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The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood
The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood
The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood
Audiobook5 hours

The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood

Written by Sy Montgomery

Narrated by Xe Sands

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

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.

The Good Good Pig celebrates Christopher Hogwood in all his glory, from his inauspicious infancy to hog heaven in rural New Hampshire. At first, his domain included only Sy's hens and border collie, Tess. Then the neighbors began fetching Christopher home from his unauthorized jaunts, the little girls next door started giving him baths, and the villagers brought him delicious leftovers. His fame increased along with his girth. He was featured in USA Today and on several National Public Radio programs.


But as this enchanting book describes, Christopher Hogwood's influence extended far beyond celebrity. Sy reveals what she learned from this generous soul who just so happened to be a pig-lessons about self-acceptance, the value of community, and the pleasures of the sweet green Earth.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 5, 2016
ISBN9781515975915
The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood
Author

Sy Montgomery

In addition to researching films, articles, and thirty-six books, National Book Award finalist Sy Montgomery has been honored with a Sibert Medal, two Science Book and Film Prizes from the National Association for the Advancement of Science, three honorary degrees, and many other awards. She lives in Hancock, New Hampshire, with her husband, Howard Mansfield, and their border collie, Thurber.

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Reviews for The Good Good Pig

Rating: 4.0871883238434155 out of 5 stars
4/5

281 ratings26 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What a beautiful story of love, compassion and the best of humanity.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An endearing story about a little piglet runt who matures into a handsome, intelligent, and somewhat famous hog. There's even some tigers, herding dog, and dolphin stories mixed in. An easy sell to any animal lover :).
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    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.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Charming and entertaining. It could make you want a pig of your own.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This delightful book from nature writer Sy Montgomery tells the life story of Christopher Hogwood, a pig whom Montgomery named after the famed English musician and musicologist of the same name. Having come into Montgomery's life quite unexpectedly, Chris (as the pig was nicknamed) brought boundless joy to the lives of Montgomery, her husband (the history and preservation writer Howard Mansfield), and all their neighbors and friends.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Absolutely delightful---and who could possibly EAT anything pig related after reading this wonderful book about a wonderful pig---shades of Charlotte's Web in real life! Sy's writing is so appealing---I have her book on "Octopuses"(Octopi?) sitting right here and I can hardly wait to get started reading it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a very entertaining book, especially if you are an animal lover. You will thoroughly enjoy the antics of Chris the pig, as well as the other animals.The effect Chris has on those who are lucky enough to know him is touching and shows how much we can learn about ourselves if we just recognize we are part of nature, not its master.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    With her father on his death bed after losing a battle with cancer, the last thing Sy Montgomery expected in her lift was a sick piglet. Yet driving home from a visit with friends, with a shoebox on her lap, Sy and her husband found themselves making the choice to change their lives forever. The Good Good Pig is the story of Christopher Hogwood and how he changed the lives of a small community. It's a charming memoir that has a nice blend of pig stories along with events happening in Sy and her husband's lives. Chris' story really highlights the saying "Where there's life, there's hope" with his love of life and his ability to share that joy with everyone around him. He is one generous soul that just happens to be a pig.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    If you liked Marley and Me or the James Herriott books this is in that genre - the much beloved family pet who touches everyone. But this is a big pig, and also a book by an excellent author. The philosophy (1960's hippiness) is there but in snippets, so interesting but not preachy. Fun, easy to read, short, it's well worth the time.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Christopher Hogwood was the runt of the litter and struggling to survive when writers, Sy Montgomery and her husband, Howard Mansfield, made the decision to adopt the diminutive but strong-willed piglet in 1990. Howard had gotten a call from friends who had quite an extensive litter of piglets. They wanted to know if Howard and Sy would be interested in giving a loving home to a piglet in desperate need of care and attention. Christopher was not just the runt of the litter but he also had every disease a pig could have and things were not looking good. Sy was out of town when Howard got the call. Sy's beloved father was dying from cancer and Howard wondered if caring for the sickly pig would be good therapy for Sy, give her something to look forward to. If Sy and Howard didn't take the undersized and weak pig, it would certainly not survive. That's how the soulful Christopher Hogwood, named after the famous musical conductor, came to find his bliss in the loving hearts and home of Sy, Howard, and the quaint hamlet of Hancock, New Hampshire.

    Hogwood became a treasured member of the family and community. Friends and strangers came to visit the growing pig. Christopher had quite the reputation around town and did as he pleased. He visited neighbors and their gardens. Sy and Howard grew accustomed to the phone calls alerting them to the pigs whereabouts. Hogwood even had a police record of sorts and was often mentioned in the local police logs for his antics. But Christopher was lovingly accepted by all and quickly became a local celebrity and found himself on the receiving end of deliciously donated slops buckets from neighbors, grocers, and even a gourmet restaurant. Christopher Hogwood was a lucky pig. A splendid pig! He didn't just receive love and good will. Christopher had the ability to give as good as he got and even changed the lives of those who had the privilege to know this gloriously unique and intelligent pig.

    The Good Good Pig is Sy Montgomery's loving memoir and tribute to a pig, first brought home in a shoebox, and with love and support from his family and friends, defied all odds and grew to unimaginable proportions in size and celebrity. It is the extraordinary true story of a wise and remarkable pig that changed the lives of many, who was a beloved companion and an "activist who brought people together with his beautiful love."
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Heartwarming family story about the life of an extraordinary pig!
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I had hoped this would be more about her relationship and interactions with this smart animal. Mostly it's about (over)feeding him, his escaping, and neighboring children enjoying his company. The human stories here are more interesting than the porcine ones.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The good good pig that is the hero of the book touched the lives of many people in his fourteen years of life, and in writing this biography the author has extended his warmth and tenderness to many more. Highly recommended, unless you don't like animals.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Interesting reading in the car - aloud while Winston driving.
    Who can fall asleep when so much excitement about the Good Good (not just Good) Pig.
    Couple in small eastern town, acreage with animals, and the "runt" who grew to (can't tell you how many #'s) huge proportions.
    More a story of people, community, and life and the pig that drew together.
    And . . . how long does a pig live ? You have to read to the end to find out.
    Interesting change of pace, but he got a bit weary of the pig-details, so since I read speedier - I finished and filled him in on the last few chapters.
    Read in 2011
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I adored James Harriot's All Creatures Great and Small as a child and adored Richard Adams Watership Down and The Plague Dogs as a teen. It's true I'm no environmentalist or vegetarian, and compared to many of my friends I don't rate as an animal lover. But yes, I do believe I'd love the right animal book--it's just not this one.It probably didn't help that Sy Montgomery tells us from the beginning that she takes the PETA line that rat = boy. That she sees absolutely no reason to value people over animals. That, in fact, she likes animals much, much more. It's always been an attitude that I've felt antipathy for. The author is a naturalist who has written books about the Great Apes and rare bears and tigers and dolphins after studying them in their native habitats--and she's a more than decent wordsmith. She should have been able to make me see pigs through new eyes. There are tidbits here and there in this book about pigs, domestic and wild--although I felt not enough. But despite the fact I feel as if the subtitle could be, "drop that ham sandwich!" I have to admit this book didn't do anything to really make me see what was "extraordinary" about this particular pet pig that should make me want to give up bacon. Other than that he really, really, really enjoyed eating. Really. Really. Montgomery called food "his Higher Power." Okay...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sy Montgomery’s memoir “The Good Good Pig” is a charming and reverent look at the joys and perils of pig ownership. Although a professed animal lover who prefers the company of animals to humans, Montgomery’s story is more about the people whose lives the pig touched, rather than just about the creature himself.The writing style is reminiscent of James Herriot, though certainly from a lay perspective rather than that of a veterinarian. The setting, rural New Hampshire at the end of the 20th century, is as much a character as any of the human or porcine actors. We watch Christopher Hogwood, the pig of the title, grow from the “runt of runts” into an enormous adult, full of love and personality.The author makes it clear that she loves animals, and much of Christopher’s exceptionality is best perceived through the filter of her love and adoration. The sacrifices of time and energy that she makes on behalf of the animals in her life are made gladly, but left me feeling a trifle out of sympathy. In Montgomery’s description of her life, there is a sense of underlying smugness, as if any other lifestyle is inferior or even wrong—something that Herriot, in all of his description of the glories of Yorkshire, never did. The result is occasionally uninviting.The strength of the story tends to override these moments. The inevitable end of the story was handled very well, perhaps the most emotionally moving end to an animal story I’ve read. Once again, the focus is less on the pig himself, and more on the manner in which he had affected the lives around him.In short, “The Good Good Pig” is a light read on the surface, but with surprising depth for those who look for it. It is as much a study of personal growth and development as it is a tribute to a beloved pet, friend, and family member. It’s the next best thing to pig ownership... or possibly even better.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A pleasant book to read in the car on vacation.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This a heart warming story about how an animal can help you cope with things and grown in ways you never think possible. I picked this book up just to complete a reading challenge but I'm glad I did!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I wasn't sure what to expect but I do know I didn't expect to fall in love with a pig. Born the runt of the litter, and adopted by writers and travelers, Sy Montgomery and Howard Mansfield, this book revolves around the life and loves of Christopher Hogwood, piggy extraordinaire.Much like Dewey the cat of Spencer, Iowa fame, Christopher Hogwood's community extended beyond New England. Chris had an adventurous spirit and had a talent for escaping from his cozy pig pen in the barn and trotting over into neighboring plots of land or the town. It would not be uncommon for Sy to receive calls telling her that there's a large black and white pig rooting up their yard and asking if it might be hers, or for Ed the police officer leading Chris home with apples. Soon the townspeople and businesses are saving their scraps for Chris's slop bucket and he grows to well over 700lbs. A simple pig who just loved to eat and be with people, Chris unwittingly provided healing therapy for lonely children, children caught in the maelstrom of their parents' divorce and children with cancer by basking in their attention and giving them something else to focus on besides their troubles. For a few minutes or hours, these children and some adults start on their journey to emotional healing thanks to Chris.You will laugh and tear up at some of the stories that was Christopher Hogwood's life but you will come away feeling quite blessed that you got to know him a little too through this book.Chris shares the limelight a little with Tess, the oft abandoned and abused sheepdog that Sy and Howard adopted as well as The Ladies, their egg-laying chickens.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I picked up this book last week after reading about it somewhere online and devoured it in one sitting. Christopher Hogwood’s story is funny, touching, and utterly unforgettable. Anyone who has ever loved an animal will see herself in this story and in the unexpectedly powerful connection that forms between people and creatures. As Montgomery says, This huge, adored pig, who had given so many people delight, was proof that no matter what nature or history hands you, with love, anything is possible.And I couldn’t agree more. Move over, Marley. Christopher Hogwood is the new pet on the block. Read my full review at The Book Lady's Blog.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Read this over the weekend. It was a sweet, touching story but not the best animal tale I've read. I felt I didn't know Christopher that well, but I enjoyed learning about how the author's circle of friends grew because of him. Good story for an animal lover!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Heartwarming story of a pet pig. Makes you feel warm and fuzzy!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was in love with Christopher Hogwood from page one, and as I finished the book straining to see through the tears that misted my eyes I felt that I too had known this lovable and adored pig. I too have lived my life more in-tune with animals than with people, my animal companions being my greatest gifts of this life, Sy has given us a masterpiece of love here. Magnificent
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a delightful story about the life of a special pig Christopher Hogwood. The author adopted Christopher as a runt and was not sure he would even survive the first night. But he did that and much more - he lived 14 years of mischief and love. Over time, Christopher touched the lives of many interesting individuals. The book is as much about those individuals and relationships than it is about the pig. My only criticism is that I would have liked less of the author's ramblings on the history of pigs and her travel adventures and more on the pig and his people. But all in all I thoroughly enjoyed this light, airy read!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Very cute.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An absolutely delightful, well-written account of owning a charismatic pig, the sort of unusual & large animal that brings a small town together, down to the 1 town policeman, who carries apples with him to lure Christopher Hogwood back home after frequent breakouts. Part Marley & Me, part Charlotte's Web, only the coldest of animal-haters could scoff at this.