The Last Pig

Horace Engdahl

The Last Pig is a book in two parts.

The first is made up of aphorisms, an anachronistic form that fits this (culturally) conservative author like a glove. Lengthwise they range from one-line tweets to composed reflections. Though readers are as likely to disagree with him as to agree, Engdahl succeeds in creating well-aimed satires and delightfully disillusioned reflections on everything from love and friendship, men and women, envy, money, art and philosophy. It’s life itself in all its grandiose insignificance.

The second part is a monologue, where a lonely man takes to the stage. Here in the remains of the gender war stands the last (male chauvinist) pig, in all his tragic glory. Engdahl never sways from describing the ridiculousness of being human; it’s amusing, telling and at times extremely moving. The monologue was performed at Stockholm’s Royal Dramatic Theatre in the winter of 2016/2017.

Horace Engdahl’s lyrics are provocative, confessional and personal. The texts move in abrupt shifts between the seemingly banal and the emotional abyss, all written with precision and clarity.