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Fifty Acres and a Poodle: A Story of Love, Livestock, and Finding Myself on a Farm
“Humorous . . . This true-life tale charts a big-city girl’s transformation to farm gal.”— People
“Jeanne Marie Laskas is the thinking woman’s Erma Bombeck . . . [with] a talent for finding wisdom in daily life. . . . Even the most entrenched urbanite will be charmed by this book.”— Time
Jeanne Marie Laskas had a dream of fleeing her otherwise happy urban life for fresh air and open space—a dream she would discover was about something more than that. But she never expected her fantasy to come true until a summer afternoon’s drive in the country.
That’s when she and her boyfriend, Alex—owner of Marley the poodle—stumble upon the place she thought existed only in her dreams. This pretty-as-a-picture-postcard farm with an Amish barn, a chestnut grove, and breathtaking vistas is real . . . and for sale. And it’s where she knows her future begins.
But buying a postcard—fifty acres of scenery—and living on it are two entirely different matters. The questions seem How long before the barn roof collapses? Should they buy sheep? Will the place be good for her writing, and for her relationship with Alex?
With wit and wisdom, Laskas shares everything she learned about life, love, and the unexpected complications of having your dream come true.
“Jeanne Marie Laskas is the thinking woman’s Erma Bombeck . . . [with] a talent for finding wisdom in daily life. . . . Even the most entrenched urbanite will be charmed by this book.”— Time
Jeanne Marie Laskas had a dream of fleeing her otherwise happy urban life for fresh air and open space—a dream she would discover was about something more than that. But she never expected her fantasy to come true until a summer afternoon’s drive in the country.
That’s when she and her boyfriend, Alex—owner of Marley the poodle—stumble upon the place she thought existed only in her dreams. This pretty-as-a-picture-postcard farm with an Amish barn, a chestnut grove, and breathtaking vistas is real . . . and for sale. And it’s where she knows her future begins.
But buying a postcard—fifty acres of scenery—and living on it are two entirely different matters. The questions seem How long before the barn roof collapses? Should they buy sheep? Will the place be good for her writing, and for her relationship with Alex?
With wit and wisdom, Laskas shares everything she learned about life, love, and the unexpected complications of having your dream come true.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
107 people are currently reading
1276 people want to read
About the author
Jeanne Marie Laskas
18 books139 followersJeanne Marie Laskas is an American writer and professor.
From 1994 until 2008 she was a regular, syndicated columnist for The Washington Post Magazine, where her "Significant Others" essays appeared weekly. She has written feature stories for GQ, where she is a correspondent. Formerly a Contributing Editor at Esquire, her stories have appeared in numerous anthologies, including Best American Sportswriting. She also is the voice behind "Ask Laskas" in Reader's Digest and writes the "My Life as a Mom" column for Ladies' Home Journal.
A professor in the creative writing program at the University of Pittsburgh, she lives in Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania.
From 1994 until 2008 she was a regular, syndicated columnist for The Washington Post Magazine, where her "Significant Others" essays appeared weekly. She has written feature stories for GQ, where she is a correspondent. Formerly a Contributing Editor at Esquire, her stories have appeared in numerous anthologies, including Best American Sportswriting. She also is the voice behind "Ask Laskas" in Reader's Digest and writes the "My Life as a Mom" column for Ladies' Home Journal.
A professor in the creative writing program at the University of Pittsburgh, she lives in Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
January 25, 2025
A friend gave this book to me and said you have got to read this one.
I looked at it, and said, “a book about a poodle on a farm? Now if it said corgi, maybe!”
She laughed, and told me I would love it.
I snickered and put it in my to read pile.
That was about two months ago.
Several books later, I pulled it out.
I was bored. I vowed if the first couple of pages couldn’t pull me in, out it would go in the Little Free Library Shed without a word from me.
Well, here I am telling you I loved it, poodle and all!
I laughed out loud.
I cried.
The characters in the book (who are real by the way) are so well written that at times I can picture them as my neighbors. I want Billy as my neighbor!
The author who is a journalist by trade is a pleasure to read – she is funny, insightful, and makes you fall in love with everyone – including her and her animals, and her farm dream in the country.
I won’t give away any of the spoilers of how she gets there, or what life is like on the farm, because I really do think this is a delightfully real story that needs to be experienced by the reader.
I looked at it, and said, “a book about a poodle on a farm? Now if it said corgi, maybe!”
She laughed, and told me I would love it.
I snickered and put it in my to read pile.
That was about two months ago.
Several books later, I pulled it out.
I was bored. I vowed if the first couple of pages couldn’t pull me in, out it would go in the Little Free Library Shed without a word from me.
Well, here I am telling you I loved it, poodle and all!
I laughed out loud.
I cried.
The characters in the book (who are real by the way) are so well written that at times I can picture them as my neighbors. I want Billy as my neighbor!
The author who is a journalist by trade is a pleasure to read – she is funny, insightful, and makes you fall in love with everyone – including her and her animals, and her farm dream in the country.
I won’t give away any of the spoilers of how she gets there, or what life is like on the farm, because I really do think this is a delightfully real story that needs to be experienced by the reader.
October 24, 2016
At first I wasn't sure I liked the distracted, nervous-chatty writing style, but I very quickly forgot about that because this story is one version of my dream life. Not only did she have her own house by age 26, along with a couple of pets while being a writer by trade, a little more than a decade or so later she was able to buy a hobby farm and make it work despite having no practical experience with rural living, just romanticizing it a lot. This lady is already my hero.
On top of that, I immediately fell in love with her & Alex's relationship. For starters, he raised two kids as a single dad, kids who are conveniently adults by the time they get together. And in case that was not enough to make him charming, they have a fantastic backstory of being friends for years and becoming more after consolation over a hurt pet. It should be noted he only gets more and more indulgent about acquiring pets. I was also moved by the serious discussion of his biopsy and test results, finding myself clenched with anticipation even though I knew perfectly well he was going to survive.
There is so much great detail about their learning experiences on the farm. They really are total novices when it comes to land management, though I'm sure it is a not-insignificant help that Alex is handy with machines and engineering, or that their combined income streams must be pretty good. But it is SUCH a good story about the friendliness of rural communities. It seems like everyone they call on for help or even casually encounter jumps at the chance to pitch in and lend advice, if not a generous helping hand, to their poor clueless new community members. She talks about how she "bought a postcard," but it sure seems like she walked into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie afterward. Not a knock -- it's wonderful to see there really are people that generous of spirit.
And finally, I loved all the detail about pets. She and Alex are both huge animal lovers, so there are plenty of stories about Bob The Cat, Marley the Poodle (no relationship in naming), Betty the Mutt, and some new surprises I won't spoil, except I really like the fact that Jeanne's best gifts have four legs.
Really, one could not write a novel more satisfying than how this memoir turned out.
On top of that, I immediately fell in love with her & Alex's relationship. For starters, he raised two kids as a single dad, kids who are conveniently adults by the time they get together. And in case that was not enough to make him charming, they have a fantastic backstory of being friends for years and becoming more after consolation over a hurt pet. It should be noted he only gets more and more indulgent about acquiring pets. I was also moved by the serious discussion of his biopsy and test results, finding myself clenched with anticipation even though I knew perfectly well he was going to survive.
There is so much great detail about their learning experiences on the farm. They really are total novices when it comes to land management, though I'm sure it is a not-insignificant help that Alex is handy with machines and engineering, or that their combined income streams must be pretty good. But it is SUCH a good story about the friendliness of rural communities. It seems like everyone they call on for help or even casually encounter jumps at the chance to pitch in and lend advice, if not a generous helping hand, to their poor clueless new community members. She talks about how she "bought a postcard," but it sure seems like she walked into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie afterward. Not a knock -- it's wonderful to see there really are people that generous of spirit.
And finally, I loved all the detail about pets. She and Alex are both huge animal lovers, so there are plenty of stories about Bob The Cat, Marley the Poodle (no relationship in naming), Betty the Mutt, and some new surprises I won't spoil, except I really like the fact that Jeanne's best gifts have four legs.
Really, one could not write a novel more satisfying than how this memoir turned out.
February 26, 2017
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I understand the genre and the author's journey of self-discovery. The fact that she remade herself, married late, face possible cancer w her almost husband, bought a farm& loved animals beyond reason, seems a beguiling recipe. Regrettably, I found it slow.
November 14, 2010
I loved it! It started out with repetitious statements and a little slow so I thought I might not like it. I just finished it last night and I can honestly say, I loved it. It made me laugh out loud (my husband kept asking me "what's so funny?" but somehow the humor gets lost in translation. The characters in this book are so well written that at times I can picture them as my neighbors. I want Billy as a neighbor! LOL. I won't describe the book as the back cover does that well enough--I will only say it made me laugh out loud as well as cry, and that's a rarity in books these days.
If you love reading about people falling in love with and moving to the country, only to realize they've gotten in over their heads, you'll love it.
If you love reading about people falling in love with and moving to the country, only to realize they've gotten in over their heads, you'll love it.
October 30, 2012
Jeanne Marie Laskas, writer, and city-dweller, caught the farm bug as she approached her 40s. She had no practical farming experience, but the idea of a beautiful view in the country, where she could get back in touch with herself and drop all of the filters she’d been forced to acquire as a result of living in the city, suddenly became irresistible. She and her significant other (Alex) found themselves farm-shopping almost every weekend. They found the perfect place about 45 minutes outside of Pittsburgh and almost didn’t get it. When they did, the actuality of suddenly being responsible for 50 acres was kind of overwhelming. There were farming “lessons” to learn, and personal adjustments that needed to be learned before Jeanne and Alex were truly comfortable. Their neighbors, however, and other local farmers were really supportive and eager to see them make a go of their farm purchase. When this ends, they have only just decided what kind of farming they’ll do/what kind of farmers they’ll be (sheep, goats, etc.). It’s all about accumulating animals!
Jeanne Laskas is a pleasure to read – she’s funny, insightful, and tells a fantastic story. Plus, you have to appreciate a farm poodle. Really. I hope their farm is a success.
Jeanne Laskas is a pleasure to read – she’s funny, insightful, and tells a fantastic story. Plus, you have to appreciate a farm poodle. Really. I hope their farm is a success.
July 26, 2007
Just read it. She has a gift with language that's a pleasure to read, expresses things that a lot of us feel, and, well...has a poodle.
July 1, 2008
Why are there no stars at the top of this review? If there were stars, I would give this endearing book five stars. (Can I give it six or seven?) I laughed out loud many times, and within the same book found myself sobbing for ten minutes straight. I have read Jeanne Marie Laskas's column over the past few years, and I picked up this book not making the connection between author and columnist. The memoir focuses on her decision to move from the South Side of Pittsburgh to a 50-acre farm in Washington County. As a country girl at heart, I found myself transported back to that lifestyle - a lifestyle that seems relaxed and simple (and by simple I don't mean easy) on the surface but is filled with its own turmoils and heartaches. I have known the Joe Crowleys and the Billys and the Toms and the Georges. My grandmother lives on a "red dog" road, and I would rather go for a walk on a dirt road than get a massage any day. Someday I hope to do what Laskas has done and abandon my current suburban life to return to the "middle of nowhere" which is the "center of everywhere" for me.
April 13, 2009
I'm on page 100ish... Her writing style is distractingly glib and with a repetitious cadenc, humor sometimes funny sometimes just looking down her nose too much, but the underlying story is a good one. Being a pet lover, I liked the descriptions of the contribution in their lives of the poodle and her cat Bob and Betty her hyper dog. Corny but good stuff!
I finished it on saturday. After about page 180 I liked it a lot more because she turned a corner and became friends with the locals, those relationships gave the book more depth and I found myself staying up to read more and laughing out loud. Nice postlude, like the trailer on a movie. Liked the comparison of the 2D postcard image of living in the country vs. the real live 3D reality version.
I finished it on saturday. After about page 180 I liked it a lot more because she turned a corner and became friends with the locals, those relationships gave the book more depth and I found myself staying up to read more and laughing out loud. Nice postlude, like the trailer on a movie. Liked the comparison of the 2D postcard image of living in the country vs. the real live 3D reality version.
August 15, 2007
I had this book on my TBR pile for the last couple of years and I don't know why I had been putting off reading it. I guess the time was just right and I pulled it out and read it this weekend - finishing the last 25 pages on the patio this evening.
Jeanne Laskas was/is writer in Pittsburgh where she lived on the South Side with her cat, Bob and her dog, Betty. She had a perfectly happy life, with a little garden, friends (aka "The Babes") she enjoyed and an interesting writing job. But she had always dreamed of having a farm. Still when she and her psychologist boyfriend, Alex, go out for a drive one fall afternoon they really didn't intend to buy the 50-acre farm an hour south of Pittsburgh. But that's what happened. This book chronicles their first year as farm owners and the characters (animal and human) they encounter. The poodle in the title refers to Alex's dog, Marley ("a standard poodle, not the yappy kind").
This was a simply delightful book! I laughed and I cried. It was all I could do not to double my 15 minute break this afternoon to finish it but I am glad I didn't as that last part was one where I ended up having tears streaming down my face and at one point I could no longer see the pages. I have Laskas' sequel, The Exact Same Moon, Fifty Acres and a Family and I just may have to read that next. I imagine I will end up getting her third book about her raising her two adopted girls from China as I just can't get enough of Jeanne, Alex and their adventures at Sweetwater Farm.
Jeanne Laskas was/is writer in Pittsburgh where she lived on the South Side with her cat, Bob and her dog, Betty. She had a perfectly happy life, with a little garden, friends (aka "The Babes") she enjoyed and an interesting writing job. But she had always dreamed of having a farm. Still when she and her psychologist boyfriend, Alex, go out for a drive one fall afternoon they really didn't intend to buy the 50-acre farm an hour south of Pittsburgh. But that's what happened. This book chronicles their first year as farm owners and the characters (animal and human) they encounter. The poodle in the title refers to Alex's dog, Marley ("a standard poodle, not the yappy kind").
This was a simply delightful book! I laughed and I cried. It was all I could do not to double my 15 minute break this afternoon to finish it but I am glad I didn't as that last part was one where I ended up having tears streaming down my face and at one point I could no longer see the pages. I have Laskas' sequel, The Exact Same Moon, Fifty Acres and a Family and I just may have to read that next. I imagine I will end up getting her third book about her raising her two adopted girls from China as I just can't get enough of Jeanne, Alex and their adventures at Sweetwater Farm.
March 25, 2009
Just finished this book in two days straight. Its that good, its that easy to read and its that fun. I loved it. Its the story of a city girl who buys a farm and stumbles all over herself trying to learn to love her man, live the rural life and face the hard facts of life. Totally hilarious, touching, resonating and well written. I tend to think of myself as a person who gets annoyed with stream of consciousness/ rambly style writing but, this author somehow did it in a way that made my brain ZING!!! on and stay riveted. Maybe she has the same pinball style brain patterns or maybe she's just really a clever writer. Whatever it is, she's lovely. I would have thought that the city mouse role would be hard for me to relate to as well but, somehow she makes it vibrate with incredibly sympathetic energy. I felt all the emotions she rode and could relate to, care about and connect to her, despite our actual real life polar positions. Such a fun read. Jolly, all round. I wish I could read it for the first time again.
And wow...nothing like a book like this to make all my I'm-dreaming-of-buying-an-old-farm lights go on all at once. And a few bells and whistles to boot.
And wow...nothing like a book like this to make all my I'm-dreaming-of-buying-an-old-farm lights go on all at once. And a few bells and whistles to boot.
June 11, 2017
This was an easy read. It was funny at times and at other times seem to go on and on with the same ideas and cutesiness. Written in the first person did make it more real but I don't really know if this is a straight novel or memoir or what. I do know that it seemed way too long for the story that was told. The author went out of her way to make the country people seem kind but a bit simple minded. The pets she has are endearing especially the poodle Marley. The strangest part for me was when her fiancee is diagnosed with a tumor in his colon (and a strong family history of death from this) that she was so detached as if observing it all from a distance. This was a book that I really wouldn't recommend just because there are way better books in this genre out there. PS, I don't think she ever "found" herself.
October 20, 2009
It's impossible not to like Jeanne Laskas - she's very personable and funny, and reading this book transported me into her life more so than most memoirs I've read. Although growing up in Pittsburgh, I suppose I was more able to "see" the farm she so vividly described. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, The Exact Same Moon: Fifty Acres and a Family.
January 17, 2008
I really enjoyed this book and it's 2 sequels. This first book takes the Lord's name in vain several (too many) times, but hardly at all in the following books. That's really my only complaint and is the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. These are laugh-out-loud funny at times. If you like "Ask Laskas" in the Reader's Digest, I think you'll like these books. Part of the reason I like them so much is that her writing style and my thinking style are very similar.
September 7, 2019
This is a 10-star book in a five-star world! Written by Jeanne Marie Laskas, this is the true account of how a city girl traded in the traffic, noise, and busyness of Pittsburgh for life on a 50-acre farm in rural southwestern Pennsylvania—even though she and her then boyfriend (later husband) didn't know ANYTHING about farming, tractors, livestock, or even what kind of gravel was needed for the driveway.
It is hilarious. It is heartbreaking. It is poignant. It is wise. It's just about perfect. Oh, and it really is funny. Very, very funny. (Except when it makes you cry. Then it's not funny, but it's still oh-so-very good.)
This book is about life. Yes, life on a farm. But, really, life anywhere. And that is the genius of Jeanne Marie Laskas.
Jeanne Marie Laskas was a longtime columnist for The Washington Post Sunday magazine and frequently wrote about her farm adventures. As an avid reader of that column, I had a sense of what awaited me with this book, but since her column ended years ago, I had forgotten what a compelling, extraordinary writer she is. The book is so readable, and the content is so fascinating that you'll likely zip right through it.
The good news: You won't get a book hangover! This is the first in a trilogy about Jeanne Marie and Alex's life at the farm.
Warning: Did I mention that it's funny? And I mean REALLY funny! Do not even think about reading this book in a public place. You will be laughing out loud so frequently that people will stare at you oddly.
It is hilarious. It is heartbreaking. It is poignant. It is wise. It's just about perfect. Oh, and it really is funny. Very, very funny. (Except when it makes you cry. Then it's not funny, but it's still oh-so-very good.)
This book is about life. Yes, life on a farm. But, really, life anywhere. And that is the genius of Jeanne Marie Laskas.
Jeanne Marie Laskas was a longtime columnist for The Washington Post Sunday magazine and frequently wrote about her farm adventures. As an avid reader of that column, I had a sense of what awaited me with this book, but since her column ended years ago, I had forgotten what a compelling, extraordinary writer she is. The book is so readable, and the content is so fascinating that you'll likely zip right through it.
The good news: You won't get a book hangover! This is the first in a trilogy about Jeanne Marie and Alex's life at the farm.
Warning: Did I mention that it's funny? And I mean REALLY funny! Do not even think about reading this book in a public place. You will be laughing out loud so frequently that people will stare at you oddly.
August 20, 2019
Really enjoyed this sweet book and funny book. The author's style of writing is very entertaining, light and funny. She dreams of owning a farm and with no farming experience to speak of she and her boyfriend/now husband buy a farm an hour outside of Pittsburgh. It is like they moved to a different state - they are certainly fish out of water and the author has a self effacing style of writing poking fun at themselves. Love her liking the tractor that came with house for its cuteness and color rather than practicality of can it do the job. They both come with dogs - hers a beautiful mutt (and senior cat) and his a poodle and they acquire more animals along the way. I love her descriptions of her pets/animals. Truly appreciates the unique personalities of each of her animals. A nice uplifting read.
May 6, 2019
I enjoyed this story. The author had an unusual, amusing style of writing - open and
honest. On occasion, the story was bogged down with her internal thoughts, but all
in all, I looked forward to getting back to my reading each night before bed.
honest. On occasion, the story was bogged down with her internal thoughts, but all
in all, I looked forward to getting back to my reading each night before bed.
September 13, 2020
Excellent book and not what I thought it would be. What a pleasant surprise. I laughed and cried and it was pure enjoyment!
October 18, 2019
Such a pleasant, funny memoir of a city woman who just sold everything and bought a farm, which she knew nothing about. Loved reading about her life and just what the farm meant to her in terms of inner growth. Lovely read, I highly recommend this well written book.
March 21, 2022
I picked up this book, in part, because I grew up in Pittsburgh, which is the city Laskas leaves. I'm so happy I grabbed this book! What a charming and thoughtful tale. Her poodle snippets are hilarious - I read several out loud to my spouse. I read this book in just a couple days during a time I was feeling very down due to some life circumstances. It definitely lifted my spirits. This is my first experience reading Laskas, and I can't wait to read more of her works!
May 5, 2017
2.5 stars. It's not a bad book and there are parts I really enjoyed but she didn't seem to know what type of book she wanted this to be. By the description you think it will be a fun read about stories of her new farm life. But she rambles and drifts away from the fun this book could be where I found myself scanning until I could get back to the actual farm life.
April 24, 2017
I read this book in the lunchroom every night for the first week or so of my first "Real-World" newspaper job - and after I finished the book, I wrote the author a thank-you note.
Laskas's writing is just awe-inspiring. You hold this book in your hands, and you're holding What I Want to Do With My Life. Not the own-a-farm thing - that part is, yes, interesting; Laskas and her almost-fiance buy a farm and move out of a city atmosphere together, and the book is about that adjustment and dreams coming real ("Dream alive! Dream alive!"). Laskas for years focused on writing and at some point later down the line chose to shift the focus, and this book is an ode to that.
Really, reading Laskas's writing is like talking with her. It's like being her best friend. It's like sitting down for a chat over coffee. It's like being able to say to someone with whom you have remarkably similar interests: "Yes! I relate to that! I feel like, too! I do that, too!"
At one point, she talks about how she went to grad school after undergrad because she didn't know how else to "become a writer" and that the "writing life" involves sleeping at odd hours and eating nothing but Pop-Tarts for days and then nothing but popcorn for days.
Read this book. Read her other books. Read her archived Significant Others columns in Washington Post Magazine. And when you read all of these things, I hope you respect them as much as I do.
Oh, and Laskas wrote back to my thank-you note. This is a very down-to-earth writer.
Laskas's writing is just awe-inspiring. You hold this book in your hands, and you're holding What I Want to Do With My Life. Not the own-a-farm thing - that part is, yes, interesting; Laskas and her almost-fiance buy a farm and move out of a city atmosphere together, and the book is about that adjustment and dreams coming real ("Dream alive! Dream alive!"). Laskas for years focused on writing and at some point later down the line chose to shift the focus, and this book is an ode to that.
Really, reading Laskas's writing is like talking with her. It's like being her best friend. It's like sitting down for a chat over coffee. It's like being able to say to someone with whom you have remarkably similar interests: "Yes! I relate to that! I feel like, too! I do that, too!"
At one point, she talks about how she went to grad school after undergrad because she didn't know how else to "become a writer" and that the "writing life" involves sleeping at odd hours and eating nothing but Pop-Tarts for days and then nothing but popcorn for days.
Read this book. Read her other books. Read her archived Significant Others columns in Washington Post Magazine. And when you read all of these things, I hope you respect them as much as I do.
Oh, and Laskas wrote back to my thank-you note. This is a very down-to-earth writer.
December 22, 2014
This book arrived, looking and feeling brand new, I considered giving it to my homestead-ish daughter-in-law...after I read it first. This memoir is a retelling of the old story of city mouse/country mouse. Laskas and her boyfriend Alex buy a farm about an hour south of Pittsburgh.
Laskas' writing voice is compelling: when she laughs at herself I can hear it, don't sense that the laughter is camouflaged boasting. Here's what I mean:
:: Marley is Alex's poodle. Yes, well. A poodle. "My boyfriend has a poodle." Sometimes I have to practice saying that. Because I come from a long line of mutt people (i.e., people who laugh at poodle people). Alex is a psychologist. Yes, I know. I practice saying that, too: "My boyfriend is a shrink." When I am feeling very courageous, I practice saying the whole thing: "I am in love with a shrink with a pet poodle." Whew. You never know where you're going to end up. ::
The book was light entertainment, but one word made me wince: jeezus. Lower case, change the spelling, but it remains the most profane word.
Before I had finished, I decided against giving this to my daughter-in-law, whose time to read is limited.
Laskas' writing voice is compelling: when she laughs at herself I can hear it, don't sense that the laughter is camouflaged boasting. Here's what I mean:
:: Marley is Alex's poodle. Yes, well. A poodle. "My boyfriend has a poodle." Sometimes I have to practice saying that. Because I come from a long line of mutt people (i.e., people who laugh at poodle people). Alex is a psychologist. Yes, I know. I practice saying that, too: "My boyfriend is a shrink." When I am feeling very courageous, I practice saying the whole thing: "I am in love with a shrink with a pet poodle." Whew. You never know where you're going to end up. ::
The book was light entertainment, but one word made me wince: jeezus. Lower case, change the spelling, but it remains the most profane word.
Before I had finished, I decided against giving this to my daughter-in-law, whose time to read is limited.
May 27, 2017
Could not put down.
Very real, earthy and soulful. Funny and romantic. The author has a magic touch with wording that makes you feel like you are in your head and that she is in yours. Never read a book like it before. Can't wait to buy more of her books.
Very real, earthy and soulful. Funny and romantic. The author has a magic touch with wording that makes you feel like you are in your head and that she is in yours. Never read a book like it before. Can't wait to buy more of her books.
November 28, 2011
I wanted to love this book, but I was kind of disappointed in how much of the time was NOT on the farm, but thinking about buying a farm, and getting married. I thought it was a good story, and I felt really pulled in by the characters, but I just was hoping for a slightly different angle. Also, I felt like she used the "poodle" in the title to attract a bit of sensationalism and then she spends considerable time talking about how much SHE would never have gotten a poodle herself. And how they got mutts after the poodle. Nitpicking, maybe, but that is what I felt.
May 13, 2020
I loved this book. I appreciate the author using a more conversational, laid back tone, but still adding some existential thoughts into it. I laughed out loud so many times. I too have a farm dream, but I know that might be all it ever will be, but having a large plot of land and not having neighbors too close could definitely still be a possibility. My one question about the neighbor's sheep, why no herding dog? Those are my answer for all things in life :)
June 8, 2015
I read this book years ago and really enjoyed it. It's the memoir of a woman that has a "farm dream." She never really means to act on it but one day she does and buys 50 acres in the country outside Pittsburg. She's a really funny writer. This is perfect, light summer reading. Enjoy!
February 9, 2008
a delightful story of a writer who lives in the city and purchases a farm with her then boyfriend (now husband) who also happens to own a standard poodle.
July 11, 2017
So so sweet. After all the mess of the week, this was a very lovely escape into love and beauty and farm life.
February 8, 2018
The author, Jeanne Marie Laskas, takes the reader on a journey that is unforgettable. A painfully shy child who craved solitude; who protects the souls of dead animals with her prayers and dreams of one day living on a farm leaves Pittsburg in her mid-thirties and buys fifty farmland acres and a house with her boyfriend. The results are a truly witty, funny book. I found myself reading passages from it to my husband, after cackling with delight. But, the book was much more...as I said, it was a journey. Along the way, Ms. Laskas learns that solitude isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be; she learns, through her wonderful companion cat Bob, how to love completely and how to bear loss; she learns that a farm is a lot of hard work in reality; and she learns how to open her heart to others. The book is peppered with wonderful characters, Ms Laskas neighbors who come to her rescue over and over and broaden her perception of life. It also has Alex, her older boyfriend who has agreed to share this journey with her, leaving her at the farm alone during the day to write (or stew because she's lonely!) while he works in the city as a psychologist, seeing patients. The farm purchase becomes Alex's journey in a different way, moving out of tragedy and sadness into healing. And Jeanne Marie Laskas finds another kind of healing in her own life. Through it all, there is a poodle that Alex brought into the relationship, that seems a point of amusement to the country neighbors. He seems as out of place on the farm as Jeanne Marie and Alex. Here is a quote from the book concerning Marley the poodle:
"Joe comes out of the basement and gives a shrug. No socket wrenches. He joins his friends. 'Aw, Poodle Dude,' he says 'What's up Poodle Dude?' He leans on the pickup. He's a nice guy; he's been nice to Marley up until now. I hope his rotten friends haven't contaminated him.
'He's communicating with the mother ship!' the one says to Joe.
'No, he's dreaming about becoming a German Shepherd!'.....
They're laughing their guts out. They love their own humor. It occurs to me that they might be drunk.
Just then Marley leaps like a windup toy to his feet. Whoa. And what? He takes off--fwooom!--like a bullet. He is a black blotch streaking through the sky. Now we're the one's transfixed. Soon he is taking one giant leap into the brush, and before any of us know what is happening, he is swinging back around, like a gymnast that can both lunge and spin at the same time. As he swings around, we see it: a live groundhog in his mouth. Not any groundhog. A groundhog a good six times bigger than Marley's head. We stand there motionless, all of us, even Betty, watching this poodle wrestle this mother of all groundhogs to the cold earth; he seems to know right where to go, just how to snap its neck, because within the next blink of an eye, the groundhog is on the ground, dead. Marley stands over it, huffing and puffing."
Marley has shown he is more than he appears to be with his black curls. There are funny moments, yes, but also tender moments, and introspective moments as the journey progresses. A woman comes into her own and learns who she is, and how to share herself. The book resonates with so many truths. I enjoyed it immensely.
"Joe comes out of the basement and gives a shrug. No socket wrenches. He joins his friends. 'Aw, Poodle Dude,' he says 'What's up Poodle Dude?' He leans on the pickup. He's a nice guy; he's been nice to Marley up until now. I hope his rotten friends haven't contaminated him.
'He's communicating with the mother ship!' the one says to Joe.
'No, he's dreaming about becoming a German Shepherd!'.....
They're laughing their guts out. They love their own humor. It occurs to me that they might be drunk.
Just then Marley leaps like a windup toy to his feet. Whoa. And what? He takes off--fwooom!--like a bullet. He is a black blotch streaking through the sky. Now we're the one's transfixed. Soon he is taking one giant leap into the brush, and before any of us know what is happening, he is swinging back around, like a gymnast that can both lunge and spin at the same time. As he swings around, we see it: a live groundhog in his mouth. Not any groundhog. A groundhog a good six times bigger than Marley's head. We stand there motionless, all of us, even Betty, watching this poodle wrestle this mother of all groundhogs to the cold earth; he seems to know right where to go, just how to snap its neck, because within the next blink of an eye, the groundhog is on the ground, dead. Marley stands over it, huffing and puffing."
Marley has shown he is more than he appears to be with his black curls. There are funny moments, yes, but also tender moments, and introspective moments as the journey progresses. A woman comes into her own and learns who she is, and how to share herself. The book resonates with so many truths. I enjoyed it immensely.
October 29, 2017
The poodle was good. Also the mule, the horse, the ladybugs, and even the invasive multiflora briars. Loved the neighbors and workmen, especially Billy and all the Joes. Billy is a hoot--
"When I was a kid, everybody took a gun to school," he says. "Not with the intention of shooting anybody. But just to kill supper on the way home. What else was there to do with your spare time?"
"Um, well, we watched TV," I say meekly. "Did you ever see Green Acres?"
He smiles. "I'm a little older than you," he says. "But I've seen reruns."
One funny thing--I noticed after finishing that the entire story is written in present tense. Present tense usually annoys me, but I didn't even notice it. But possibly, just possibly, that's why I found the book so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again.
The author's interior dialog and attempts to relate her struggle with aloneness just didn't grip me. They seemed to be repetitive, unchanging, and boring. And sadly, (having to admit a defect of my character here) I found myself skipping or skimming those parts. Frequently I skipped too far and missed some of the good stuff. Which sucked.
But the book didn't suck. It was great. Laugh-out loud a couple of times and excruciatingly painful only twice when it had to be.
"When I was a kid, everybody took a gun to school," he says. "Not with the intention of shooting anybody. But just to kill supper on the way home. What else was there to do with your spare time?"
"Um, well, we watched TV," I say meekly. "Did you ever see Green Acres?"
He smiles. "I'm a little older than you," he says. "But I've seen reruns."
One funny thing--I noticed after finishing that the entire story is written in present tense. Present tense usually annoys me, but I didn't even notice it. But possibly, just possibly, that's why I found the book so easy to put down and so hard to pick up again.
The author's interior dialog and attempts to relate her struggle with aloneness just didn't grip me. They seemed to be repetitive, unchanging, and boring. And sadly, (having to admit a defect of my character here) I found myself skipping or skimming those parts. Frequently I skipped too far and missed some of the good stuff. Which sucked.
But the book didn't suck. It was great. Laugh-out loud a couple of times and excruciatingly painful only twice when it had to be.
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