Pig/Pork

Archaeology, Zoology and Edibility

By: Pía Spry-Marqués

Narrated by: Antonia Beamish

Pig/Pork explores the love-hate relationship between humans and pigs through the lenses of archaeology, biology, history and gastronomy, providing a close and affectionate look at the myriad causes underlying this multimillennial bond.

What is it that people in all four corners of the world find so fascinating about the pig? When did the human obsession with pigs begin, how did it develop through time and where is it heading? Why are pigs so special to some of us but not to others? Pig/Pork sets out to answer these and other porcine-related questions, examining human-pig interactions across the globe through time, from the Palaeolithic to the present day.

The book dissects pig anatomy and behaviour and describes how this knowledge plays a major role in the advance of the agricultural and medical sciences, among others. The book also looks closely at the history of pig-human interaction, how they were domesticated and when, how they affected human history through their diseases and how they have been involved in centuries of human conflicts.

All this is accompanied by a liberal peppering of pork recipes and the stories behind them, along with facts, wisdom and porker lore, providing a thought-provoking account of where our food comes from, both historically and agriculturally, and how this continues to influence many parts of our behaviour and culture.

©2017 Bloomsbury (P)2017 Audible, Ltd

Too much about cooking and not enough genetics

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Someone who cooks but is not a fan of deep science.

Has Pig/Pork turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

How did the narrator detract from the book?

She was ok

What character would you cut from Pig/Pork?

The cooking

Any additional comments?

There are many other good books in this genre