The Good Good Pig

February 6, 2006
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.

May 15, 2006
-What is more jolly and uplifting than a pig? - asks nature writer Montgomery ("Journey of the Pink Dolphins"); judging by her book -s charming cover of a black-and-white spotted pig, bushy eyebrows and all, peering flirtatiously at the camera, one can only agree. The subject is Christopher Hogwood, the sickly runt that the author and her husband adopted and raised to become a 750-pound local celebrity in their small New Hampshire town. As she recounts Christopher -s adventures (his many escapes into neighbors - gardens, his picky delight in the slops offered to him by his many fans), Montgomery throws in fascinating tidbits of pig lore and natural history. All this is great fun to read, but when Montgomery talks about the -deep - life lessons she and her friends learned from Christopher, who lived to the ripe old age of 14, the book treads dangerously close to becoming sentimental hogwash, a porcine "Tuesdays with Morrie" or "Marley & Me". People loved those aforementioned books, so there will be demand for Montgomery -s latest; still, one wishes for a little less treacle and a lot more of Christopher. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ "2/1/06.]" -Wilda Williams, Library Journal"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2006
Adult/High School-For writer and world traveler Montgomery, the grounding force of her New Hampshire home was a 750-pound pig. This book is not merely a chronicle of her love for and life with Christopher Hogwood, but also a testament to the lessons learned through her 14-year relationship with him. Usually preferring the company of animals to most people, Montgomery developed an extensive network of friends who were willing to cache and freeze their food scraps for the always grateful, bottomless pig. In turn, these friends witnessed an enjoyment of life's bounty as only a pig can experiencewith utter abandon. Montgomery's delightful anecdotes about Christopher's personality, neighborhood wanderings, and haute skin care à la Pig Spa are entwined with biographical details about her family life and fascinating animal-research projects. Christopher was undoubtedly Montgomery's muse for this introspective account of personal growth and her underlying mantra of caring for all the Earth's creatures. He also helped her weather the pain of intractable parents who would not accept their Jewish son-in-law. Like Montgomery's earlier books, this title blends facts about animal behavior, natural history, geography, and culture with myths, legends, and a large helping of adventure. The color photographs of Christopher from runt to virtual behemoth are an added attraction. More importantly, the author's engaging writing style will captivate even the most uninspired teen readers."Claudia C. Holland, Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 15, 2006
No less an authority than the great biologist E. O. Wilson has affirmed the significance of our intrinsic affinity for other living organisms, our biophilia, and it's obvious from naturalist Montgomery's unforgettable books about tigers, pink dolphins, and the golden moon bear that she is an animal lover of the first order. Now she chronicles the life of the animal her life revolved around for 14 years, a pig named Christopher Hogwood: 750 pounds of bliss, affection, and good cheer. Even as a runt he had a special aura, and once Montgomery and her husband, the writer Howard Mansfield, nursed him into robust health on their New Hampshire homestead, he proved to be an exceptionally intelligent, sociable, and loving companion, if rather demanding. It took a village to keep Christopher fed and entertained, and Montgomery's descriptions of Christopher's amazing adventures and celebrity status are hilarious, enchanting, and deeply affecting. Joyful and serene, smart and friendly, Christopher soothed many a troubled heart, and Montgomery writes with extraordinary lucidity, candor, and grace about what this good, good pig taught her and others about life, love, happiness, and all that we share with our fellow species on this precious planet.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)