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The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood
When Sy Montgomery opened her heart to a sick piglet she had no inkling that this piglet, later named Christopher Hogwood, would not only survive but flourish. The Good Good Pig celebrates Christopher Hogwood in all his glory, from his inauspicious infancy to hog heaven in rural New Hampshire, where his boundless zest for life and his large, loving heart made him absolute monarch.
245 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
About the author
Sy Montgomery
51 books1,833 followersPart Indiana Jones, part Emily Dickinson, as the Boston Globe describes her, Sy Montgomery is an author, naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and radio commentator who has traveled to some of the worlds most remote wildernesses for her work. She has worked in a pit crawling with 18,000 snakes in Manitoba, been hunted by a tiger in India, swum with pink dolphins in the Amazon, and been undressed by an orangutan in Borneo. She is the author of 13 award-winning books, including her national best-selling memoir, The Good Good Pig. Montgomery lives in Hancock, New Hampshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,181 reviews
January 28, 2008
I just finished this book last night after buying it Saturday afternoon. I started crying near the end and didn't stop for about 30 minutes. It reminded me of all of the animals I've loved, and it expressed the relationship I had with most of them. Especially my doggies, Sidney and Ruffles. (I actually told them they were "good, good doggies" over and over again when they got old and didn't feel good. So you can imagine the waterworks that followed when I got to the end of the book.
It also referenced my favorite saint (if a Southern Baptist can have a favorite saint), St. Francis of Assisi. I actually won a Saint Francis of Assisi award as a child in Episcopal school, and that cemented my love for all things St. Francis. I put a statue of him on my porch where my animals spent so much time.
Her very last couple of sentences express my current feelings about getting another pet.
Montgomery's relationship with animals really mirrors the one you have when you're 10 and wish you could own a farm and rescue hurt animals. But she actually never let "reason" erase that special, innocent desire to express your humanity by saving innocent animals.
I was intrigued by her more adult fascination with predators and how she still didn't let her acceptance of their noble place in the animal kingdom justify becoming one herself.
More than anything, I am glad there are people like Sy Montgomery and animals like Christopher Hogwood in the world.
It also referenced my favorite saint (if a Southern Baptist can have a favorite saint), St. Francis of Assisi. I actually won a Saint Francis of Assisi award as a child in Episcopal school, and that cemented my love for all things St. Francis. I put a statue of him on my porch where my animals spent so much time.
Her very last couple of sentences express my current feelings about getting another pet.
Montgomery's relationship with animals really mirrors the one you have when you're 10 and wish you could own a farm and rescue hurt animals. But she actually never let "reason" erase that special, innocent desire to express your humanity by saving innocent animals.
I was intrigued by her more adult fascination with predators and how she still didn't let her acceptance of their noble place in the animal kingdom justify becoming one herself.
More than anything, I am glad there are people like Sy Montgomery and animals like Christopher Hogwood in the world.
October 6, 2009
I've been a sucker for books about animals since I began reading -- at the age of 3. I must have read Lightfoot the Leaping Goat at least 100 times in my childhood -- and every other animal book the public library had. I am a fan of James Herriott and every book about gorillas, chimps, dogs, horses, Elsa the lioness...and I found Moby Dick unbearably sad. Just thinking about those whales gives me pangs of empathetic suffering. I also have read widely in the scientific literature about animal cognition and emotions -- even a study on mice and their social groups!
I didn't think there was an animal book I could dislike, but Sy Montgomery managed to write one.
To begin with, I was especially drawn to a book about a pig because of my father's tales of his boyhood in Ukraine and the neighbor's pig that he played with. Also, my aunts, who had the job of taking their horses, cows and sheep to the common pasturage in the village and then taking them back home, always spoke with wonder and joy at how the pigs ran ahead of the pack of village animals, squealing all the way home. So, I was prepared to read about the intelligence of a pig kept as a pet.
Well, this "good good pig" did nothing but eat like a pig, grunt, produce high quality good-smelling manure, and get out of his pen, then root up the neighbors' lawns. The only reason he got famous is that his owner used his picture on her Christmas cards and also invited the neighbors' children to scratch his belly, which, predictably, the pig loved. But so do my dogs and even wild rhinos! There is not one thing in the entire book that shows that this pig ever had a thought or that pigs in general have any intelligence at all. Montgomery reiterates throughout that pigs are like people, but she doesn't show it, except to note that their skin is like human skin. As for the pig's ability to get out of any gate she was locked behind, we had a sheep, hardly the genious of the mammalian community), who could get out of her pen no matter how we contrived to fasten the gate: with wire, with wood, with latches, from the inside, from the outside. Even when we padlocked it, she figured out how to loosen the inner block of wood so that the padlock fell down. Then, when she got out, as she always did, she came to our back door, knocked on it, and, as soon as someone opened it, ran upstairs to our son's bedroom. The "good good pig" never did anything so interesting.
The author spends most of the book, the parts when she's not congratulating herself on her brilliance, gooddness, and what-all, on recounting how she got the whole town to contribute slops for the "good good pig," and how she went through the slops every day to ensure that no meat was in it. That's fun reading? The contents of slop buckets? Or the quality of the pig's manure?
This is a real gross-out waste of time. I started out thinking pigs were intelligent, interesting creatures like every other creature I've known or read about, and ended by thinking that pigs are stupid and boring. Oh, she did mention the pig would greet her happily when she went to feed him --as did her chickens. That is hardly surprising. Having had many animals over the years, I know that all of them will go as fast as they can towards the person who feeds them. How did this thing get published, and why did I buy it? Why does anyone?
I didn't think there was an animal book I could dislike, but Sy Montgomery managed to write one.
To begin with, I was especially drawn to a book about a pig because of my father's tales of his boyhood in Ukraine and the neighbor's pig that he played with. Also, my aunts, who had the job of taking their horses, cows and sheep to the common pasturage in the village and then taking them back home, always spoke with wonder and joy at how the pigs ran ahead of the pack of village animals, squealing all the way home. So, I was prepared to read about the intelligence of a pig kept as a pet.
Well, this "good good pig" did nothing but eat like a pig, grunt, produce high quality good-smelling manure, and get out of his pen, then root up the neighbors' lawns. The only reason he got famous is that his owner used his picture on her Christmas cards and also invited the neighbors' children to scratch his belly, which, predictably, the pig loved. But so do my dogs and even wild rhinos! There is not one thing in the entire book that shows that this pig ever had a thought or that pigs in general have any intelligence at all. Montgomery reiterates throughout that pigs are like people, but she doesn't show it, except to note that their skin is like human skin. As for the pig's ability to get out of any gate she was locked behind, we had a sheep, hardly the genious of the mammalian community), who could get out of her pen no matter how we contrived to fasten the gate: with wire, with wood, with latches, from the inside, from the outside. Even when we padlocked it, she figured out how to loosen the inner block of wood so that the padlock fell down. Then, when she got out, as she always did, she came to our back door, knocked on it, and, as soon as someone opened it, ran upstairs to our son's bedroom. The "good good pig" never did anything so interesting.
The author spends most of the book, the parts when she's not congratulating herself on her brilliance, gooddness, and what-all, on recounting how she got the whole town to contribute slops for the "good good pig," and how she went through the slops every day to ensure that no meat was in it. That's fun reading? The contents of slop buckets? Or the quality of the pig's manure?
This is a real gross-out waste of time. I started out thinking pigs were intelligent, interesting creatures like every other creature I've known or read about, and ended by thinking that pigs are stupid and boring. Oh, she did mention the pig would greet her happily when she went to feed him --as did her chickens. That is hardly surprising. Having had many animals over the years, I know that all of them will go as fast as they can towards the person who feeds them. How did this thing get published, and why did I buy it? Why does anyone?
February 21, 2023
So let me come clean and say I happen to be a big fan of stories concerning human to non-human relationships. That said, the act of reading Sy Montgomery's book "The Good Good Pig" felt like being trapped in some stranger's finished basement and forced to flip through family albums of uninteresting trips to uninteresting places. I look around and see delightedly engaged faces fixated on that family album. I watch as fingers point towards photos I've seen thousands of times featuring a different, albeit, interchangeable cast. The running commentary is performed with drama that seems to promise something and consistently fails to deliver... at least for me. In this room, surrounded by these people, I contemplate the easiest and quickest getaway.
Over and over Montgomery asserts how wonderful Chris the pig is and how much everyone who meets him falls in love. I managed to get 50% of the way through this book and was still waiting for some sign about the specialness of Chris. Perhaps if Montgomery focused on why Chris was so important to her, the book would have captured my interest. Who knows, perhaps she does this in the second half. The problem is that she lost me completely in the first half. I rarely give up on books, but in a world with so many good books waiting to be read, I had to cut my loss and close the cover and move on.
Over and over Montgomery asserts how wonderful Chris the pig is and how much everyone who meets him falls in love. I managed to get 50% of the way through this book and was still waiting for some sign about the specialness of Chris. Perhaps if Montgomery focused on why Chris was so important to her, the book would have captured my interest. Who knows, perhaps she does this in the second half. The problem is that she lost me completely in the first half. I rarely give up on books, but in a world with so many good books waiting to be read, I had to cut my loss and close the cover and move on.
July 28, 2008
I heard Sy Montgomery, the author of this book, speak about it at the Children's Literature Institute at Simmons College in July 2007. I knew I had to read it. It's a true story about her amazing pig Christopher Hogwood--and about how he brought the author close to other people in her small town in New Hampshire. I absolutely LOVED this book! It's like the "Charlotte's Web" for adults. I give "The Good Good Pig" my highest recommendation.
Sy's husband, Howard Mansfield, has written a picture book about the pig entitled "Hogwood Steps Out: A Good, Good Pig Story." Roaring Brook Press is publisher of the book. It will be out in May.
Sy's husband, Howard Mansfield, has written a picture book about the pig entitled "Hogwood Steps Out: A Good, Good Pig Story." Roaring Brook Press is publisher of the book. It will be out in May.
June 9, 2020
I have been a vegetarian on and off throughout my life, and I expected after reading this book that I'd be off pork at least for the foreseeable future.
But it didn't have that effect on me at all, nor did the author really sell me on the joys of raising a pig. It seems quite unpleasant and disgusting, honestly. I have heard that pigs are very intelligent, and Christopher Hogwood was obviously popular among those who made his acquaintance.
I ended up being more enamored of the author. She comes off as a kind, quirky, interesting person who would be great to have as a friend. Then I could bring some slop for the pig and hang out at her cozy little farm with animals that appealed to me more. And come to think of it, maybe the people who flocked to Christopher were partially drawn to that as well.
But it didn't have that effect on me at all, nor did the author really sell me on the joys of raising a pig. It seems quite unpleasant and disgusting, honestly. I have heard that pigs are very intelligent, and Christopher Hogwood was obviously popular among those who made his acquaintance.
I ended up being more enamored of the author. She comes off as a kind, quirky, interesting person who would be great to have as a friend. Then I could bring some slop for the pig and hang out at her cozy little farm with animals that appealed to me more. And come to think of it, maybe the people who flocked to Christopher were partially drawn to that as well.
February 22, 2015
I really wanted to love this book. I am a sucker for animal stories of all kinds...( I weep over long-dead animals I've never even met.) But I just didn't connect with this author or sadly, her animals. It was missing that indefinable thing that draws the reader in to the world contained within the pages of a good book.
February 2, 2014
OK, so I know that I'm an easy reviewer and it's not that hard to get 5 stars from me (unlike some reviewers I know who are more discerning, namely Eileen and Anita!) However, every once in a while a book comes along that not only is a good story, with vivid characters, excellent writing, and enjoyable pacing, but it also touches your heart. The Good Good Pig is one such story. I am a "people" person and at the beginning of the book, I had a difficult time relating to Sy Montgomery, although I do appreciate and share her love of animals. (It was reassuring to realize that I'm not the only crazy person who talks to animals... I love to talk to the birds at my bird feeders!) As the book progressed, however, her genius unfolded with each successive story. I felt as though she had almost become enchanted by Christopher Hogwood, and in the retelling of his life, she channeled his spirit and proselytized his message. I cried like a baby at the end, thinking back to how many people this pig had touched and, really, healed, with his unconditional love. I was riveted by Sy's retelling of being by her mother as she was dying of cancer, while her heart was back at home with her sick dog. And I feel like I learned a bit more about love, about not judging (as she surely could have judged her mother and stayed away during her mother's dying days). Instead she just loved her mother, on her mother's own terms, just as she had learned from Christopher Hogwood. At the end of the book, after Christopher Hogwood had died, I felt indebted to Sy Montgomery. She gave so much in that book and it must have been slightly agonizing to write, reliving all of those memories, of really, the life of a pet who was much, much more like her child, and who is now gone from the world. What a story! I absolutely loved it. 5 stars!!!
April 7, 2010
What a shame that this book wasn't better. The major problem I found with it was that I didn't care for the narrator/author. I had a hard time putting my finger on what about the book bugged me until about halfway through when I realized, oh, I don't like her-and I think it's just because I don't care for her voice and tone. She seemed very braggy about everything-animals just love her-she's just so awesome that animals are comfortable with her. And everything, I mean everything was about her. Which, it's her story, so of course things will relate back to her-but every event was all about her-not the pig, not her husband, not the people who came to love the pig, etc--there were far too many "I's" running through the tale about her pig. And, it felt like one giant advertisement for her other books. Her final 2 chapters were the first time I found I liked her, and then it was too little too late. Aside from her tone, it just wasn't well written-the tangents about her other books were slammed in, instead of just part of the story, the timelines weren't always clear, and she mixed in this flowery, trying to hard descriptions about home and love, etc in with facts about pigs and other animals. Which, works, if you know how to do it, and I don't think she knew how.
I was bummed, too, that I didn't care for the pig-even though it was being shoved down my throat that he's the most wonderful pig ever that everyone loved just so much-without any reasons ever really supplied why-he was kind of a menace-but not endearingly so. I loved the dog, Tess, and the chickens, however, and they were mere side players in this book and their lives.
Overall, it was an okay book at best-and sometimes, just a bad book.
I was bummed, too, that I didn't care for the pig-even though it was being shoved down my throat that he's the most wonderful pig ever that everyone loved just so much-without any reasons ever really supplied why-he was kind of a menace-but not endearingly so. I loved the dog, Tess, and the chickens, however, and they were mere side players in this book and their lives.
Overall, it was an okay book at best-and sometimes, just a bad book.
November 27, 2014
I just could not get in to this 245 page overly effusive ode to an animal. The author seems to believe both literally and figuratively that her pig’s [poop] don’t sink but I am not sure what made this pig so “extraordinary”.
I was also a little offput by the author herself. She came off a bit "braggy" and I was really uncomfortable with how she shared her stories about her parents.
I was also a little offput by the author herself. She came off a bit "braggy" and I was really uncomfortable with how she shared her stories about her parents.
December 30, 2020
This was the perfect book to finish off my 2020 reading challenge with. It was funny, endearing, and oh-so-delightful. Now, which of Sy Montgomery's books to read next... because I simply can't get enough!
February 10, 2014
I WANT A PIG!!!! RIGHT. NOW.
That's mainly what I got out of this book. Christopher Hogwood is truly amazing. I've never spent a lot of time around pigs, so I never realized how much personality they have. In The Good, Good Pig, Sy Montgomery tells a lot of heartwarming stories about Chris - how the entire community saved scraps for him, how he ended up bringing them lifelong friends they wouldn't have otherwise known, how he loved his bath times, how he simply loved with his whole heart.
There were also a lot of historical tidbits about pigs and several side stories about Sy's excursions for her wildlife research (She's a freelance writer for sources like Nat Geo). There were a lot of facts, but what this story is lacking is emotion. There were a lot of times when I should have cried because of what was happening, but this book was written with such a lack of emotion that I was nowhere close.
I would only recommend this book to people who want to read facts about animals... a pig, chickens, dogs, tigers, etc. There's a lot of animals and stories... but if you are a memoir lover because you want to read about someone's journey and life lessons, skip this one.
This review is also posted on Great Minds Read Alike.
That's mainly what I got out of this book. Christopher Hogwood is truly amazing. I've never spent a lot of time around pigs, so I never realized how much personality they have. In The Good, Good Pig, Sy Montgomery tells a lot of heartwarming stories about Chris - how the entire community saved scraps for him, how he ended up bringing them lifelong friends they wouldn't have otherwise known, how he loved his bath times, how he simply loved with his whole heart.
There were also a lot of historical tidbits about pigs and several side stories about Sy's excursions for her wildlife research (She's a freelance writer for sources like Nat Geo). There were a lot of facts, but what this story is lacking is emotion. There were a lot of times when I should have cried because of what was happening, but this book was written with such a lack of emotion that I was nowhere close.
I would only recommend this book to people who want to read facts about animals... a pig, chickens, dogs, tigers, etc. There's a lot of animals and stories... but if you are a memoir lover because you want to read about someone's journey and life lessons, skip this one.
This review is also posted on Great Minds Read Alike.
May 23, 2018
Couple (Sy and Howard) adopted sick, runt piglet (Christopher Hogwood), while her father was dying from lung cancer. Weighing only 7 pounds and fitting in a shoe box when they brought him home, they had no idea Christopher would grow to 100 times that size!
This statement: When he was a baby, "we would stare at him like he was the Yule log on TV." made me laugh out loud!
I don't remember where I heard about this book, but it was an amusing look at life in rural New Hampshire with Chris the black and white spotted pig, Tess the border collie, and a brood of chickens. I would recommend it for animal lovers, as well as fans of Charlotte's Web and James Herriot.
Audiobook
Location: Hancock, New Hampshire
This statement: When he was a baby, "we would stare at him like he was the Yule log on TV." made me laugh out loud!
I don't remember where I heard about this book, but it was an amusing look at life in rural New Hampshire with Chris the black and white spotted pig, Tess the border collie, and a brood of chickens. I would recommend it for animal lovers, as well as fans of Charlotte's Web and James Herriot.
Audiobook
Location: Hancock, New Hampshire
April 12, 2019
Pigs have gotten a bad rap. They are among the most misunderstood creatures on Earth. I worked at a zoo for 28 years and learned from "Petunia"..our education program pig that they are smart, loyal, mischievous and charming. They can be taught a variety of tasks and learn faster than dogs and some children. So when I ran across Sy Montgomery's book about Christopher Hogwood I just knew I had to have it. Ms. Montgomery is in many ways my heroine. She is a naturalist who travels all over the world and writes books about wild animals for both children and adults. All of her books are outstanding. Christopher was a dearly loved, sweet little guy who had many wonderful years with Ms. Montgomery and her family and friends. You can't go wrong with any of her books but I loved this one.
January 7, 2008
I wasn't sure what to expect when delving into this one. I think pigs are cute, but hearing about a couple raising a monster pig didn't quite sound like my thing. But in reading this book, I not only got to know the pig (and love him) but also to really appreciate the author's unique perspective on life. She built a family around her of friends and animals that was far from ordinary, but so complete. I was suddenly envious of her crazy, small town where neighbors would come from miles around to help her feed her ravenous pig. The book lacked a little structure-wise, sometimes embarking on tangents that were a bit distracting. But the story came together as it went along and I really enjoyed it. Most importantly, Montgomery's tale about Christopher Hogwood showed how her porcine friend taught her not to take anything in her life for granted and that message became loud and clear (but not overdone) by the end of the book. And yes, I cried at the end.
July 8, 2018
《 Non sempre dobbiamo essere 'pratici' . Non è necessario che accettiamo le regole della nostra società o della nostra specie, che la famiglia o il destino sembrano aver scritto per noi. Posiamo scegliere una strada nuova, abbiamo il potere di trasformare una storia di lutto in una storia di guarigione. Posiamo scegliere la vita anziché la morte. Posiamo lasciare che l'amore ci porti a casa. 》
♡ RISPETTO ♡
♡ RISPETTO ♡
August 13, 2015
Half of this book is the author talking about how interesting she is and everything she's accomplished. I wanted to read about an extraordinary pig, but instead I read about a pretty typical pig with a self-aggrandizing owner.
March 10, 2018
I never thought I would be so enamored with the biography of a pig. Christopher Hogwood (the pig not the conductor) is born the runt of all piglets and one too many for all of Mama Sow’s teats. Mama Sow usually solves that problem by biting the unfortunate 13th wheel piggy in half. The owners try to shoot him but they can’t do it and Christopher survives against all odds.
Sy Monygomery and her husband visit their pig farmer friends, see Christopher (about the size of s small house cat) and decide to adopt him figuring Christopher would never get too big.
What follows is a tale of 13 years of hog love. Christopher enchants everyone he meets from the town’s lone policeman to a young girl dying of cancer that wants nothing as much as being with Christopher, grooming him in the “ pig spa.” Christopher has beefed up to 750 pounds by that point.
Sy Montgomery is a naturalist who has spent time with gorillas, dolphins, snakes, and man eating tigers and has written over 20 books.
Her love of animals and her passion for everything she does shines through “The Good Good Pig” and through her expert storytelling, I came to love Christopher the pig 🐷 too.
There is, in addition to Christopher’s story, plenty of documented hog lore I had never heard of such as ancient pigs being assigned god-like qualities, as well as essays on the incredible intelligence of pigs and how similar they are to humans.
I had just read three books chock full of horror and mayhem so Christopher’s story was not just great reading but a spiritual uplift from a character I suspect I will never forget.
Sy Monygomery and her husband visit their pig farmer friends, see Christopher (about the size of s small house cat) and decide to adopt him figuring Christopher would never get too big.
What follows is a tale of 13 years of hog love. Christopher enchants everyone he meets from the town’s lone policeman to a young girl dying of cancer that wants nothing as much as being with Christopher, grooming him in the “ pig spa.” Christopher has beefed up to 750 pounds by that point.
Sy Montgomery is a naturalist who has spent time with gorillas, dolphins, snakes, and man eating tigers and has written over 20 books.
Her love of animals and her passion for everything she does shines through “The Good Good Pig” and through her expert storytelling, I came to love Christopher the pig 🐷 too.
There is, in addition to Christopher’s story, plenty of documented hog lore I had never heard of such as ancient pigs being assigned god-like qualities, as well as essays on the incredible intelligence of pigs and how similar they are to humans.
I had just read three books chock full of horror and mayhem so Christopher’s story was not just great reading but a spiritual uplift from a character I suspect I will never forget.
March 2, 2011
I took this book, recommended by my daughter, with me as I waited to have a water pump replaced in my Echo. The wait was a long one, but enjoyable. As I sat reading,surrounded by others, I found myself often laughing out loud because of the antics of this pet animal. Christopher Hogwood, the main character of this memoir, lives with a loving couple, both writers, one who travels extensivley and is most knowledgeable about animals all over the world. Sy Montgomery and her husband love the pig they raise from a tiny runt to a 750 pound charmer. The community in which they live happily supplies "slops" for the feeding of Christopher, join in capturing him after his many excapes and simply visiting in order to watch him eat.
I cannot say that I ever fancied myself as a pig lover, BUT this portrayal indicates that all living creatures are worth our love, devotion and care.
For me this book was a great change of pace and an extrordinary glimpse into the life of two giving people and their pet. If you enjoy a good laugh and an expanding of your horizon, read this one.
I cannot say that I ever fancied myself as a pig lover, BUT this portrayal indicates that all living creatures are worth our love, devotion and care.
For me this book was a great change of pace and an extrordinary glimpse into the life of two giving people and their pet. If you enjoy a good laugh and an expanding of your horizon, read this one.
September 1, 2014
I THINK THIS BOOK IS A WONDERFUL STORY ABOUT A PIG. CHRISTOPHER HOGWOOD WAS DEFINATELY AN EXTRAORDINARY PIG. HE BROUGHT SO MANY PEOPLE TOGETHER IN A LITTLE COMMUNITY AND AROUND THE WORLD. IT'S AMAZING WHAT ANIMALS CAN DO FOR PEOPLE IF THEY JUST GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
I ALSO LOVE THE AUTHOR AND HER VIEWS ON LIFE AND ANIMALS IN GENERAL. THE CHARACTERS IN THIS MEMOIR ARE SO LOVEABLE THAT I JUST WANTED TO GO AND MEET THEM ALL. I WISH I COULD HAVE.
I RECOMMEND THIS TO ANY ANIMAL LOVER OUT THERE.
I ALSO LOVE THE AUTHOR AND HER VIEWS ON LIFE AND ANIMALS IN GENERAL. THE CHARACTERS IN THIS MEMOIR ARE SO LOVEABLE THAT I JUST WANTED TO GO AND MEET THEM ALL. I WISH I COULD HAVE.
I RECOMMEND THIS TO ANY ANIMAL LOVER OUT THERE.
June 2, 2018
I thought this was going to be a story about a pig not about the author and all her accomplishments.
May 11, 2021
I cannot say enough about Christopher Hogwood the pig and his remarkable life, so I won't.
Just read the book and be touched.
Just read the book and be touched.
October 16, 2015
I loved this very touching book that I think is one that most animal lovers would enjoy. Besides one enormous, pampered pig, there is a cast of other animal friends - a smart, Frisbee-loving border collie named Tess and numerous, endearing chickens, "the ladies," as the author refers to them. But there's more to this memoir than cute, touching animal-anecdotes though it has plenty of these. It's also very much about the author and her life, both personally and professionally, and it left me feeling spiritually nourished as well as grateful for the YLTO challenge that led me to this book.
One of the final paragraphs is my very favorite in the whole book, and speaks volumes about why I loved it and gave it 5 stars. I'm going to quote it here in its entirety, and while I don't believe it would spoil the book to read the quote if you haven't yet read the book, I realize that there are those who might disagree. So don't click the spoiler below if you would prefer to have the story unfold fully before reading the book's closing words that sum up what makes Christopher Hogwood such a special creature to the author.
One of the final paragraphs is my very favorite in the whole book, and speaks volumes about why I loved it and gave it 5 stars. I'm going to quote it here in its entirety, and while I don't believe it would spoil the book to read the quote if you haven't yet read the book, I realize that there are those who might disagree. So don't click the spoiler below if you would prefer to have the story unfold fully before reading the book's closing words that sum up what makes Christopher Hogwood such a special creature to the author.
April 6, 2018
I enjoyed this unconventional memoir. Although I am not particularly enamoured with pigs, I do understand what it is to have a loving and connected relationship with an animal. I also do agree with many of the authors ideas and opinions.
This is an interesting book and anyone who loves animals would learn much from reading it.
I will be looking out for other books by Sy Montgomery.
This is an interesting book and anyone who loves animals would learn much from reading it.
I will be looking out for other books by Sy Montgomery.
April 29, 2020
What an interesting and delightful book about a pet pig - Christopher Hogwood. Adopted by the author and her husband who live in New Hampshire, this is a wonderful foray into a world of learning about and living with an unusual pet. Pigs are one of the smartest animals with great hearing, sight, and smell. I liked how the entire community got to know and love Chris and contributed to his feeding trough - chocolate doughnuts, pasta, pancake mix, strawberries, etc. He loved beer and hated onions - who knew! The author describes the pure blissful grunts Christopher makes when he’s eating, his numerous escapes, the community’s involvement in rescuing Christopher, and how the introverted author had a great topic to talk with people about instead of staring at the floor. What a lovable and smart pet he was - he touched the lives of many people, made headlines in the media, and caused sweet havoc just by being who he was. I learned a lot about pigs, including how big a pet pig could be or how long he’d live - well, you’ll just have to read the book. What a cool book and pet, although I’m not sure I would ever adopt a pig! The author did a fantastic job, and the narration was superb. Such a nice break listening to something completely different and oh so satisfying. A definite five-star read and it’s now on my “favorites” shelf.
July 12, 2020
It’s not the first time I’ve cried over a pig. But Christopher Hogwood’s story is full of joy. I would love to live in this community where everyone cares about the well being of a spotted black and white pig.
I also learned a lot. And I want to take them off my menu entirely now. Most pigs do not live past 18 months, the age of fattened up/ready for market pigness ☹️. Yet they have so many similarities to humans!
The author is so amazingly well traveled and I enjoyed her back story of both the travels and her parents (who frustrated me). But I admired her patience with their judgmental ways. And Tessa. The border collie. I adored this part of the story.
What a lovely respite from current events this book was. Thank you Jen for picking it as our postal read. And I can say that out loud/in public because it’s the last one of this round.
Loved this quote, though I’m going totally from memory (should have written it down when I read it):
Them: “What are you going to do with your pig?”
Her: “What are you going to do with your grandchildren?”
🤣
I also learned a lot. And I want to take them off my menu entirely now. Most pigs do not live past 18 months, the age of fattened up/ready for market pigness ☹️. Yet they have so many similarities to humans!
The author is so amazingly well traveled and I enjoyed her back story of both the travels and her parents (who frustrated me). But I admired her patience with their judgmental ways. And Tessa. The border collie. I adored this part of the story.
What a lovely respite from current events this book was. Thank you Jen for picking it as our postal read. And I can say that out loud/in public because it’s the last one of this round.
Loved this quote, though I’m going totally from memory (should have written it down when I read it):
Them: “What are you going to do with your pig?”
Her: “What are you going to do with your grandchildren?”
🤣
April 18, 2021
Hab so geweint
December 12, 2021
Five stars for all the parts about the pig, minus a star for maybe a little too much on other stuff. Although the other stuff was pretty good too.
Christopher was a DARLING soul and made friends easily, to put it mildly. He touched a lot of lives.
Lots of laughs in this book. As the adoptive parent of an unplanned runt piglet, I can vouch for the accuracy of the author's descriptions. Pigs are indeed hilarious and often challenging companions!
Christopher was a DARLING soul and made friends easily, to put it mildly. He touched a lot of lives.
Lots of laughs in this book. As the adoptive parent of an unplanned runt piglet, I can vouch for the accuracy of the author's descriptions. Pigs are indeed hilarious and often challenging companions!
July 10, 2012
I had read this book quite some time ago and had forgotten. I thought it was familiar but picked it up at the library anyway and as soon as I looked at the pictures in the book, I remembered it vividly. However, I skimmed through it again just to revive my memories of Christopher Hogwood.
This is the story not so much of a very lucky pig who was saved and adopted by a couple, but more the story of several lucky people who were inspired, enlightened, and befriended by one very talented, smart pig. Anyone who has been around pigs (as I was, growing up on a farm) can test their unbelievable intelligence. They are as smart as, or smarter, than dogs. They each have their own personality as well. Chris' particular talent seems to be his ability to bring out the best in any human who meets him. This is an entertaining, quick read - perfect for a longer plane trip or a rainy day on the couch.
The reason I gave this charming book only 3 stars -- at times the author goes into a few personal musings about her extensive travels, beliefs about religions or about people who eat meat. Whether or not you would agree with her opinions - it doesn't really add to this otherwise great story. Also, at times, she 'name drops' a bit too much for my taste.
This is the story not so much of a very lucky pig who was saved and adopted by a couple, but more the story of several lucky people who were inspired, enlightened, and befriended by one very talented, smart pig. Anyone who has been around pigs (as I was, growing up on a farm) can test their unbelievable intelligence. They are as smart as, or smarter, than dogs. They each have their own personality as well. Chris' particular talent seems to be his ability to bring out the best in any human who meets him. This is an entertaining, quick read - perfect for a longer plane trip or a rainy day on the couch.
The reason I gave this charming book only 3 stars -- at times the author goes into a few personal musings about her extensive travels, beliefs about religions or about people who eat meat. Whether or not you would agree with her opinions - it doesn't really add to this otherwise great story. Also, at times, she 'name drops' a bit too much for my taste.
May 8, 2011
How is it that zealous animal lovers like Ms. Montgomery can be so utterly cruel to other humans? At the same time she's lavishing affection on her poor little piggy, she's punishing her mother with a vindictive post-mortem. OK, the woman was a withholding racist, but what are you, Ms. Montgomery, in publishing such a vindictive portrait? I'd say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree . . . and remember what Oscar Wilde says in The Importance of Being Earnest: "It is every woman's tragedy that she becomes her mother." I'd say so.
July 21, 2022
The word compassion means "with suffering." To have compassion is to willingly join in suffering-to show those you love that you will not let them suffer alone. And this is the most you can do: offer your presence.
A great soul can appear among us at any time, in the form of any creature. I'm keeping my eyes open.
A great soul can appear among us at any time, in the form of any creature. I'm keeping my eyes open.
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