• Funny Farm

  • My Unexpected Life with 600 Rescue Animals
  • By: Laurie Zaleski
  • Narrated by: Erin Moon
  • Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (890 ratings)

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Funny Farm  By  cover art

Funny Farm

By: Laurie Zaleski
Narrated by: Erin Moon
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Publisher's summary

2022 Audible’s Best in Bios & Memoirs

Laurie Zaleski never aspired to run an animal rescue; that was her mother Annie’s dream. But from girlhood, Laurie was determined to make the dream come true. Thirty years later as a successful businesswoman, she did it, buying a 15-acre farm deep in the Pinelands of South Jersey. She was planning to relocate Annie and her caravan of ragtag rescues - horses and goats, dogs and cats, chickens and pigs - when Annie died, just two weeks before moving day. In her heartbreak, Laurie resolved to make her mother’s dream her own. In 2001, she established the Funny Farm Animal Rescue outside Mays Landing, New Jersey. Today, she carries on Annie’s mission to save abused and neglected animals.

Funny Farm is Laurie’s story: of promises kept, dreams fulfilled, and animals lost and found. It’s the story of Annie McNulty, who fled a nightmarish marriage with few skills, no money and no resources, dragging three kids behind her, and accumulating hundreds of cast-off animals on the way. And lastly, it’s the story of the brave, incredible, and adorable animals that were rescued.

©2021 by Laurie Zaleski (P)2022 by Blackstone Publishing

Featured Article: Best of the Year—The 15 Best Bios and Memoirs of 2022


There are few stories more compelling or more intimately told than those soul-baring memoirs that seek not just to recount the experiences of one's own life, but to draw some greater commentary on the big existential questions. What does it mean to be human? What is our purpose in being here? How much of who we are is purely self-determined? Exceptional in both their prose and narration, these listens represent a few of the year's best memoirs.

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What listeners say about Funny Farm

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Heartwarming story with powerful life messages

Highly recommend this book! You will be taken on a journey through hardship, poverty and onto love, strength and fulfillment.

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Beautiful story!

Very heartfelt and touching! this will be on of my favorites. not only was the content wonderful the narrator did a fantastic job.

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Touching story of triumph

I so enjoyed this ode to Laurie’s mom. In turn funny, touching & sad. I enjoyed it much more than expected.

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Wow!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but so glad I gave it a chance! The story of the author growing up was so real and it was easy to feel her anguish over the many experiences she and her family went through. I enjoyed that being interspersed with heartwarming stories of different animals she has rescued. It helped lighten things when circumstances were really down. I am very choosy on which books I listen to and do not hesitate to stop listening if it doesn’t grab me within a few chapters. I can say I finished this book in two days! Loved the honesty and heartfelt emotions the author brought to it. Perhaps one day I will visit the Funny Farm as it sounds like an amazing place. Highly recommend this book!

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didn't want it to end

Such a great book. I always get so excited when I find a book I know I'll listen to again and again. the stories of the animals will make you smile. The telling of growing up with an amazing mother made me miss mine. wonderful book. perfect narrator. can't think of a word for the author but bad ass. thank you.

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Endearing tale of overcoming life's challenges

This was a great and uplifting story to listen to on my down time, while walking or cooking. Hearing about the struggles the family faced and the solace found in their life on a farm was heartwarming.

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Amazing story!

Wonderful book! I cried and laughed throughout the book. Amazing story that has inspired me to do more to help animals.

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Lessons

Good but sad— like real life—a story to yeah us how to live and manage what we were blessed with.

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Relentless & Driven

The relentless and drive Laurie had to continue. Her mothers legacy is incredible. I loved both the stories of how she did it and the animal tales. Only if we could clone her and her passion… 😀

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Room for one more?

This true story will have you laughing & crying as your heart fills with joy then breaks with sadness, but you will be so glad you read it or listened to it. It is a story of hardship & love of a battered family who just wanted to stay together & help animals in need. So Laurie Zaleski, her mother Annie & siblings worked hard to fulfill their mother’s dream of having an animal farm for unwanted & disabled farm animals. Of course Laurie is the founder & CEO of this non-profit organization, The Funny Farm, & has dedicated her life to keep it going. What an inspiring & selfless love story it is! Spoiler Alert: it’s helpful to have a box of tissues @ hand.

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