Thursday, December 27, 2007

The Good Good Pig

This sweet and wonderful book by Sy Montgomery has a subtitle: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood. Through Montgomery we meet a most excellent pig that lived to be age 14 while under the care of the author and her husband. Since Montgomery is a vegetarian, she never entertained the thought of raising the animal for food. Christopher Hogwood definitely fell into the ideal home!

Hogwood arrived at Montgomery's home as a very ill piglet. His future was uncertain, but he turned out to be a robust adult pig, weighing over 700 pounds. Hogwood became quite a legend around his New Hampshire home and beyond. He received visitors on a daily or near daily basis. Bringing him food or grooming him (later called Pig Spa) was a joyous time for all involved. Montgomery, her husband, friends, and neighbors all learn something from their time with Hogwood. At the time of his passing, one friend acknowledges him as a "big Buddha master."

This book is highly recommended for all who enjoy stories about animals and the lessons they can teach us.