Product Description
“Christopher Hogwood came home on my lap in a shoebox. He was a creature who would prove in many ways to be more human than I am.”
–from The Good Good Pig

A naturalist who spent months at a time living on her own among wild creatures in remote jungles, Sy Montgomery had always felt more comfortable with animals than with people. So she gladly opened her heart to a sick piglet who had been crowded away from nourishing meals by his stronger siblings. Yet Sy had no inkling that this piglet, later named Christopher Hogwood, would not only survive but flourish–and she soon found herself engaged with her small-town community in ways she had never dreamed possible. Unexpectedly, Christopher provided this peripatetic traveler with something she had sought all her life: an anchor (eventually weighing 750 pounds) to family and home.

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 over a (mostly) peaceable kingdom. At first, his domain included only Sy’s cosseted hens and her beautiful border collie, Tess. Then the neighbors began fetching Christopher home from his unauthorized jaunts, the little girls next door started giving him warm, soapy baths, and the villagers brought him delicious leftovers. His intelligence and fame increased along with his girth. He was featured in USA Today and on several National Public Radio environmental programs. On election day, some voters even wrote in Christopher’s name on their ballots.

But as this enchanting book describes, Christopher Hogwood’s influence extended far beyond celebrity; for he was, as a friend said, a great big Buddha master. Sy reveals what she and others learned from this generous soul who just so happened to be a pig–lessons about self-acceptance, the meaning of family, the value of community, and the pleasures of the sweet green Earth. The Good Good Pig provides proof that with love, almost anything is possible.

From the Hardcover edition.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 59 reviews)

Some Pig!

I really enjoyed this book - any one with a soft spot for animals would find it worth picking up. It only fell slightly short for me during a few self-indulgent passages and the promotion of others' books. Regardless, it is a heart-warming story that will make you want to run out and adopt a pet, or hug the one you have.
September 20, 2008

A suprising and heart-warming find!

I didn't expect to buy this book. I hadn't heard about it. I wasn't even familiar with the author. But after just a quick scan of the first chapter, I was fully engrossed in the story of Christopher Hogwood. I couldn't put it down. The author skillfully integrates personal details of her own life into the story which no good animal story would be without. It is listed as a "biography, non-fiction" book so if you are looking for specific information on pigs, this probably isn't the right reference book for you. This is the story not so much of a very lucky pig who was saved/adopted by a human couple but more the story of several lucky human beings who were inspired/enlightened/befriended by one very talented pig. Anyone who has been around pigs can test to their intelligence and Chris is no exception..yet his particular talent seems to be his ability to bring out the best in any human who meets him. An entertaining quick read..perfect for a longer plane ride or a rainy day on the couch!
August 30, 2008

Very disappointing

The author being a self-described "naturalist," I thought this book would have some sort of insight into the nature of pigs. Nope. Mostly a lot of boring, self-indulgent tripe about how the author and her husband overfed this runt pig, whom they named Christopher Hogwood (how cute! -- NOT!), and Hogwood grew into something Montgomery calls "beautiful" but would more appropriately be called "grotesque." (She even admits letting him eat ice cream until he can barely move and becomes overweight). The author is what she calls "child free" (which one can fully support) but fails to see how her many animals are in fact substitute children. In one stunningly ignorant passage, she claims that the pig Hogwood is an "adult" and therefore her relationship to him is not one of adult to child. Hullo? It's a PIG for cryin' out loud. You can't converse with it, plan an event with it and (yes, just like a baby) you have to make sure all its poop is cleaned up and that it's taken care of.

I lost count of the boring passages in the book about how Hogwood made the author closer to her neighbors and taught her how to "play with children" (gag). If you enjoy that type of sentimental fluff, this book is for you. Personally, I was very sad at the end. Not because Hogwood died, but at the waste of perfectly good meat! (they buried him...sob!)

August 28, 2008

Very Touching Story

This book was given to me by a friend as a birthday present.
She gave it to me because I have a pig as a pet and she knew that I could probably relate to it.

She was right. The Good, Good Pig is a very touching story. It made me laugh and it made me cry.

My only criticism would be that Sy Montgomery got a little lenghthy on some explanations but I would still recommend this story to anyone who is an animal lover or especially to anyone who has a pig.

I love my pig. My pig is a pot bellied pig. She is such a character. She inspired me to write my own story. Unlike Sy Montgomerys story, my book is fiction. A children's picture book entitled "Bubbles the Little Pig."

Since becoming a pet pig owner, pigs have become very near and dear to me. They will always have a special place in my heart.

August 28, 2008

good good book

this book was an easy read with lots of laughing throughout. I enjoyed the information peppered throughout as well from Sy's background information and experiences as well as the associations her premise for the book was. I disagree that the pig was 'nothing special' as some poor reviews stated because it wasn't really about the pig but rather about the pig as part of a larger phenomenon.
August 12, 2008

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