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Chewing the Cud: An Extraordinary Life Remembered by the Author of Babe: The Gallant Pig
A candid and very funny memoir from beloved children’s book author Dick King-Smith.
Before he was a children’s book author, Dick King-Smith was a soldier, a farmer, a salesman, a factory worker, and a teacher. But he was always a devoted family man who loved the countryside he lived in and the animals he kept. In this insightful memoir, Dick King-Smith recounts the joys and failures of his life with equal humor and candor. And he remembers a delightful cast of animal characters–from Anna, the dachshund who turned out to be just stubborn, not deaf, to the 600-pound pig Monty, who liked to be scratched on top of his head, to Wilhelmina, a pet badger who was fond of love bites. As readers delight in recognizing the inspiration behind many of Dick King-Smith’s books, they’ll also see how a collection of experiences made a man a writer.
From the Hardcover edition.
Before he was a children’s book author, Dick King-Smith was a soldier, a farmer, a salesman, a factory worker, and a teacher. But he was always a devoted family man who loved the countryside he lived in and the animals he kept. In this insightful memoir, Dick King-Smith recounts the joys and failures of his life with equal humor and candor. And he remembers a delightful cast of animal characters–from Anna, the dachshund who turned out to be just stubborn, not deaf, to the 600-pound pig Monty, who liked to be scratched on top of his head, to Wilhelmina, a pet badger who was fond of love bites. As readers delight in recognizing the inspiration behind many of Dick King-Smith’s books, they’ll also see how a collection of experiences made a man a writer.
From the Hardcover edition.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2001
3 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Dick King-Smith
328 books309 followersDick King-Smith was born and raised in Gloucestershire, England, surrounded by pet animals. After twenty years as a farmer, he turned to teaching and then to writing children's books.
Dick writes mostly about animals: farmyard fantasy, as he likes to call it, often about pigs, his special favorites. He enjoys writing for children, meeting the children who read his books, and knowing that they get enjoyment from what he does.
Among his well-loved books is Babe, The Gallant Pig, which was recently made into a major motion picture, and was nominated for an Academy Award.
Dick lived with his wife in a small 17th-century cottage, about three miles from the house where he was born.
Dick writes mostly about animals: farmyard fantasy, as he likes to call it, often about pigs, his special favorites. He enjoys writing for children, meeting the children who read his books, and knowing that they get enjoyment from what he does.
Among his well-loved books is Babe, The Gallant Pig, which was recently made into a major motion picture, and was nominated for an Academy Award.
Dick lived with his wife in a small 17th-century cottage, about three miles from the house where he was born.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 22, 2015
Of all of the books that Mr. King-Smith has written, this autobiography is very much my favourite. What a delightful man. Not perfect, but aware and honest. He made me feel nostalgic for a life that I have never known. A few quips and quotes:
"Hindsight makes Clever Dicks of us all."
"As for intelligence, when next you get a chance, look closely into a pig's eye. The expression in the eye of a dog is trusting, of a cat supercilious, of a cow ruminative, of a sheep vacuous. But the look in the eye of a pig is, quite simply, knowing. Other beasts think, This human is looking at me. The pig thinks, I am looking at this human. There is all the difference in the world."
"A tremendous noise and kerfuffle had me dashing back out again with my mouth full." (I just had to record this because I adore the word kerfuffle.)
"The nicest thing about my last career as a writer is the thousands of letters that I get from children, all over the world, who take the trouble to write and tell me that they've enjoyed my books. Sometimes too a mother or a teacher will write to say that Jack or Jill was not really interested in reading until he, or she, was turned on by one of my stories. That's very rewarding."
"Looking back at my life so far, there's only one thing to be said, in just the same quiet tones of satisfaction that Farmer Hogget used, at the end of the Grand Challenge Sheep-dog Trials: "That'll do."
"Hindsight makes Clever Dicks of us all."
"As for intelligence, when next you get a chance, look closely into a pig's eye. The expression in the eye of a dog is trusting, of a cat supercilious, of a cow ruminative, of a sheep vacuous. But the look in the eye of a pig is, quite simply, knowing. Other beasts think, This human is looking at me. The pig thinks, I am looking at this human. There is all the difference in the world."
"A tremendous noise and kerfuffle had me dashing back out again with my mouth full." (I just had to record this because I adore the word kerfuffle.)
"The nicest thing about my last career as a writer is the thousands of letters that I get from children, all over the world, who take the trouble to write and tell me that they've enjoyed my books. Sometimes too a mother or a teacher will write to say that Jack or Jill was not really interested in reading until he, or she, was turned on by one of my stories. That's very rewarding."
"Looking back at my life so far, there's only one thing to be said, in just the same quiet tones of satisfaction that Farmer Hogget used, at the end of the Grand Challenge Sheep-dog Trials: "That'll do."
December 20, 2017
This book surprised me. I absolutely loved it. I got taken right back to a time before tractors and cars when farms were smaller and the farmers knew their stock by name. The goat on the bed cracks me up. The giant Shire horse 'Flower' who hated buses, and the others who hated gates and pigs. Dick King-Smith is a master storyteller.
February 6, 2017
'Alas, regardless of their doom, the little victims play'
'Post mortem - constipation due to eating earth'
'...surly, shambling, soap-shy man'
'Post mortem - constipation due to eating earth'
'...surly, shambling, soap-shy man'
July 19, 2019
Dick King-Smith is such a great story teller! The author reads the audio version. Great for a recent road trip ( although there were moments of hysterical laughter which made it hard to see to drive!).
August 14, 2019
575 - 2019
October 7, 2021
What an inspirational man Dick King-Smith was.
What a Legend.
What a Legacy.
Magic.
A Great Read.
That'll Do 👌🏽
What a Legend.
What a Legacy.
Magic.
A Great Read.
That'll Do 👌🏽
June 12, 2023
Very sweet. Sort of like listening to a grandpa tell you his life story.
July 31, 2025
Hilarious, nostalgic and honest
August 27, 2025
Mostly a pleasant and amusing read. I especially enjoyed the animal stories. I listened to the audiobook and it was fun to hear the author’s voice read his own stories.
December 28, 2022
Enjoyable for someone who likes books on writing and farming. That'll do.
February 12, 2017
A weird combination of war, romance, and farm stories written in a style appropriate for children but containing quite a bit of subject matter that would not be appropriate for, or would be upsetting to, children.
While there are a few actual biographical details about King-Smith's life as a child, courtship and marriage, and he mentions the name of his kids, but really it's pretty much a detailing of how every animal he ever met died. Plus a few bawdy mating tales and a drunken cocktail party for good measure.
I have to suppose this is a token book for fans of King-Smith's children's books, but I don't see how they would like it.
While there are a few actual biographical details about King-Smith's life as a child, courtship and marriage, and he mentions the name of his kids, but really it's pretty much a detailing of how every animal he ever met died. Plus a few bawdy mating tales and a drunken cocktail party for good measure.
I have to suppose this is a token book for fans of King-Smith's children's books, but I don't see how they would like it.
February 20, 2008
A fun autobiography. I enjoy getting glimpses of other peoples lives. It was brief and focused on his life on the farm with the animals and how he became a successful writer. I enjoyed his sense of humor and his honesty with his failings and how eventually it all worked out for him. I want to read some of his books to the kids.
July 27, 2014
Wonderful book that paints a picture of rural England by one of my favorite authors. His stories about living on a farm as a "not so profitable" farmer are refreshing and show a reverence to those who can make a living in agriculture. It's a nice step away from some more recent accounts of farm life by people determined to have their Starbucks while driving a John Deere.
November 4, 2009
Very fun for animal-lovers, readers, writers, and fans of the classic book/movie, Babe. The stories Dick King-Smith shares were reminiscent to me of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small books--truly enjoyable.
February 9, 2013
I wanted to like this book more than I did, but it was strangely dull and many of the stories King-Smith recounted weren't particularly interesting. From bits and pieces, he sounds like he had an interesting life, but these stories poorly represent it.
September 8, 2020
A sweet memoir from the author of Babe.
August 13, 2014
Autobiography of Dick King-Smith. Bit depressing.
September 21, 2015
Very entertaining.
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June 8, 2018this book was meant for briana i think its her soul mate
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews