Caprice Crane

Forget about not buying this book!: Caprice Crane's first novel Stupid and Contagious was great, so I was looking forward to Forget About It. I really enjoyed this book! Jordan, the main character, is real and complex 20-something woman, and her real life problems that she "solves" with amnesia, a crappy boyfriend, bad job, credit card debt, and critical mom, are described in a funny witty and intelligent way that makes the reader feel ok about relating and laughing at them. Anyone who has show more problems sticking up for themselves will enjoy and relate to Jordan's journey. Once I started reading, I looked forward to picking up and reading this book whenever I could. A fun rollercoaster ride! show less

I quite enjoyed this memoir about two guys and their pet pig and the sometimes hilarious antics of Esther the pig and even the author (who admits that he often does things without thinking things through). Having Esther made them think and they became vegans and Esther became a social media phenomenon especially for the animal rights movement. I am not a vegan or vegetarian, however I do think about the ethics about using animal products especially due to the atrocious conditions of factory show more farming. I liked how this book wasn't too hard of a sell for veganism and so not a hard read for those of us that still eat meat. I liked the Esther Approved recipes at the back too. show less

Four stars for a fun read. Okay, the title caught your eye didn't it? Esther the Wonder Pig: Changing the World One Heart at a Time. And how about that cute little piggy face?

Well, inside the pages of Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter's new book, written with Caprice Crane, you'll find the story of Esther, the mini pig that was, well, a big pig.

Steve and his partner Derek are animal lovers. They were living with a pair of dogs and cats in their home in a large urban area in Ontario when an old show more high school friend of Steve's contacted him. (After 15 years of no contact...)

" Hey Steve. I know you've always been a huge animal lover. I have a mini pig that is not getting along with my dogs. I've just had a baby and I can't keep the pig."

Uh huh. So combined with that 15 years and the words 'mini pig', alarms should be going off right? Nope - Steve ends up meeting the woman and bringing home the cute little animal. It's the word 'huge' in that email that is quite prophetic. 'Esther' isn't a mini (surprise!) - instead, she ends up being a full blown commercial size pig. Yes, a 650 pound pig in a 1000 sq.ft. home!

I really enjoyed Steve's voice - I suspect he would be a hoot to meet in person. He's passionate, impetuous and downright funny. I found myself laughing out loud many times. Derek seems to be a bit calmer and more practical. But their love for Esther is the same.

Loving a full sized pig does bring some inevitable changes - physically, mentally and lifestyle. How those changes occurred and how they literally affected and inspired hundreds of thousands of people is a wonderful, heartwarming tale. Esther's story will bring a smile to your day, have you taking a second look at where your food comes from, perhaps inspire you to investigate a vegan lifestyle, support rescue operations and more.

Oh, and my book has a nice little blurb from Ricky Gervais: "Funny, moving, and heartwarming. The greatest love story ever told between two men and their pig." Yup, that about sums it up. A fun read that will leave you smiling. My only negative is the celebrity comparisons that just felt forced and awkward. show less

This review is posted on both my personal account and the account for Crossroads Public Library.

I've read this book more than a few times but this is the first time I've read it this year. Is it the best book I've ever read? Definitely not. But it's hilarious, and sweet, and honestly Heaven's experience working at the restaurant really resonated with me, given my food service industry past. This is one of those books that I turn to when I just want to read a book that I know I'm going to show more like. There's not a lot of depth to it - I think it's safe to say that it's more of a junk food sort of book than anything.

But sometimes that's exactly what a reader needs. show less