Pigs are a beloved part of North Carolina culture and vital to the state’s economy, but internationally their reputation is more divisive.
In the new book “Lesser Beasts: A Snout-to-Tail History of the Humble Pig” (Basic Books/2015) historian MarkEssig argues that we have loved and hated pigs for as long as they’ve lived among us. Essig examines pig biology and traces 10,000 years of human culture to explore how the clever, versatile animal ended up with such a complex reputation.
Host Frank Stasio talks with Essig about his years of research into the beast that he calls the ‘humble pig.’
Note: This is a rebroadcast. This program originally aired January 6, 2016.