Naturalist and author Sy Montgomery leads a quiet life in rural New Hampshire with her husband until the day they adopt Christopher the pig. Small enough to fit in a shoebox when the Montgomerys bring him home, Christopher is undernourished, the runt of a large litter. Remarkably smart, irresistibly charming, he fits right in on their eight-acre farm, befriending the neighbors, who bring him treats and help the Montgomerys nurse him back to health. The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood documents the friendship that develops between the author and this endearing animal. Explaining the appeal of her unusual pet, Montgomery writes, Everything about a pig makes people want to laugh out loud with joy: the way their lardy bulk can mince along gracefully on tiptoe hooves, the way their tails curl . . . their great, greedy delight in eating. Montgomery writes with skill and sensitivity about the challenges of caring for this formerly fragile animal, who now weighs a robust 750 pounds. Christopher has been profiled in USA Today and on National Public Radio, and Montgomery now shares his story in full in this unique and beautifully written memoir, already one of the most talked-about books of the summer.
Julie Hale tends to her dog Howdy in Waynesville, North Carolina.
