Curiosities

The History of the Humble Pig

KUER 90.1 | By Doug Fabrizio

Published September 25, 2015 at 11:00 AM MDT

The history of the domestic pig is a tale of both love and loathing. We cherish pigs for the delicious meat they supply. But, as animals that eat and root in filth, swine are often met with contempt. In a new book of porcine history, the writer Mark Essig follows the humble pig’s journey from Neolithic villages to modern industrial farms. Essig joins us Friday to explore the pig’s vast importance, the tragedy of its modern treatment, and its complicated relationship with humanity.

Mark Essig is the author of Edison and the Electric Chair [Amazon|Indiebound] andLesser Beasts: A Snout-to-Tail History of the Humble Pig [Amazon|Indiebound].

Curiosities

Doug Fabrizio

Doug Fabrizio has been reporting for KUER News since 1987, and became News Director in 1993. In 2001, he became host and executive producer of KUER's RadioWest, a one hour conversation/call-in show on KUER 90.1 in Salt Lake City. He has gained a reputation for his thoughtful style. He has interviewed everyone from Isabel Allende to the Dalai Lama, and from Madeleine Albright to Desmond Tutu. His interview skills landed him a spot as a guest host of the national NPR program, "Talk of the Nation." He has won numerous awards for his reporting and for his work with RadioWest and KUED's Utah NOW from such organizations as the Society of Professional Journalists, the Utah Broadcasters Association, the Public Radio News Directors Association and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

See stories by Doug Fabrizio