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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
This book is a relaxing read about a lovable pig.
The only downside is that the author is prone to tangents that don’t always seem to be relevant.
The only downside is that the author is prone to tangents that don’t always seem to be relevant.
I'll admit it, I cried. Animal lovers are my favorite kind of people. Thank you for saving him and giving him a good life, Sy and Howard. <3
Summary: Montgomery's books on exotic wildlife (Journey of the Pink Dolphins, etc.) take her to the far corners of the world, but the story of her closest relationships with the animal kingdom plays out in her own New England backyard. When she adopts a sickly runt from a litter of pigs, naming him Christopher Hogwood after the symphony conductor, raising him for slaughter isn't an option: Montgomery's a vegetarian and her husband is Jewish. Refitting their barn to accommodate a (mostly) secure sty, they keep Christopher as a pet. As he swells to 750 pounds, he becomes a local celebrity, getting loose frequently enough that the local police officer knows to carry spare apples to lure him back home. The pig also bonds with Montgomery's neighbors, especially two children who come over to help feed him and rub his tummy. Montgomery's love for Christopher (and later for Tess, an adopted border collie) dominates the memoir's emotional space, but she's also demonstrably grateful for the friendships the pig sparks within her community. The humor with which she recounts Christopher's meticulous eating habits and love of digging up turf is sure to charm readers.
I never thought I would read a book about a 750lb pet pig. But, indeed I have.
Sy Montgomery's memoir about her beloved pet pig is a cross between a latter-day Noah's tale and Wilbur in Charlotte's Web, minus the spider but with the addition of "The Ladies" and Tess, her rescued border collie.
I am not an animal love, nor owner, but after reading about Sy's menagerie, I'm ready to move to a farm with lots of animals and start feeding my scraps to a rotund pig! This was a light, manageable book (I finished it in two days). It was a delight to read.
Reread September 7, 2020
While I didn’t like it as much as I did the first time, it was a perfect book for a pandemic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I never thought I would read a book about a 750lb pet pig. But, indeed I have.
Sy Montgomery's memoir about her beloved pet pig is a cross between a latter-day Noah's tale and Wilbur in Charlotte's Web, minus the spider but with the addition of "The Ladies" and Tess, her rescued border collie.
I am not an animal love, nor owner, but after reading about Sy's menagerie, I'm ready to move to a farm with lots of animals and start feeding my scraps to a rotund pig! This was a light, manageable book (I finished it in two days). It was a delight to read.
Reread September 7, 2020
While I didn’t like it as much as I did the first time, it was a perfect book for a pandemic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Yes, it is a book about a pig, but it is really much more than that. Written by a woman who travels the world studying and writing about animals, this is interesting and even delightful nature writing. Between pig antics, there are important observations about relationships and community as well as amazing stories about her experiences with tigers and pink dolphins.
This pig takes a shy woman out of her shell, meets the needs of kids with cancer and kids/adults going through divorce, gets the town talking to one another, and generally creates community among neighbors. This is an easy and comfortable read that many will enjoy.
This pig takes a shy woman out of her shell, meets the needs of kids with cancer and kids/adults going through divorce, gets the town talking to one another, and generally creates community among neighbors. This is an easy and comfortable read that many will enjoy.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
This book was so lovely and endearing. Thank you Sy Montgomery. I'm running to read all her books now.
The easy comparison is to say that this is the Marley and Me for pigs. I, undoubtedly, have a soft spot for any story about pigs, but I found it to be more charming than that. It's a sweet story about an extended family of animals, neighbors, and friends who come together for a pig. It's a memoir of life in a small town. It's a tale of all pigs and their place in the world.
If the story appeals to you, it's well worth the read. I can imagine friends, my grandma, kids, animal lovers all reading this well-written, humorous, and loving book.
If the story appeals to you, it's well worth the read. I can imagine friends, my grandma, kids, animal lovers all reading this well-written, humorous, and loving book.
Of course the pig dies. I knew that before picking up the book. I love animals and am drawn again and again to books like this, and then I am devastated at the end and tell myself never again.... and then...........;0------------- I love pigs. When I was a kid I collected items pig-related, and always thought I'd have one someday -- maybe someday yet..... so I was enthralled with this story of a little runt who grew into a massive 750 pig (I'm hoping my future pig never tops 400). I'm so glad the author included pictures, but I wanted more more more -- I couldn't stop looking at Mr C Hogwood - those ears and his massive size just made me laugh. I'm so glad he was able to spread such cheer and bring so many people together while he was alive -- like all other animals, the problem is that they never live long enough.........