All About Animals discussion

Discuss this book here:

I liked how this book gave the pigs personality so well. And heck who knew my eyes would water at it'd death. Yes it was a good good pig!

Lesley wrote: "I liked how this book gave the pigs personality so well. And heck who knew my eyes would water at it'd death. Yes it was a good good pig!"

I'm about 1/4 of the way through the book.

I was smitten with both the pig, Christopher Hogwood, and the author, Sy Montgomery. Her respect for Christopher and her consistent attempt to provide the best possible care for him was heartening. I laughed and like Lesley above, I shed a few tears.

Christopher drew people to him, became part of the community, and found friends in children.

I think this pig showed why it is important for researchers to engage in some anthropomorphizing.
Montgomery, however, was not conducting a scientific experiment -- she was doing anthropoligical documentation.

I have started some of Montgomery's other books but so far have not made it through them.

Did Christopher do anything in the book that surprised you?

Tell us why it surprised you?

Do you believe that pigs are more intelligent than other animals?

If you don't believe they are more intelligent than other animals, tell us which animal you feel is more intelligent than a pig?

Barbara wrote: "Do you believe that pigs are more intelligent than other animals?

If you don't believe they are more intelligent than other animals, tell us which animal you feel is more intelligent than a pig?"

I have nothing to base this on but I think elephants and dolphins/porpoises are probably smarter than pigs. Chickens and pigs might be the smartest barnyard animals.

Christopher Hogwood didn't seem any smarter than the average piggy, I think he was very food motivated. His talent was simply to be a unique living centerpiece around which people could bond.

Usually when we think of animal intelligence it is in relation to things we can do. We are ever discovering things animals can do that we can not do -- sonar, identifying scents and building pictures with that identification, reading behavior, etc. I do not think we can compare intelligence. We are discovering more species that demonstrate sentience -- marine mammals, elephants, dogs, crows, and more. That is a complex behavior that I do not think we have discovered in pigs. I wonder how the intelligence of wild boars compares to domestic pigs. Some wild animals are thought to be more intelligent that their domestic counterparts.

I thought Christopher was an ordinary pig with a wonderful life.

I agree with Cindy about the elephants. They supposedly have excellent memory and grieve like humans. Not sure a pig does that! I do think that pigs are a smart animal though.

I really enjoyed the book. It seems pigs may be as intelligent as dogs. Agreed they are very food motivated. In fact, the author and others seemed to revel in watching Christopher eat as much as he enjoyed his slop. I could not believe how fat he got with all his choice slop. The poor guy could barely move and had to go on a slop diet. Loved the bond that Sy formed with Christopher and how he was able to bring her out of her shell and to help her relate to and meet her neighbors. The little girl neighbors really bonded with her and Christopher through the joy of caring for the pig whether it was by feeding him or by pig spa.

I thought the side story about Sy's bigoted mother and the family secret revealed at her death was very interesting.

Sy, I had to laugh out loud when I read what the minister said at church. Too funny! Page 65 for those reading the book.

I finished the book this morning and I really liked it. In addition to really enjoying reading about Christopher, Tess, and the Ladies, I managed to learn some new things about pigs as well in terms of their care, habits, personalities, etc.

I loved the picture of Christopher in his glasses!!!!

Jami, I enjoyed having the photos in the book also.