Mark Essig says humans are very conflicted as to what to make of the pig. (Basic Books)

The humble pig has been with us for a long stretch of human history. But it's a misunderstood animal, and an often-unloved one... despite everything that it's done for us.

The writer and historian Mark Essig has carved up that complicated history in a new book, "Lesser Beasts: A Snout to Tail History of the Humble Pig."

Mark Essig joined us from Asheville, North Carolina.



This segment was produced by The Current's Howard Goldenthal.





