for folks who haven't read the book. :

If I recall correctly, I saw mention of the outcome on the jacket summary of the copy of the book I read so I went into it knowing the tough outcome. Maybe I read it in a review. It did not diminish my thorough enjoyment of the book at all.

Lets see a story about a dog's life, its obvious what the ending is.... it was never a "surprise".... there are no spoilers here.

I read the book, and as others have mentioned, it's about a complete life. So most would be teary eyed at the ending, but it's expected. It's also about separation anxiety that was never managed. That was more sad than the natural ending.

There's a wonderful book out now about a boy and his dogs - 'The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.' Not a funny book like Marley & Me, but a great read.

Hubby and I are going to see the movie in about an hour. Daughter called last night and said, "mom, I don't think you should go see Marley and me." She said she sobbed out loud and was totally embarrased. She knows that I will do the same. I'll try to be strong, but I am, after all, just a human with very real feelings for our 4 footed friends. I have read the book so I know what's going to happen, but just like in real life, you have to take the bad with the good. I've got lots of tissues in my purse.

I also read the book, and laughed and cried. Thought it was great. I also just finished reading the book "Dewey", about a library cat. The end is sad also, but as was mentioned above, animals lives are not as long as ours. We enjoy them while they are here and are sad when they are gone.

I will wait til Marley and Me comes on on DVD and watch it in the privacy of my own home, so I can hug my dogs and cry at the end. :>(

This is about real life, I don't hide from it .. I live all parts of it.

You all are right- it is a real life story! Death is hard to deal with, and in my opinion even harder for our furry friends because they do not understand it. We as humans prepare ourselves for the inevitable, with our parents, siblings, friends, our children and ourselves. Our pets, on the other hand, do not know what is going on. But Marley did live a wonderful fun filled life and that is what you need to focus on when you see the movie. I would like to read the book, I think?

I give my pets more credit than that... they know the difference between dead and alive... especially when they catch and kill chipmunks etc.

I've always let my living pets, sniff and say farewell to the bodies of their dead furry family. I think it saves them from looking for them later.

My daughter saw the movie last night with a birthday party. The birthday girl's mom handed out packages of tissues to everyone before the movie.

I haven't seen Marley and Me... I got the book as a Christmas gift but haven't read it yet.

Where the Red Fern Grows is a very good movie though also a tearjerker. Another old movie that I have seen is called The Biscuit Eater.. plenty of laughs but another tear maker ending.

I had read the book about a year ago. I got as a Christmas present last year. I will probably rent the DVD when it comes out, then I can cry in private. As to the ending, I have gone through it several times in my life and will have to face it again with my current dog. That is the price you pay when you decide to love a pet. It is never easy, but then again it shouldn't be.
Clare

I am reading the book now. Yes, the ending will be sad. We all know that eventually our fur-kids will leave us. We have to remember the good times and the joy they gave us while they were here with us. I do have to question the comment about 'pet food probably killed him' and the fact that a 14 year old lab is 60 in people years. Are you serious? Give me a break. That is an idiotic commment. A lab that makes it 14 years has been well taken care of and no way in hell is 60 years old in people years. Where do you get your information on that? Big dogs live 10-14 years if all goes well. I am occasionally taking care of a lab who is 18, but is blind and deaf and falls down periodically. I personally would have this dog put down, but he can still find his way to his food bowl. My question to rundsnwalkin or whatever is how long to you think a big dog like a lab can usually live, with or without 'poison' dog food or bad breeding? Your comments show ignorance beyond belief and seriously piss me off!

Duane

Duane - don't pay any attention to runsnwalken. His favorite mantra is to talk about pet food, i.e., what is in it - and then he lists all of the foods that are good, talks about how good a BARF diet is, talks about "the kindest thing is to put to sleep," over breeding, genetics, etc., etc., etc.

No matter what the subject is, he bring up these topics over-and-over-and-over-and over, never citing a credible source.

dukerdawg and sephia,

Please read runsnwalken's responses in this thread . Then cut him a break. He obviously has a love for animals.

I didn't mean to rip into anyone. I am sorry. In saying that the dog died from in-breeding or pet food when he lived to be 14 is ridiculous. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but if my lab lives to 14 (or beyond, I hope) I would be highly insulted if somebody accused me of shortening his life by either 1) Something I couldn't control or 2) Not feeding the best food.

Food topics for dogs are controversial to say the least. Some say they have fed Dog Chow and the animals live years beyond expectation and others feed organic high cost food or supplements and the dogs die young, perhaps due to genetics, who knows.

John and Jenny Grogan took great care of Marley and put up with thousands of dollars in doggie destruction that most people would not tolerate. Please don't insult them by throwing some well intended, but misguided comment out off the hip.

Duane

susanjn - check out the attached link where runsnwalken suggested to an upset puppy owner that she should 'PTS,' as runsnwalken likes to call it - put to sleep. The OP wanted advice and comfort about her ill puppy and runsnwalken suggested she wasn't feeding the puppy properly, that the puppy had bad genes, the puppy was a runt, etc. Runswalken decided this, mind you, without being a vet or having seen the puppy, before the puppy's illness had even been determined by a REAL vet. Quite a few people on the thread chastised runsnwalken for his/her comments to the OP.

There are far most posts on this forum where he/she posts inaccurate information than the one link you provided where he/she actually did say something nice.

Here is a link that might be useful: thread

dukerdawg and sephia,

I have read many, many of runsnwalken's responses.

I was referring to the post where he says he is autistic. His posts are consistent with that.

Susan, yes I did see reference to that. Thanks. Appreciate you steering us to that thread.

Duane

Susan - I know runsnwalken is autistic. He also has visual / hearing issues as well. However, this is a PUBLIC forum where anyone can post anything (within reason - no advertising, no obscene content, etc.). If one posts on a public forum they are subject to feedback just as anyone else. If he posts inaccurate, incorrect, misleading information, he is subject to the same type of feedback as anyone else would receive. This forum isn't made up of a small, intimate group of people who know each other well. Allowances don't need to be made for one person (who others may not know about his disabilities) and excuse the potentially dangerous info he posts. If anyone else posts inaccurate, incorrect, misleading information they tend to get the same response as runswalken does.

Also, people come here for help. Someone may actually read what runswalkn writes and do what he says, thinking he knows what he is talking about, and that is dangerous. So it is important to jump in and correct the situation. This has nothing to do with autism. I would correct anyone who repeatedly misguided people.

Correcting is fine.