John Grogan

John Grogan is an American author, best known for his 2006 memoir Marley & Me. A former newspaper columnist, Grogan wrote for The Philadelphia Inquirer for thirteen years before his career as a novelist. Grogan is a versatile writer who has contributed to multiple publications, including The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, and the Wall Street Journal.

Grogan was born in 1959 in a small town in Michigan. He and his five siblings were raised in northern Michigan by a hard-working father and a stay-at-home mother. Though Grogan initially honed his writing skills at Michigan State University, he graduated from the University of Michigan in 1981 with a degree in journalism. While attending Michigan, Grogan started writing for The State News, the campus newspaper.

In 1985, Grogan began working as a newspaper journalist at the south Florida-based Sun-Sentinel. In 1995, he became a columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer, writing on a variety of emotional and humorous topics, primarily focused on parenting and family life. Writing “Sunday with John Grogan” (which later became “John Grogan’s Week”), Grogan won numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize nomination. In 2006, Grogan left the Inquirer, the same year his first book, the memoir Marley & Me, was published.

Marley & Me follows the story of John and his wife Jenny and their beloved yellow Labrador Marley. Published to international acclaim, Marley & Me was awarded the Thurber Prizes for American Humor and sold millions of copies worldwide. In addition to Marley & Me, Grogan also published The Longest Trip Home in 2008.

The Longest Trip Home is dedicated to Grogan’s father, Jack, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Based on Grogan’s real-life experiences, the memoir explores themes of family, faith, and forgiveness. Like Marley & Me, The Longest Trip Home was a critical and international success.

In addition to his two memoirs, Grogan has also published two children’s books, Bad Dog Marley and Marley Goes to School. He is currently working on his fourth novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and various other projects.

John Grogan is a highly successful and respected author and journalist. A master storyteller, his work has captured the hearts of millions of readers around the world.