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The Pigman #3
The Pigman & Me
Eight hundred and fifty-three horrifying things had happened to me by the time I was a teenager. That was when I met my Pigman, whose real name was Nonno Frankie.
The year Paul Zindel, his sister, Betty, and their mother lived in the town of Travis, Staten Island, New York, was the most important time of his teenage life. It was the year he and Jennifer Wolupopski were best friends. It was the year of the apple tree, the water-head baby, and Cemetery Hill. And it was the year he met Nonno Frankie Vivona, who became his Pigman.
Every word of his story is true. And The Pigman & Me has an added bonus--one crucial piece of information: the secret of life, according to the Pigman.
The year Paul Zindel, his sister, Betty, and their mother lived in the town of Travis, Staten Island, New York, was the most important time of his teenage life. It was the year he and Jennifer Wolupopski were best friends. It was the year of the apple tree, the water-head baby, and Cemetery Hill. And it was the year he met Nonno Frankie Vivona, who became his Pigman.
Every word of his story is true. And The Pigman & Me has an added bonus--one crucial piece of information: the secret of life, according to the Pigman.
176 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1992
12 people are currently reading
787 people want to read
About the author
Paul Zindel
83 books301 followersPaul Zindel was an American author, playwright and educator.
In 1964, he wrote The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, his first and most successful play. The play ran off-Broadway in 1970, and on Broadway in 1971. It won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was also made into a 1972 movie by 20th Century Fox. Charlotte Zolotow, then a vice-president at Harper & Row (now Harper-Collins) contacted him to writing for her book label. Zindel wrote 39 books, all of them aimed at children or young adults. Many of these were set in his home town of Staten Island, New York. They tended to be semi-autobiographical, focusing on teenage misfits with abusive or neglectful parents. Despite the often dark subject matter of his books, which deal with loneliness, loss, and the effects of abuse, they are also filled with humor. Many of his novels have wacky titles, such as My Darling, My Hamburger, or Confessions of A Teenage Baboon.
The Pigman, first published in 1968, is widely taught in American schools, and also made it on to the list of most frequently banned books in America in the 1990s, because of what some deem offensive language.
In 1964, he wrote The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, his first and most successful play. The play ran off-Broadway in 1970, and on Broadway in 1971. It won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was also made into a 1972 movie by 20th Century Fox. Charlotte Zolotow, then a vice-president at Harper & Row (now Harper-Collins) contacted him to writing for her book label. Zindel wrote 39 books, all of them aimed at children or young adults. Many of these were set in his home town of Staten Island, New York. They tended to be semi-autobiographical, focusing on teenage misfits with abusive or neglectful parents. Despite the often dark subject matter of his books, which deal with loneliness, loss, and the effects of abuse, they are also filled with humor. Many of his novels have wacky titles, such as My Darling, My Hamburger, or Confessions of A Teenage Baboon.
The Pigman, first published in 1968, is widely taught in American schools, and also made it on to the list of most frequently banned books in America in the 1990s, because of what some deem offensive language.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
August 2, 2010
I want to tell you that this book is sweet but I'm afraid you'll brush it aside because of that, don't.
It could be messed-up (if you like that kind of thing). The mom is crazy (not A Child Called It crazy but bordering on Glass Castle crazy), She threatens to kill herself all the time as a means for punishing her kids, The father is absent, Zindel get's in fights at school and has enough insecurities to let us know he's real.
But what I really loved is that the focus is not on all the yucky parts of being a kid, the disconnectedness and what-not but rather on the moments and connections that let you know you're going to survive this.
I especially love that the relationship that keeps Zindel sane is an elderly man. I seemingly silly, always entertaining, elderly man that loves him and helps guide him through the things his mom is not able to.
I feel like this book, like I do about Tommie DePaolo's book My Baby Sister. There are so many books on what sucks about getting a new sibling that My Baby Sister is a refreshing look at what's fun about it. There are SO MANY books about how isolating growing up is, it's nice to read about someone that felt cared for despite the other messes in his life.
It could be messed-up (if you like that kind of thing). The mom is crazy (not A Child Called It crazy but bordering on Glass Castle crazy), She threatens to kill herself all the time as a means for punishing her kids, The father is absent, Zindel get's in fights at school and has enough insecurities to let us know he's real.
But what I really loved is that the focus is not on all the yucky parts of being a kid, the disconnectedness and what-not but rather on the moments and connections that let you know you're going to survive this.
I especially love that the relationship that keeps Zindel sane is an elderly man. I seemingly silly, always entertaining, elderly man that loves him and helps guide him through the things his mom is not able to.
I feel like this book, like I do about Tommie DePaolo's book My Baby Sister. There are so many books on what sucks about getting a new sibling that My Baby Sister is a refreshing look at what's fun about it. There are SO MANY books about how isolating growing up is, it's nice to read about someone that felt cared for despite the other messes in his life.
March 15, 2016
The Pigman and me was a great book! Nonno Frankie was one of the most amazing characters I have encountered with. I recommend this book to anyone.
March 12, 2023
I originally was trying to find the fictional book, The Pigman, by Zindel when I came across this book of Zindel's childhood memoirs. I enjoyed reading about his real life experiences and different people in his life that definitely inspired different characters in his fictional pieces. Zindel did not have an ideal childhood, yet, he found a way to rise above it. He had an absentee father who left the family when Zindel was quite young, his mother had her own issues and would often threaten suicide, and his childhood was filled with additional struggles from having enough food to eat to having a place to stay.
Zindel talks about his real life Pigman in this book, Nonno Frankie who was both a father and grandfather type role model in his life even though they were not related at all. It was often Nonno Frankie's encouragement that kept Zindel moving forward in life. It gave Zindel a stable, dependable adult who he could confide in. Unfortunately, Zindel's mom contributed to the ending of this relationship, but the positive impact Nonno Frankie had left already would not be forgotten by Zindel.
The book is mixed with humor along with heartbreak, but then again, that is what real life is all about. It makes me admire Zindel for being able to rise above the challenges his childhood to become a renown author.
Zindel talks about his real life Pigman in this book, Nonno Frankie who was both a father and grandfather type role model in his life even though they were not related at all. It was often Nonno Frankie's encouragement that kept Zindel moving forward in life. It gave Zindel a stable, dependable adult who he could confide in. Unfortunately, Zindel's mom contributed to the ending of this relationship, but the positive impact Nonno Frankie had left already would not be forgotten by Zindel.
The book is mixed with humor along with heartbreak, but then again, that is what real life is all about. It makes me admire Zindel for being able to rise above the challenges his childhood to become a renown author.
February 22, 2019
The pigman and me was kinda a confusing book to read but it was ok.
January 26, 2025
وقتی سنم پایینتر بود اینو خوندم و جزو اولین کتابایی بود که میخوندم واقعن دوسش داشتم بین همه اون کتابایی که خونده بودم این اولین کتابی بود که پایانش رو دوس داشتم و به واقعیت نزدیکتر بود
February 5, 2024
About four months after Mr. Pignati’s death, Lorraine and John discuss the different ways people while riding the bus home from school. They get so involved in their conversation that they pass their stop, and get off the bus two stops later. As they walk home, they find themselves passing by Mr. Pignati’s house. The neglect they see in the front yard- overgrown bushes and a dead tree limb- saddens them mourn both. Suddenly, Lorraine sees someone staring at her from an upstairs window. She’s certain that she’s just seen Mr. Pignati’s ghost. The next day, John suggests that they go by the house again to confront whoever or whatever is in the house, and Lorraine reluctantly agrees. The front door is ajar, and they walk in. There’s some milk in the refrigerator. They hear sounds upstairs so they go to investigate and find an old man in the bedroom. He asks if they’re from the I.R.S. The entire first encounter is confrontational, but they both feel a strong pull to go back. On their second visit, they bring fudge. He says his name is Gus, and that he knew Colonel Glenville who designed subway systems. When John and Lorraine take Gus to his condemned townhouse, they find a German shepherd named Gus, and evidence that the old man is the Colonel. The next day, the Colonel ends up in the emergency room from severe stomach pain. He stays long enough to get some medication and then escapes. John and Lorraine tells Dolly, a high school lunch lady, about the Colonel and invites her to meet him. They are relieved when she and the Colonel hit it off. The whole group goes to Atlantic City. The Colonel cashes in his gold coins, and he and Dolly gamble them into $4000 which Dolly gives to John for safe keeping. John blows all of it, but Dolly and the Colonel forgive him. They know that it doesn’t really matter because the Colonel is dying.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com
May 4, 2024
I never read #1 and #2, had no idea this was a series. "Pigman" is a term never explained in this book, a fact that could've and should've been remedied by a sentence or two. Too, the time period and the protag's age should've been pinned down. We're told Paul's a teen past the sixth grade and the elderly couple left Italy because they didn't agree with Mussolini.
I was also in the dark about this being an autobiography, until the protag was asked his name and he replied with the author's name and I looked for and finally found "BIO" on the spine. Do I believe, as the back cover states, that "Every word of this story is true"? Nope. No normal human can recall so many details of an incident that happened decades ago.
Upon finishing I thought two things: "This book is depressing" and "What slice of my life could I tell entertainingly and conclude satisfactorily?" Paul ended his book the way it started: mirrored scenes in a packed-to-the-gills family car. Nice bookends. My life is so full of loose ends and things that don't often make sense and relationships that develop only to evaporate. One day, looking through God's eyes, it'll all make sense. But now it's kind of a mess. And so is everyone else's life. I'd have to invent dialog to flesh out scenes and build a lot of bridges to tie those scenes together. My memories are YouTube Shorts, not feature-length films!
Will I read more Paul Zindel? Could be.
I was also in the dark about this being an autobiography, until the protag was asked his name and he replied with the author's name and I looked for and finally found "BIO" on the spine. Do I believe, as the back cover states, that "Every word of this story is true"? Nope. No normal human can recall so many details of an incident that happened decades ago.
Upon finishing I thought two things: "This book is depressing" and "What slice of my life could I tell entertainingly and conclude satisfactorily?" Paul ended his book the way it started: mirrored scenes in a packed-to-the-gills family car. Nice bookends. My life is so full of loose ends and things that don't often make sense and relationships that develop only to evaporate. One day, looking through God's eyes, it'll all make sense. But now it's kind of a mess. And so is everyone else's life. I'd have to invent dialog to flesh out scenes and build a lot of bridges to tie those scenes together. My memories are YouTube Shorts, not feature-length films!
Will I read more Paul Zindel? Could be.
November 30, 2024
To begin with, I have a soft spot in my heart for Paul Zindel. As a theatre major I enjoyed his plays, especially his Pulitzer Prize winning play The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, and his YA novel, The Pigman, which is actually the YA novel that got me into YA novels to begin with. While I am a fan, I loved but did not like some elements of this memoir.
Zindel had an interesting life, and this memoir showcases that life with his sister and eccentric mother, but more importantly, how it came about in meeting the man who would inspire him to write The Pigman novel. While there are elements I loved, stories I laughed out loud over, characters that were over the top amusing in every way, I just felt that this memoir was choppy. The one major skill Zindel does well, that I feel is worth highlighting, is incorporating elements of humor throughout. That's hard to accomplish as a writer, as humor is subjective, but Zindel delivers.
I'm still a fan of Zindel's. I'll also say that there were things in this memoir that I am going to take and consider in my own writing, especially the parts that stood out for me, things that I wish I had written, like the story of the cockroaches, the mother's suicide attempts, and the old parents who rock on porches like zombies. I also thought to look at my own writing as little chapters that also have their own unique arch, with interesting titles. My rating - 3/5
Zindel had an interesting life, and this memoir showcases that life with his sister and eccentric mother, but more importantly, how it came about in meeting the man who would inspire him to write The Pigman novel. While there are elements I loved, stories I laughed out loud over, characters that were over the top amusing in every way, I just felt that this memoir was choppy. The one major skill Zindel does well, that I feel is worth highlighting, is incorporating elements of humor throughout. That's hard to accomplish as a writer, as humor is subjective, but Zindel delivers.
I'm still a fan of Zindel's. I'll also say that there were things in this memoir that I am going to take and consider in my own writing, especially the parts that stood out for me, things that I wish I had written, like the story of the cockroaches, the mother's suicide attempts, and the old parents who rock on porches like zombies. I also thought to look at my own writing as little chapters that also have their own unique arch, with interesting titles. My rating - 3/5
April 25, 2018
The story is told in flashback with two narrators alternating the telling of the tale. It begins with John Conlan and Lorraine Jensen tell the story of an old man named Mr. Pignati whose friendship changes their lives and helps them mature. They meet him during a telephone prank and spend most of the months of their sophomore year at Franklin High School visiting him in his home, going with him to the zoo, having great conversation, and feeling accepted for who they are. However, they make some poor decisions like having a party in his home without his permission and allowing questionable people to be there. In the end, they are blamed for his heart attack and the story ends with a young man and a young woman older, but wiser. It shows a young person who learns through life experiences how to grow and be a better person.
Metaphor: "They build their own cages, we could almost hear the Pigman whisper, as he took his children with him.”
Simile: "You look like an oddball.”
Hyperbole: “For Sale: Complete set of encyclopedias. Never used. Wife knows everything.”
Personification: He has these gigantic eyes that look right through you
I liked this book. I thought it was good and was well written.
Metaphor: "They build their own cages, we could almost hear the Pigman whisper, as he took his children with him.”
Simile: "You look like an oddball.”
Hyperbole: “For Sale: Complete set of encyclopedias. Never used. Wife knows everything.”
Personification: He has these gigantic eyes that look right through you
I liked this book. I thought it was good and was well written.
January 6, 2017
This is my least favorite book in the entire world. I was assigned to read it when I was in 5th grade and I was completely blown away. I hadn't realized that books this terrible even existed. To this day, I'm happy to report I've never encountered another book as pointless or awful as this one.
If I could, I would give this book zero stars. It deserves none. I hope this book is forgotten by history.
If you liked this book, that is wonderful, and I'm glad that you found joy where I could find none. I am not looking to persuade anyone who felt differently, and I'm certainly not looking to be persuaded. Nor am I looking to judge people whose opinions are different from mine—the world is richer for our differences. I just wanted to share my experience, which is that this book was a dumpster fire.
If I could, I would give this book zero stars. It deserves none. I hope this book is forgotten by history.
If you liked this book, that is wonderful, and I'm glad that you found joy where I could find none. I am not looking to persuade anyone who felt differently, and I'm certainly not looking to be persuaded. Nor am I looking to judge people whose opinions are different from mine—the world is richer for our differences. I just wanted to share my experience, which is that this book was a dumpster fire.
April 14, 2018
I don't know why this is billed as the third book in the "Pigman Trilogy." To me that would entail another adventure with John and Lorraine, maybe with Dolly. What this is is an autobiographical piece in which Zindel recounts the time of his life where he met his "pigman." A pigman is someone who helps you learn your most important life lesson.
Bindel writes about some very hard things in a light way. That is to not to say he takes the events lightly, but that by keeping the tome light he avoids making the book unreadably depressing. He injects a lot of laughs and makes sure the book has heart.
I'm only sorry I waited so long to read it myself.
Bindel writes about some very hard things in a light way. That is to not to say he takes the events lightly, but that by keeping the tome light he avoids making the book unreadably depressing. He injects a lot of laughs and makes sure the book has heart.
I'm only sorry I waited so long to read it myself.
September 5, 2020
I liked this book a whole lot more than I expected.
Holy cow.
One of the best memoirs I have read.
It was required reading, and it was really short: only 178 pages long. But throughout those 178 pages, I smiled, laughed, ached. I have such a soft spot for books set in the ‘40s, and this book just felt so vivid. I felt like I was going to the apple tree with Paul and Jennifer, or talking to Nonno Frankie and listening to him crack his jokes one after the other.
The ending was so heartbreaking for me, though. I wished the characters—er, people—had the ending they deserved.
Read this book asap, and you won’t regret it.
Holy cow.
One of the best memoirs I have read.
It was required reading, and it was really short: only 178 pages long. But throughout those 178 pages, I smiled, laughed, ached. I have such a soft spot for books set in the ‘40s, and this book just felt so vivid. I felt like I was going to the apple tree with Paul and Jennifer, or talking to Nonno Frankie and listening to him crack his jokes one after the other.
The ending was so heartbreaking for me, though. I wished the characters—er, people—had the ending they deserved.
Read this book asap, and you won’t regret it.
September 26, 2017
I remember picking this book up from the school library when I was a kid not really expecting to like it. of course I was wrong. I found the book recently at a used book store and remembering how much I adored it I picked it up. it was just as good now as it was when I first read it as a child. I love that its a true story. strange, but true. I don't really see it as being a pigman #3 book. it stands just fine all by itself and makes the other two books boring in comparison.
April 27, 2022
A sneak peek inside Zindel's life really draw's similarities between the Pigman books and The Pigman & Me. Kind of takes you back here and there for some connections. This was very intuitive, kind of taking a peek in Zindel's life and what his childhood was like. How he met the Pigman. I am really glad I got to read his books and got a chance to know a little more about him. Definitely would recommend the Pigman trilogy!!
September 27, 2021
This short autobiography of a year in the life of young Paul Zindel, when he meets his Pigman, was an easy enjoyable read. The relationship between Paul and his Pigman is a beautiful one, and to be let in on the small but special conversations that they’ve had leaves you with a soft feeling and a smile.
April 21, 2025
ok considering i got this book months ago fully for the bit it’s very fitting that it reads like a collection of tiny improv scenes! it’s so weird (genuinely kinda absurd) but super sweet and also sad! the writing was very vibrant for its style and i was quite surprised that i ended up liking it but i did! a solidly nice book!
October 27, 2019
This is more an autobiography of how Paul Zindel discovered his "pigman". It was well written and interesting most times, but I don't know what to make of it tbh. I guess the story really only covers the time he met and left his pigman and....I wanted more. But it's not a bad read.
March 23, 2023
It was fun to read about Paul Zindel's life and see the things that inspired the stories he later told about the fictional Pigman. Not quite as enjoyable as the fictional stories but worth the read. My favorite part was all of the Italian food 😋
July 4, 2018
I really enjoyed The Pigman and Me’s recount of Paul Zindel’s life and how much Nonno Frankie impacted him.
February 12, 2019
This is a good book with some depressing stories 😔
January 27, 2020
It only took about forty years, but the Pigman triology is complete! Who couldn't use a Nonno Vivona as a pigman?!
September 21, 2021
This book is amazing. Why does it have only a 3.7?!
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August 29, 2022i liked it
January 9, 2023
This was a very emotional read for me. I really enjoyed this book.
February 6, 2023
Such a simple book about two kids that want to escape the repeated doom of their town’s generational curse of becoming a zombie. ESCAPE, PAUL AND JENNIFER!
February 16, 2023
Holds a special place in my heart. This is the first book I actually loved when I was little that got me into reading. Until then I thought I had hated it!!
September 11, 2023
I prefer the other books in the series personally but this was okay
December 16, 2011
The book was really good, but really sad too. Paul, his sister, and mother shared a house with another lady and her children on Staten Island. Paul's mom moved them around a lot, but it seemed like things were finally working out for Paul. He really liked living in the house and was making friends in the neighborhood. But what was really special for Paul was that the lady they shared the house with, who's name was Connie, had her parents come to visit often. Connie's parents names were Nonno Frankie and Nonna Mamie and they would come and make great dinners for both of the families and bring some cheer into everyone's lives. Paul and Nonno Frankie started to become friends and eventually Nonno Frankie sort of became a dad to Paul, a dad he never had. Paul called Nonno Frankie his "pigman", which I think means he was his mentor or something. But the problem was that his mom seemed like she was crazy. She would always say things like, "don't talk to them" or "I don't want them walking on my side of the yard", but she would always take from Connie's family. It didn't seem fair. For example, Connie was dating the town butcher, but Paul's mom always made Connie get meat for all of them even though she wouldn't let Connie bring her boyfriend to the house. It seemed to me that Paul's mom was jealous of Connie's relationship because at the end of the book she yelled at Paul and his sister, "I could've married again, but no man wants a woman with two lousy stones around her neck". She meant that Paul and his sister were a trouble to her. She was really mean to Paul and his sister. Every time she didn't get her way, she would yell and tell her kids that she was going to kill herself. It scared Paul a lot and he didn't know what to do about it. At the end of the book, Paul's mom got mad because Connie was giving Paul's sister advice about boys because she couldn't talk to her own mom. Paul's mom found out about it and she got so mad at Connie, that she got into a big fight with her and decided that they were going to move out of the house. That made Paul so sad because he finally had a family and friends he could count on and just when things were going good, they had to leave. So the book ended the same way it started - Paul, his sister, and his mom were all packed up in their car looking for a place to live. Paul and his sister were unhappy about it, but their mom was happy to be moving.
June 25, 2010
This is the autobiography of author Paul Zindel. Zindel is the author of a number of novels for young adults including The Pigman, My Darling, My Hamburger, and To Take a Dare. In The Pigman and Me, Zindel describes the events in his adolescence life during the period of time when he lived in the town of Travis in Staten Island, New York. The book begins with Zindel’s move to Travis. He describes the house his single mother bought with a friend, Connie, who moves in soon after them with her twin boys. On one hand, Zindel portrays his mother as a man-hater who frequently threatens to commit suicide when things get out of control. On the other hand, she is portrayed as a positive thinker who is always trying something new. More importantly, Zindel focuses on the relationship he develops with Connie’s father, who becomes his mentor and father figure; he refers Nonno Frankie as his “pigman.”
I cannot recall reading any of Zindel’s books when I was younger, but I am familiar with his name as an author of young adult books. One of the main things I like about Zindel’s autobiography is that it’s written as if he were telling the story face to face. There are also several photos in the book that depict Zindel as a child. I especially enjoyed reading the parts that included Nonno Frankie, and I was able to gain a sense of the positive influence Nonno Frankie had on Zindel. Although I expected Zindel to include more information about his life into adulthood, the fact that it mainly focuses on his adolescence makes it a great choice for teens.
I cannot recall reading any of Zindel’s books when I was younger, but I am familiar with his name as an author of young adult books. One of the main things I like about Zindel’s autobiography is that it’s written as if he were telling the story face to face. There are also several photos in the book that depict Zindel as a child. I especially enjoyed reading the parts that included Nonno Frankie, and I was able to gain a sense of the positive influence Nonno Frankie had on Zindel. Although I expected Zindel to include more information about his life into adulthood, the fact that it mainly focuses on his adolescence makes it a great choice for teens.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews