Nông trại Ngộ nghĩnh: Cuộc sống đầy bất ngờ của tôi với 600 con vật giải cứu

by Laurie Zaleski, Hồng Quyên (Translator)

Mở một nông trại giải cứu động vật chưa bao giờ là ước mơ của Laurie Zaleski, đó là nguyện vọng của mẹ cô. Trốn chạy khỏi người chồng bạo hành, với bàn tay trắng và ba đứa con thơ, bà đã gây dựng lại cuộc đời mình, đồng thời cứu lấy nhiều con vật bị bỏ rơi. Ba mươi năm sau, bước qua tuổi thơ cơ cực và trở thành một nữ doanh nhân thành đạt, Laurie đã viết tiếp giấc mơ của mẹ.
Nông trại Ngộ nghĩnh là câu chuyện về lòng tốt ở nơi nơi, về lời hứa được gìn giữ, về những sinh vật vô tội bị bỏ rơi rồi tìm thấy một mái nhà. Đó cũng là câu chuyện chân thật, dí dỏm về những con người với nghị lực sống, lòng trắc ẩn và niềm lạc quan mãnh liệt, về những loài vật dũng cảm, phi thường, vui tính, đáng yêu có thể khiến bạn rơi nước mắt và phải bật cười.

"Đây là tự truyện về thời thơ ấu thiếu thốn đã nhóm lên trong tác giả tình thương dành cho mọi sinh vật to lớn và nhỏ bé. Câu chuyện đau lòng nhưng lại thật ấm lòng.” Washington Post

“Những câu chuyện về các con vật được giải cứu của Zaleski đều khiến ta dễ dàng đồng cảm, và thường được kể với lòng trắc ẩn, sự phẫn nộ, chút dí dỏm, và quyết tâm mạnh mẽ mà tất cả những người làm công tác giải cứu động vật đều quen thuộc. ” – Library Journal

“Những người yêu các loài vật hai chân, bốn chân, có đuôi hay có cánh, đều sẽ yêu thích quyển sách này.” – Publishers Weekly

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Animals, Biography, Biography Memoir, Nature, Audiobook

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 22, 2022

About the author

Laurie Zaleski is the founder of the Funny Farm, a charitable organization located in Mizpah, New Jersey. Since 2000, the farm has welcomed all kinds of rescue animals. Laurie is also the founder, president and CEO of Art-Z Graphics. She has been named a New Jersey Heartland Hero, is listed in the 2019 Who’s Who of Professional Women, and has received numerous awards and acknowledgements for her work to save animals and educate the public about animal abuse.

Reviews

[Laurie Zaleski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my life and my first book. I hope you all enjoy it. Although there are some sad parts (as life always is), there are lots of laughs. My mom was "good nuts" so she always found humor in everything. You can join me every Sunday on FB live at 10am Eastern Standard Time to see the animals in action. Come visit us at the Funny Farm Rescue & Sanctuary in South Jersey.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. In addition to the stories about the animals on a rescue farm in New Jersey, it's also a memoir of the woman who runs the farm. A woman whose life got off to a rough start with an abusive father.
This is a heartfelt story. Zaleski isn’t a particularly talented writer. Her style is pretty basic. But the story she tells is real and engaging. After years of abuse, her mother finally leaves their father. Giving up a life of privilege, she moved into a shack with her kids. And then began rescuing a diverse group of animals. Not just dogs and cats, but goats, horses, pigs, chicken and cattle. It wasn’t an easy life but it was a fulfilling one for mother and kids alike. She was a role model for good and bad. Her horrible choice in men led Laurie to have a fear of commitment. But I loved her motto, “the more you cry, the less you pee.”
I recommend this for every animal lover. It’s a reminder that everyone deserves a chance.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this is a memoir with darker moments, overall it is balanced by the sweet and funny moments of Zeleski’s life, some lovely ones, as well as heartbreaking ones. With her life devoted to rescuing animals, it is necessary to learn to embrace the progress made, and the joy in witnessing these animals recover from neglect, abuse and health issues that plague them. The bonds formed between unusual friendships between animals - dogs and cats, chickens and dogs, squirrels and bunnies. These unusual friendships are testament that despite our outer appearances that the things we have in common can bond us rather than divide us. The question remains - why humans can’t do the same.

This begins with her relating a story of a man who comes down her driveway early after her return from her day job - after she’s shucked off her high heels and work attire, replacing it with overalls and boots - and sees him lifting an animal he obviously plans to abandon. She rushes out to give him a piece of her mind, letting him know that it’s illegal to dump any animal, along with a few other choice words.

Throughout this memoir the chapters share the stories of her life from childhood, the years that follow, alongside the stories of the animals that come into her life. Her childhood wasn’t an easy one, but her mother made up for the lack of love they received from their father. When events brought the children to tears, their mother’s catch phrase about crying would have them snickering in response.

Overall, while this has some darker moments, it is beautifully shared with more than enough charming and funny moments that leave the reader in awe of the author’s resilience. But it is the love that is so constant in this that kept me reading. A daughter’s love for her mother, despite her struggles, a woman’s love for those animals in need and deserving of love. A woman who believes in the healing power of love, and the courage and resilience to make a difference in their lives.


Published: 22 Feb 2022

Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press

[Donna Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You never know what you are capable of until the day comes when you have to go places you hadn’t planned on going.”

Laurie Zaleski knows how to make a debut. Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life With 600 Rescue Animals has created a tremendous buzz, and all of it is deserved. My thanks go to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the review copy. This book will be available to the public Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

Laurie’s early childhood was in many ways an enviable one; her mother stayed home to raise Laurie, her brother, and her sister, and her father made enough money to hire household help and buy a couple of vacation homes, too. There was nothing they lacked for, other than physical safety. Because while her father could be warm, and loving, and generous, and funny, he could also be a monster. His reign of terror was worsened by alcohol consumption. As the beatings became uglier and more frequent, Annie, their mother, chose poverty for the children and herself over the constant terror and danger of living with their dad.

“’I almost became a nun,’ Mom would joke years later. ‘Then I met the devil…’ Annie McNulty and Richard Zaleski fell in love like tripping into an open manhole: one wrong move followed by a long dark plunge.”

There’s one searing episode Zaleski recounts, toward the end of their life with Dad, in which they are all hidden in a bedroom with the door blocked shut, and their father is sneaking up on them, commando crawling up the hallway toward them so they won’t see his shadow approaching, and he has a large knife between his teeth. It sounds like something from a Stephen King novel, doesn’t it?

And so, when Annie’s efforts to build a modest nest egg to finance their flight is uncovered, she has no other option but to leave without the money. She finds a dumpy cabin in the woods, half fallen down and in no way legally rentable, and strikes a bargain with the owner. To say that their standard of living decreases is the understatement of the year, but they make it work.

Once she has made her escape, apart from the creepy forays from an unseen enemy that occur from time to time, Annie can’t turn away anyone else, human or otherwise, that is in a dark and vulnerable place. The woods surrounding their little shack begin sprouting makeshift outbuildings; there’s a little lean-to here, and a sort-of paddock there. And it keeps growing.

Zaleski is a gifted storyteller, and she alternates her narrative from the present to the past, breaking up the nightmarish episodes of her childhood with hilarious stories, most of which are about the critters. Her writing is so nimble that I find myself repeatedly checking to see what else she’s published, because there’s just no way this can be her debut. But then, that’s what they said about Harper Lee, right?

Perhaps the most glorious aspect of this book is seeing how Annie McNulty’s can-do attitude, sterling work ethic, and positivity transformed her life and lit a path for her children. She provided them with an outstanding role model, and in return, they did everything possible for her when cancer forced her to slow down.

This book will inevitably be compared to Educated and The Glass Castle because it is a memoir of someone that has overcome horrifying challenges in childhood and emerged triumphant. But make no mistake, Zaleski’s story is in no way derivative, and likely will be held up as an example for future writers. It makes my feminist heart sing!

Highly recommended.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a heartbreaking and hopeful memoir of abuse, abandonment and rescue. Laurie Zaleski’s mother Annie had a special heart for animals who needed a safe home, as she did when she left her abusive husband. She had three kids, no money and an unrealized dream of building an animal refuge. Laurie opens Funny Farm Animal Rescue in New Jersey just after her mother’s death, realizing Annie’s dream in her honor.

This is a beautifully written tale that grabbed me from the start. I adore animals too and cannot stand the idea of any being hurt or abandoned. Laurie draws a word portrait of her mom that’s so real you feel you know her. And the stories of the rescued animals — 600 currently at Funny Farm — touched my heart deeply, as I devoured the book in one sitting. Highly highly recommended!

5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 07 Sep 2021
#FunnyFarm #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

[Ruby Dixon]

It was on sale and it is all about saving animals. Also about dealing with a mother that had cancer. Heartwarming.

[Jennifer Fatula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What I expected was a lot of stories about the animals rescued and adventures on a rescue farm with a little background of her life and how she got there. What the book really was about was her life growing up and all of the heart-ache and struggle of her life with a few animal stories thrown in here and there; there was little animal story at the end of each chapter which was nice but that was pretty much it. I have started following their social media accounts which I think is what will give me the stories I want. It wasn't bad per say but just not what I was expecting. I also feel there needs to be some content warnings going in (maybe this is because I read mostly fiction but knowing it's a nonfiction makes this difficult to deal with?) for domestic abuse, child abuse, cancer, animal murder, and parental death (a few of those are alluded to in the description but not all of them and I might be missing some).

Sometimes this felt a bit disjoined and it didn't always flow very well. I would have also like more description but that was probably my fault for reading a 250 page nonfiction book directly after reading a 1000+ page historical fiction and 700+ page fantasy book.

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely captivated by this memoir by Laurie Zaleski. It is the story of her animal rescue, but also her childhood, her courageous mother, and the escape from a cruel and abusive father. Every story she relates from her life just captivates, whether it's a sad scene from her childhood, a triumphant tale of starting over, or stories about the rescue animals she and her mother have taken in.

If you are in difficult circumstances, read this book about a woman who took her children to safety, and then built a new life based on saving animals. It will make you smle and cry.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review if voluntary and my opinions are my own.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel is a sunshine through the rain type of true story. Despite the cheery cover, which is adorable, it contains dark subject matter that may trigger some readers.
Trigger Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Child Abuse, Animal abuse, Addiction, Cancer, Death of a Parent

Laurie Zaleski’s memoir, Funny Farm, is a dichotomous tale exhibiting dark origins, but those origins are overshadowed by an optimistic spirit and unbreakable perseverance. This autobiography is written much like a love letter to Laurie’s mother Annie, who fled their horrific, abusive, father penniless, at twenty-six years old with three young children. The story also seems to have served hopefully, as a cautionary tale to others, as Laurie addresses many topics in this short book.

“I wanted life to be like one of those Norman Rockwell paintings full of humor and happy endings.”
“…..I started saying to Mom, “Someday, when I’m a famous artist, I’m going to buy you a real farm, and you can have all the animals you want.” “Okay,” said Mom. “I’ll mark someday on my calendar.”

Today, in the Pinelands, in South Jersey there’s an extraordinary rescue farm that gives hope and a home to more than six hundred animals that once had neither. Looking at the Funny Farm in its current state, it’s hard to fathom its roots sprouted in the unlikeliest of places, the hearts of a battered woman and her children, who fled a life a luxury riddled with abuse for a life of poverty with a little more peace and freedom. I kept thinking how afraid Annie must have been, but isn’t that the very definition of brave? Being in absolute terror and putting one foot in front of the other and forcing yourself to function. So I’ll amend that thought and say, how brave Annie must have been.

Annie, Laurie’s mother, found work in an animal shelter and soon began bringing a variety of creatures both large and small home. Beginning what would become a lifetime of trying to save animals in desperate need of care, despite the family’s meager financial situation. The children learned to help out and amassed a broad, handy skill set. Necessity being the mother of invention.

The story of Laurie’s dysfunctional and at times traumatic upbringing is interspersed with anecdotes about the animals on the Funny Farm both past and present. These are a fantastic addition to the book and as someone who lives on a small farm myself, I’m glad Laurie included all this information. So often people acquire an animal with the best of intentions, but they aren’t prepared for the reality of what raising certain animals entails. Then that animal ends up without a home. As someone who loves and appreciates animals it’s enjoyable to read stories about different personality traits and how resilient they are, given the opportunity.

As an adult, Laurie finds tremendous success in the world of art, one of her childhood dreams come true!

Soon after, her mother’s cancer diagnosis seems like a cruel joke. How can this vibrant woman who has suffered and survived so much have cancer?

Laurie desperately wants to find a perfect location to build her mother’s dream farm. A place where Annie can rescue as many animals as she wants.

Will she find it in time?

This book gave me all the feels. I had a visceral reaction and an appreciation for the genuine manner in which the author portrayed her story.

My favorite quote is one from Laurie’s mom. She would say it whenever someone got sad to the point of tears in the hope that they would smile.

“The more you cry, the less you’ll pee.”
- Annie

4.25⭐️

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another memoir to add to my favorites! Funny Farm is heartwarming and endearing. The story alternates between the rescue animals and Laurie's life. So much of Laurie's childhood broke my heart. Especially when it came to her father. I was in awe of her mother's strength and resilience. Laurie definitely took after her mother in many ways. Her love for all animals is truly beautiful.

I miss my days on the farm. It was the best childhood. Reading about the intelligence of pigs brought back such happy memories for me. I taught mine how to play soccer and would come home on the bus after school everyday and head straight to their outdoor pen.

I immediately had to check out the Instagram page as soon as I finished reading and had the biggest smile while scrolling through the pictures.

Huge thank you to St. Martin's Press for my gifted copy!!

[Yodamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about the phoenix rising out of the ashes Laurie Zaleski does it as does her mother. This was not the book I was expecting. I thought it was all about animal rescue, it's a bit that and so much more. This book is a who is behind the marvelous Funny Farm and the road that got them there. Abuse, physical, mental, animal and extreme poverty were a daily thing for this family as they grew. Her mother was an amazing woman who left her abusive husband, and fought with nothing till she made it. She was a light and a force that kept them all alive and mentally strong to weather the torture their father unleashed for years.
Did I get the deep weepy feels while reading this. Oh yes I did, big huge crying sobs. Her father was such a monster. She wrote her memoir with her whole heart. Such an amazing woman, so much strength.
If you love to see people rise from the ashes, read this. It's an amazing story.

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts: I flew through this wonderful book in one night. I wasn’t sure what I would think of it, but after reading it, I am happy to say I loved it. The author tells her story of growing up in a dysfunctional family until one day her mother finally got the gumption to leave their dad. They moved into a half a house that was in sad disrepair, but the rent was cheap. It’s a story of her mother and how she made the place into a home and found ways to keep the kids fed. Annie had a deep love for animals, and working at an animal shelter, she gradually began to bring home the ones that no one wanted. It started when they needed a dog to keep intruders away from the house, and snowballed from there. Uplifting and inspiring, recommended. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Laurie Zaleski, and the publisher.

[Tanja Berg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected to enjoy this book about rescued animals, and it exceeded my expectations! There are two plot lines, one with animal tales from the author’s current life and farm. The second plot line is a memoir from her childhood. Laurie and her siblings went from affluence to abject poverty when their mother left their father. He had more than a few screws loose, and continued to terrorize his ex wife and children for years. Laurie’s early years present a remarkable story of resilience and perseverance - on the part of both humans and animals. I loved this book and recommend it with all my heart.

[debbicat *made of stardust* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad I was sent a widget to read this. I now follow Funny Farm on social media and am grateful for Laurie's heart and this rescue. Some of Laurie's journey is heartbreaking and I took a few breaks while reading. It's a beautiful story and she is an animal hero for sure.

I had not heard of this sanctuary and I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about rescues. I am grateful for her compassion and tenacity. A lot of what she has done has not been easy. I enjoyed reading about her journey to open the farm and rescue Funny Farm has become. Some stories were hard to read as she did not shy away from writing about the death of some of her beloved rescues. Her father was an evil man and it was hard to read some of what he did to some of their pets growing up to get back at her mother, who left him due to abuse.

I highly recommend this and wish to say thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to read for review.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

My problem with this book is that each chapter is three quarters about the author’s parents and siblings, but mostly about her mother and the abuse she took from her husband, Laurie's and her brother and sisters' miserable childhood and then a short story about an animal rescue/the Funny Farm. I understand that the author wanted to have the background of why the Funny Farm exists, I just don’t feel that it should be the bulk of the book. Some heartwarming and tragic stories about animals but they are really few and far between. So, I was mostly disappointed and thus two stars, I couldn't bring myself to give it three stars.

[Deb✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't begin to tell you how much I loved this book! This is a memoir of Laurie Zaleski and her 600 Rescue Animal Sanctuary called Funny Farm in New Jersey, and how it all came to be. She went through overwhelming odds with her family from a very young age. It started with just a few rescued animals at their meager home they began calling the funny farm and then became her mother's passion and life-long dream to own a big farm and run a big animal rescue sanctuary. Unfortunately, her mom developed cancer and while she fought hard, she lost her battle only two weeks before Laurie closed on the new farm that she had always dreamed of buying for her. Although Laurie Zaleski already owns and operates her own art firm in the city, she still decided to also continue on with the Funny Farm anyway in tribute to her mother's dream. It is a huge undertaking, her husband helps out along with her sister, brother, their spouses and their children. Since she made it become a tax-free charitable organization, they have many volunteers that also love to come out and help as well. Hundreds of people come out to see the animals. They donate money to help feed and care for them. The Funny Farm has become very popular.

I loved how each chapter of her book highlighted an animal story about a special animal or pair of bonded animals on her farm. It was very fun and heartwarming to read. Overall, this book was very well put together, it was packed with a full range of emotions, I just wanted to keep reading and not put it down. Her mom was a delightful, strong, hard-working person who gave her kids great, positive advice and upbringing against some pretty tough odds growing up and Laurie was a strong willed, good overall person because of her mother as well. What a great book, I highly recommend this one!

I would like to thank #Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This engaging author tells her story with enthusiasm, robust anecdotes, and spares no reader of her wry asides, and frank observations. We hear of her life in the Pinelands of South Jersey, and as her life spills out on the pages, the animals her mother can't turn away become woven in each chapter. Her natal family goes through tough times, their animals go through tough times, but mostly they all just keep on rising above the latest challenge.

The author's self-reliance, her rough and tumble family, and her determined mother were inspiring to read about. Once that book closed, I was looking her up, wanting to see what's happening today at the Funny Farm, and there she was, big as life with animals everywhere! Very satisfying to see that the end I hoped for her came true. She's found that way to make everyday better. A great read, especially if resilience appeals and speaks to you, and if you love animals, you've got a big bonus coming!

A Sincere Thanks to Laurie Zaleski, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is both a memoir and the story of an animal sanctuary. The book starts when the author was 5 and finishes when she is over 50 there is a lot of ground covered. As the blurb says, it was Annie's, Laurie's mother, dream to start an animal rescue, but after her mother died she decided to take it on herself, even as the CEO of her own company called Art-Z Graphics.

Life growing up was very difficult financially since Annie took here three children and ran to escape her wealthy but abusive and philandering husband. The kids picked up the work ethic of their mother and Laurie ended up with a full ride to university.

I liked the book, and am not sure if it just didn't pass muster or if I wasn't feeling well enough to enjoy it since you'll see it has a high average rating.

[Christopher Febles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t even imagine! Horses, pigs, chickens, emu, cockatoos, and a barfing German shepherd? (Sorry for the spoiler alert.) Yikes!

As a preschooler, Laurie Zaleski fled with her mom and siblings from an abusive father. They moved into a decrepit bungalow in the woodlands of South Jersey before its commercial development. There her mother tried to make ends meet working any jobs she could find, including at the animal shelter. She’d bring home any poor animal in need of a home, and before long, they were overrun with all God’s creatures. That’s when it became the Funny Farm!

Zaleski does a marvelous job introducing us to her no-nonsense, cliché-talking, hardnosed mom. She shows us how tough life was, how they also managed to house just about every critter, big and small, that needed a second chance. They also had to dodge some vindictive and awful acts by the father, and I just don’t know how they did it.

In a way, I felt a better title would have been “Funny FARMER.” Emphasis on the person, as I felt the book was more about the people than the farm. I’d love to meet Zaleski, and I would have loved meeting her mom. It’s a simple but gritty tale, about regular people like you and me, doing something bold and tiring for a very good cause. Some books like this can get mired in the author’s bragging, but this didn’t. It did seem like a dedication to her mother, a bit like Crying in H Mart: Zaleski wants us to know how much her mother meant to her, and the work she does is an extension of that love.

Just the same, I enjoyed learning about the farm. I liked the “Animal Tales” at the end of every chapter. That helped center the book sometimes, because I felt confused with the biography (again, Funny FARMER) when I was hoping to learn more about the farm. Hearing about all those sick, crazy animals, with so many personalities, put a smile on my face. I think I need to pay a visit.

A fun and inspiring tale of a strong, smart woman and her giant flock/herd/gaggle. Read on!

[Susan O'Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laurie Zaleski didn't plan to care for 600 animals, but in a way, she had no choice. When you read her memoir, “Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life With 600 Rescue Animals," caring for others is part of her genetic makeup. From the time her mom Annie escaped an abusive husband, the example she created for Laurie and her two siblings was simple - never neglect others.

Laurie's early life was one of privilege. Behind closed doors, though, it was filled with her father's alcohol-fueled beatings. When her mom left him, they traded luxury for a run-down shack in the woods. What it lacked in creature comforts was made up by the creatures, human or otherwise, who sought comfort there. Despite the small income Annie brought in, Laurie's family made the woods their home. And what little they had, they shared with abandoned or abused critters.

Laurie's memoir is a blend of resolution and compassion. She recounts the good times and the tough times with humor and a can-do spirit. The best parts, though, are the animal tales that go far beyond the usual cat and dog. Pigs, horses, squirrels, ducks - no species is turned away. There's Adele, a chicken that wears diapers and lives in the house. Yogi is a steer that arrived in the back seat of a Toyota. Emily the emu has outlived two mates, Elvis and Enoch. And the list goes on and on. The only negative I have is that there's not more animal stories! However, they do have a website and social media presence.

It was her mother's dream to save animals, and when Annie got sick, Laurie made it come true. Thirty years later, the Funny Farm, as it was affectionately called, now is a nonprofit that promotes animal rescue and awareness. Annie died two weeks before the 2001 move-in day at the Funny Farm Animal Rescue outside Mays Landing, New Jersey. Today, she carries on Annie's mission to save abused and neglected animals.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for my opinion.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books I want to hug. Laura runs a farm for unwanted animals in the Pinelands of South Jersey. She is actually doing the thing that so many of us wish we could do, but we’ve managed to make enough excuses to keep ourselves out of the situation. Laura really had no choice. With her upbringing, it makes perfect sense, and it makes her the perfect caregiver for over 600 happy campers, animals who need a home.
Laura’s story is beautifully told. At times we’re reflecting on her upbringing. This alone explains a lot about where Laura is now. At times we’re enjoying stories about her adopted animals; some happy, some hilarious, and some very sad.
The end result is this beautifully written memoir. Laura clearly explains what makes her tick, and we love her for it. If I’m ever in her part of the country, I'm definitely paying a day-long visit to The Funny Farm Animal Rescue.
Sincere thanks to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is February 22, 2022.

[Becca Maree · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I am looking forward to my next chapter, because my unexpected life with 600 animals can only be the beginning."

Laurie Zaleski's Funny Farm is a love letter to her mother, the woman who taught her resiliency, toughness, and how to foster "the kind of compassionate generosity that leaves the door open for everyone." Interspersed with animal tales/tails of Funny Farm residents past and present, this memoir is a must-read for animal lovers and rescue advocates alike. There is a familiarity in Laurie's written voice that quite literally leaves the lights on and welcomes you in.

[oohlalabooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny Farm is a beautiful story of bravery, resilience and family. Laurie does a wonderful job bringing you along on her journey from childhood to running a graphic design firm to helping her mother, Annie, fulfill her dreams to now managing 600 rescued animals! This is a delightful, heartwarming read! She writes with so much emotion - it gives you all the feels! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and the author for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.

[Wendy Jonson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!!! Fabulous story and storyteller! It’s about so much more than animals - although the animals are wonderful too. Author Laurie has an amazing ability to look at things positively, even when life is tough. Highly recommend.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging memoir about how the author came to find herself the owner and operator of a New Jersey farm and charity that’s home to 600 rescued mostly farm animals. She certainly came by her love of animals honestly. Her mother fled an abusive marriage with three youngsters in tow and raised them in deep poverty, working several jobs at a time, because her well-to-do husband was a vindictive so-and-so. As poor as they were, she could never turn away a hurt or abandoned animal, even horses, and they were always surrounded. Laurie grew up, became a successful businesswoman, but always came home at the end of the day, changed into farm duds, and fed and watered and mucked out until she fell into bed. An interesting story, with the author driven by her deep love for her mother and haunted by the shadow of her genuinely awful father. If you’ve ever wondered about how someone becomes “that person,” you know, the one who’s single-mindedly invested in caring for abused and abandoned animals to the exclusion of pretty much everything else (a kind of secular saint, in my estimation), well, here’s the story of how one woman followed that path.

[Christina Pilkington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I told myself I wouldn't cry when reading this book, and I got so close! But there was a scene at the end that put me over the edge. I rarely cry when reading books, but this one managed to get me in the end.

This was a fabulous memoir about Laurie Zaleski's life, her years growing up in a family with an abusive father, her years of poverty and eventually how she took her mother's dream of running an animal rescue and made it into her own dream by buying a 15 acre farm in New Jersey.

At the farm Laurie has rescued over 600 animals including chickens, dogs, cats, pigs, horses, goats. The book is structured chronologically following Laurie's life, but there are short sections at the end of each chapter that tell the story of one of the animals she has rescued. And I loved all the pictures included so I could see each of the animals she wrote about!

The story is beautifully told. It's heartbreaking but hopeful. It leads you on an emotional journey.

I'd highly recommend this memoir if you love animals (but be prepared for graphic animal abuse), if you enjoy reading about someone following their dreams and if you love emotional reads.

[bernmcn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Darwin said that it is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. Well, here’s the story of a mother who had to respond to the change of fleeing an abusive husband and providing for her three children, one of whom is Laurie, the powerhouse behind the Funny Farm. Annie is probably tickled pink that she passed down the compassion for animals. This book made me feel appalled that such a human being could exist as a husband and father, cheered by the fact that nothing made her cower from taking any opportunity to provide a home for her children, and triumphant that her inspiration and love resulted in the Funny Farm Rescue and Sanctuary. In the Funny Farm, My Unexpected Life with 600 Rescue Animals Laurie has done a terrific job of relaying the journey of how the Funny Farm evolved from her mother's dream to its current state as one of the best places on earth for all animals, including humans.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more than just the story of the Funny Farm animal rescue organization. It’s also a wonderful tribute to the author’s mother and the fiercely honest memoir of a true survivor. I loved the 'Animal Tales' snippets about life on the farm that were scattered throughout the audiobook, but the narration of the audiobook itself, not so much. I think the narrator pitched her voice to sound childlike in the chapters about the author’s childhood and to me she sounded like Sandy the squirrel from SpongeBob. Once that part was over, though, it got better. Also, I’ve got to add a content warning for depictions of domestic violence, child neglect, and animal cruelty that might be too intense for some. I don’t mean to sound like I didn’t enjoy this - I did - in fact it went far beyond what I was expecting.

[Amy Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It made me laugh, it made me cry and everything in between. The author overcame so much adversity and life challenges with the help of an abused, but fiercely brave and positive Mother. I was especially touched by poignant descriptions of the love and encouragement for the family and countless special needs animals. You can also follow the Funny Farm Rescue and Sanctuary and Laurie’s story on Instagram and Facebook. ❤️

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 50%...real fun animal stories, but....1. The writing lacks in many ways. 2. The animal stories are about 10% of the book. The other part is about her mother and father and working and a bunch of boring situations. 3. Animal cruelty, abuse....things I wish hadn't got into my head....I do not recommend this read.