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Life Is Like a Sailboat: Selected Writings on Life and Living from The Philadelphia Inquirer
From John Grogan, author of the New York Times bestsellers Bad Dogs Have More Fun , Marley and Me , and The Long Way Home , comes a new collection of more than eighty newspaper articles from the Philadelphia Inquirer written when he was a columnist there. In Life Is Like A Sailboat , John Grogan shows us all sides of the human condition¿pieces that reflect his unique understanding of the crazy-quilt world we inhabit. From the fragility of life almost gone in an instant at a crosswalk, to avoiding the shoals of adolescence, to cell phones driving us to distraction (as we drive!), to turning the tables on telemarketers, to the Iraq War coming home to a small town in Pennsylvania¿these pieces are filled with insight and sensitivity, laced with humor and understanding. In his own very unique way, John Grogan makes all of us feel more connected to each other and less like strangers living in a strange land.
- GenresNonfiction
236 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2009
2 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
John Grogan
66 books1,171 followersJohn Grogan has spent more than 25 years as a newspaper journalist. Previously he worked as a reporter, bureau chief, and columnist at newspaper in Michigan and Florida. He is also the former editor on chief of Rodale's Organic Gardening magazine. His work has won numerous awards, including the National Press Club's Consumer Journalism Award. His first book, Marley & Me, is a number one international bestseller that was as a major motion picture on 2008. His second book is The Longest Trip Home. John lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, Jenny, and their three children.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 22, 2011
Absolutely fantastic! This book was an entertaining read. Funny, gripping, it makes you want to read on. I was so amazed at how humorous a book like this is and how it can actually make me Laugh Out Loud.
The book was filled with its depressing sad stories as well. When any newspaper publishes stories of the deaths of children and/or loved ones, I get a searing pain of guilt, that I am still living while these people (whom I have never even met) had to die in terrible ways. The dull sense of loss that firmly grabs the attention of any reader is like when a character in a movie or book dies, even if that character is entirely fictional. As readers, we feel sad and have an emotion that coincides with loss.
The difference here is that this book is all real. A Non-fiction that depicts real people and real events. For the people who have died within the pages of this book, I thought about what you may have looked liked, how your voice might have sounded, and how your life went, and what was going on as it came to its untimely and tragic demise.
The events that occurred in this book, such as September 11th, and the Indian Ocean tsunami. I understood the words that John Grogan used to define these events and what it did to our views and beliefs.
He says: "That Day. You know where you were, and I know where I was. We always will". (Grogan pg 23)
I find this to be very true and I clearly remember everything about that day, and getting the news and watching it LIVE on TV. I was only 9 years old then.
Some kids on the plane that hit the Pentagon were 11. If they were alive today, they would be 20. Perhaps getting a great college or University education, maybe married and starting their own family. Sadly we will never know.
The tsunami was an event I remembered well also. The day after Christmas, what child could forget, especially when a tsunami wipes away islands.
The stories of John's personal life were a great interest to me because I have read his other books, "Marley and Me" (which showed me 13 years of his life) and "The Longest Trip Home" which documented his upbringing, his meeting of his wife and beyond "Marley and Me" itself. These articles tied up loose ends.
Once again, John Grogan was able to capture the world in his eyes and write down what mattered to him about it and the people who call it home.
I have never been so interested in the life of someone who I have never met in person and only know through 3 other books I have read.
The stories, or rather...columns, were so intriguing and entertaining to read. I felt as if I was living the life of the people described within each story. I could see, smell, taste, touch, what's the last sense? Hear! that's it. I could hear John's voice reading the events out loud. Then when other people were quoted, I imagined what they sounded like, what they looked like (if descriptions were not given) and trying to remember what my life was like during the times of the columns.
These stories brought out some of my raw emotions. I distinctly remembering the feeling of intense fear with the idea of getting old, and becoming a vegetable like poor old Daisy.
The stories got me really thinking and taking life as it comes. Enjoy every single waking moment. Even as you slumber, dream of happiness and life goes well.
Some stories brought back memories, like where I was at the time of 9/11, or the Amish school shooting.
One story seared my soul, the one of Felix the cat. The lost cat.
The story was written on April 4, 2003 and is on page 62 of this book under the section titled: Animals.
Felix was a cat who was lost at the airport in Philadelphia and never found. (I don't know if he has since then, the story was written in 2003, but I found out about it 2 days ago.)
The airport had AGAIN "made" a mistake with baggage handling and Felix was caught up in the mistake. His owners were devastated and I was too. To have a loved one, vanish at the mistake of strangers, it makes my blood boil. The owners of Felix must have had a lot of mercy within them to avoid strangling the baggage handler who royally f-ed up.
I wanted to vomit when I discovered that the Airline company soon began to forget about Felix and shrugged it off as no big deal. I would be so pissed if that was cat. I can't get over the laziness and lack of support that airport has given after how ever long it was.
I would sue, but even that wouldn't bring Felix back.
If a child was lost at an airport, everyone one would be all over it for as long as it takes to locate the child and reunite them with the family.
In the column, it clearly stated that "Pets are family too" so where is the determination to find Felix?
The night after I read Felix's story, I couldn't sleep, it was too painful to think of a lost cat in a big airport and never to be found more than a year later.
I rattle my brain wondering what happened and how it could happen. I wish I knew the answers I crave. I hugged my own cats and went to sleep, still uneasy for another couples lost family member. Talk about caring readers.
I was entertained all the way through this book, and one day hope to own it.
I think everyone should take a swim in John Grogan's ideas and thoughts, we might all learn something. I certainly did.
The book was filled with its depressing sad stories as well. When any newspaper publishes stories of the deaths of children and/or loved ones, I get a searing pain of guilt, that I am still living while these people (whom I have never even met) had to die in terrible ways. The dull sense of loss that firmly grabs the attention of any reader is like when a character in a movie or book dies, even if that character is entirely fictional. As readers, we feel sad and have an emotion that coincides with loss.
The difference here is that this book is all real. A Non-fiction that depicts real people and real events. For the people who have died within the pages of this book, I thought about what you may have looked liked, how your voice might have sounded, and how your life went, and what was going on as it came to its untimely and tragic demise.
The events that occurred in this book, such as September 11th, and the Indian Ocean tsunami. I understood the words that John Grogan used to define these events and what it did to our views and beliefs.
He says: "That Day. You know where you were, and I know where I was. We always will". (Grogan pg 23)
I find this to be very true and I clearly remember everything about that day, and getting the news and watching it LIVE on TV. I was only 9 years old then.
Some kids on the plane that hit the Pentagon were 11. If they were alive today, they would be 20. Perhaps getting a great college or University education, maybe married and starting their own family. Sadly we will never know.
The tsunami was an event I remembered well also. The day after Christmas, what child could forget, especially when a tsunami wipes away islands.
The stories of John's personal life were a great interest to me because I have read his other books, "Marley and Me" (which showed me 13 years of his life) and "The Longest Trip Home" which documented his upbringing, his meeting of his wife and beyond "Marley and Me" itself. These articles tied up loose ends.
Once again, John Grogan was able to capture the world in his eyes and write down what mattered to him about it and the people who call it home.
I have never been so interested in the life of someone who I have never met in person and only know through 3 other books I have read.
The stories, or rather...columns, were so intriguing and entertaining to read. I felt as if I was living the life of the people described within each story. I could see, smell, taste, touch, what's the last sense? Hear! that's it. I could hear John's voice reading the events out loud. Then when other people were quoted, I imagined what they sounded like, what they looked like (if descriptions were not given) and trying to remember what my life was like during the times of the columns.
These stories brought out some of my raw emotions. I distinctly remembering the feeling of intense fear with the idea of getting old, and becoming a vegetable like poor old Daisy.
The stories got me really thinking and taking life as it comes. Enjoy every single waking moment. Even as you slumber, dream of happiness and life goes well.
Some stories brought back memories, like where I was at the time of 9/11, or the Amish school shooting.
One story seared my soul, the one of Felix the cat. The lost cat.
The story was written on April 4, 2003 and is on page 62 of this book under the section titled: Animals.
Felix was a cat who was lost at the airport in Philadelphia and never found. (I don't know if he has since then, the story was written in 2003, but I found out about it 2 days ago.)
The airport had AGAIN "made" a mistake with baggage handling and Felix was caught up in the mistake. His owners were devastated and I was too. To have a loved one, vanish at the mistake of strangers, it makes my blood boil. The owners of Felix must have had a lot of mercy within them to avoid strangling the baggage handler who royally f-ed up.
I wanted to vomit when I discovered that the Airline company soon began to forget about Felix and shrugged it off as no big deal. I would be so pissed if that was cat. I can't get over the laziness and lack of support that airport has given after how ever long it was.
I would sue, but even that wouldn't bring Felix back.
If a child was lost at an airport, everyone one would be all over it for as long as it takes to locate the child and reunite them with the family.
In the column, it clearly stated that "Pets are family too" so where is the determination to find Felix?
The night after I read Felix's story, I couldn't sleep, it was too painful to think of a lost cat in a big airport and never to be found more than a year later.
I rattle my brain wondering what happened and how it could happen. I wish I knew the answers I crave. I hugged my own cats and went to sleep, still uneasy for another couples lost family member. Talk about caring readers.
I was entertained all the way through this book, and one day hope to own it.
I think everyone should take a swim in John Grogan's ideas and thoughts, we might all learn something. I certainly did.
April 26, 2020
Some great columns, but a few that haven't aged as well.
April 7, 2023
We want to read it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2010
Before there was "Marley and Me", there was a newspaper columnist by the name of John Grogan. This book is a collection of his columns from the Philadelphia Inquirer. He tackles topics that are rather Philadelphia-centric but informative and entertaining to read, and in some cases, might apply to other areas of the US as well.
Great read for those that are looking for something lighter (in content) or quick reads.
Great read for those that are looking for something lighter (in content) or quick reads.
March 25, 2015
I really enjoyed all of the short stories in this collection of, what seems to be, editorial articles from the journalist for the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania newspaper. A lot of the stories were a little lost on me, since I don't live in this area, but so many of them span across location, ethnicity, or upbringing and speak to the reader. I only wish more newspaper writers would do this.
If you live in Philly, I'd go and buy this!!
If you live in Philly, I'd go and buy this!!
November 18, 2016
This was a purchase I never regretted. I found the stories funny, heartwarming, and sometimes heartbreaking. There was even one I could not bring myself to listen to the entire story, I found it too difficult to finish.
But I found this a perfect book for listening to on a summer's evening, while the fireflies are just coming out and my dog is rolling in the grass, enjoying himself. Kudos to John Grogan and John Larroquette (narrator) for a splendid job on this fine work.
But I found this a perfect book for listening to on a summer's evening, while the fireflies are just coming out and my dog is rolling in the grass, enjoying himself. Kudos to John Grogan and John Larroquette (narrator) for a splendid job on this fine work.
May 26, 2009
Great tales of life - with closer reflections on Philadelphia. Poignant and heartwarming, as well as provocative.
October 5, 2010
Listening to the audio
January 23, 2011
This book is snippets of John Grogan's newpaper articles. A bit jumbled in presentation with no particular order for the subject content.
August 17, 2011
I enjoyed this book
September 5, 2013
Another airport read. Enjoyable collection of short articles. Some light hearted, some less so.
September 5, 2014
An Enjoyable collection of John Grogan's newspaper columns. No particular order or format, but really enjoyed his writing.
June 26, 2014
great -- love this author.
Read
September 28, 2017Audiobook; narrator: John Larroquette.
Let's be clear: I listened to this because John Larroquette was narrating. He could have been reading the phone book. At times I wished he was. I love complaining and being self-righteous, but I find it insufferable when people offer life advice, especially in book form. However, by the end of the audiobook, I'd begrudgingly come to find that I agreed with the author on most (NOT all) things, and I immediately toyed with the idea of starting listening all over again. I cannot recommend Mr Larroquette's voice and narration highly enough. My job right now is largely a combination of shipping/receiving and data entry (I love it, but it can get lonely; yet I also don't want to stop and chat or really focus on words, because I have to get through everything), so having him talking in the background got me through my workweek. Need. More. Audiobooks.
Let's be clear: I listened to this because John Larroquette was narrating. He could have been reading the phone book. At times I wished he was. I love complaining and being self-righteous, but I find it insufferable when people offer life advice, especially in book form. However, by the end of the audiobook, I'd begrudgingly come to find that I agreed with the author on most (NOT all) things, and I immediately toyed with the idea of starting listening all over again. I cannot recommend Mr Larroquette's voice and narration highly enough. My job right now is largely a combination of shipping/receiving and data entry (I love it, but it can get lonely; yet I also don't want to stop and chat or really focus on words, because I have to get through everything), so having him talking in the background got me through my workweek. Need. More. Audiobooks.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews