In his debut bestseller Marley & Me, John Grogan showed how a dog can become an extraordinary presence in the life of one family. Now in his highly anticipated follow-up, Grogan again works his magic, bringing us the true story of what came first. Before there was Marley, there was a gleefully mischievous boy growing up in a devout Catholic home outside Detroit in the 1960s and 70s. Despite his loving parents' best efforts, John's attempts to meet their expectations failed spectacularly. Whether it was his disastrous first ...
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In his debut bestseller Marley & Me, John Grogan showed how a dog can become an extraordinary presence in the life of one family. Now in his highly anticipated follow-up, Grogan again works his magic, bringing us the true story of what came first. Before there was Marley, there was a gleefully mischievous boy growing up in a devout Catholic home outside Detroit in the 1960s and 70s. Despite his loving parents' best efforts, John's attempts to meet their expectations failed spectacularly. Whether it was his disastrous first confession, his use of his hobby telescope to take in the bronzed Mrs. Selahowski sunbathing next door, the purloined swigs of sacramental wine, or as he got older, the fumbled attempts to sneak contraband past his father and score with girls beneath his mother's vigilant radar, John was figuring out that the faith and fervor that came so effortlessly to his parents somehow had eluded him. And then one day, a strong-willed young woman named Jenny walked into his life. As their romance grew, John began the painful, funny, and poignant journey into adulthood - away from his parents' orbit and into a life of his own. It would take a fateful call and the onset of illness to lead him on the final leg of his journey - the trip home again. The Longest Trip Home is a book for any son or daughter who has sought to forge an identity at odds with their parents', and for every parent who has struggled to understand the values of their children. With his trademark blend of humor and pathos that made Marley & Me beloved by millions, John Grogan traces the universal journey each of us must take to find our place in the world.
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Add this copy of The Longest Trip Home: a Memoir to cart. $0.99, fair condition, Sold by ZBK Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Woodland Park, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by William Morrow Paperbacks.
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Add this copy of The Longest Trip Home: a Memoir to cart. $1.75, good condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by William Morrow.
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Add this copy of The Longest Trip Home: a Memoir to cart. $1.75, fair condition, Sold by Gulf Coast Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Memphis, TN, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by William Morrow.
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Add this copy of The Longest Trip Home: a Memoir to cart. $1.75, fair condition, Sold by Orion Tech rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by William Morrow.
John Grogan tells an intriguing autobiographical tale of growing up with parents whose lives revolved around the Catholic church. He speaks in vivid detail about his childhood vacations touring Catholic shrines, and his adolescence when he is given the choice to leave his private Catholic school to experience public high school with his neighborhood friends. He goes to college, marries and watches his parents age.
Through it all, there is a strong undercurrent of John choosing not to follow the religious path of his parents, and the conflict that brings.to him, his wife, and even in small part to his three children. His parents eventually attain an uncomfortable silence about John's lack of spiritual path.
Eventually, he comes home to care for his elderly father, who has leukemia. He also has to find suitable care for his mother, who now experiences life through the haze of dementia. He makes his peace with them as best as he is able, and finds some comfort in the religion of his youth.
I suspect John Grogan whites as he speaks. He wwrites in a warm and thought provoking style. Reading this book was like talking to an old friend for me. And as a former Catholic myself, John's book reflected my own experience with my faith and my mother. I greatly appreciated his perspective.
