MeatEater
Adventures from the Life of an American Hunter - Steven Rinella
I picked up a copy back in October but didn't get a chance to start it until mid November. Unlike most of my reading where I toss another round in the wood stove in my den and settle into it, I decided to read this one while in the woods. So it was read while in ground blinds and on tree stands, sitting stumps and other places I chose to take seat while hunting. More than an hour was spent turning a page after page and looking about with a smile on my face from both the book and being there.
Steven Rinella grew up hunting and never left it. Hunting obviously left a indelible mark on him, formed, fashioned, and sculpted a mind and a philosophy around eating from the efforts of ones own hands. He writes of his youth with an honesty that burns sometimes, and glows at others.
He documents events and adventures that have spanned time and place, all the while weaving the tales through the convoluted mazes of modern societal perceptions, deftly divulging truths and consequences in a manner that is refreshing. There is no couching of terms, it's both raw and yet refined in the delivery, something that I think can only be done when writing honestly and straight from the heart.
I thoroughly enjoyed the read from cover to cover. I found his words matched my thoughts on more than one occasion, and by the end I couldn't help but feel some pride over the fact that another hunter had said succinctly what so many others have failed to say. Rinella has crafted through words a clearly understandable and well reasoned articulation of why we hunt.
Of special interest to me was the sustenance hunting aspect, as this is where I have been for many years now. Meat is what I wish to have at the end of a hunt, and while the experience of said hunt is of equal importance, the meat of it is far more important to me than antlers or other 'trophy' aspects of hunting. I am not condemning trophy hunting, each his own, I am a meat hunter and reading Steven's thoughts on it as well as the adventures in earning meat was very enjoyable.
Regardless of hunter or non-hunter there's something in this book for both camps, something that could build a bridge or two in my opinion, if given half a chance and an open mind.
Steven has done a service to hunting and hunters everywhere with his delivery and substance, I dare hope he has also given some food for thought to those same hunters, and those who don't hunt just the same.
It's well worth the price of admission.
Nicely done Steven.
Adventures from the Life of an American Hunter - Steven Rinella
I picked up a copy back in October but didn't get a chance to start it until mid November. Unlike most of my reading where I toss another round in the wood stove in my den and settle into it, I decided to read this one while in the woods. So it was read while in ground blinds and on tree stands, sitting stumps and other places I chose to take seat while hunting. More than an hour was spent turning a page after page and looking about with a smile on my face from both the book and being there.
Steven Rinella grew up hunting and never left it. Hunting obviously left a indelible mark on him, formed, fashioned, and sculpted a mind and a philosophy around eating from the efforts of ones own hands. He writes of his youth with an honesty that burns sometimes, and glows at others.
He documents events and adventures that have spanned time and place, all the while weaving the tales through the convoluted mazes of modern societal perceptions, deftly divulging truths and consequences in a manner that is refreshing. There is no couching of terms, it's both raw and yet refined in the delivery, something that I think can only be done when writing honestly and straight from the heart.I thoroughly enjoyed the read from cover to cover. I found his words matched my thoughts on more than one occasion, and by the end I couldn't help but feel some pride over the fact that another hunter had said succinctly what so many others have failed to say. Rinella has crafted through words a clearly understandable and well reasoned articulation of why we hunt.
Of special interest to me was the sustenance hunting aspect, as this is where I have been for many years now. Meat is what I wish to have at the end of a hunt, and while the experience of said hunt is of equal importance, the meat of it is far more important to me than antlers or other 'trophy' aspects of hunting. I am not condemning trophy hunting, each his own, I am a meat hunter and reading Steven's thoughts on it as well as the adventures in earning meat was very enjoyable.
Regardless of hunter or non-hunter there's something in this book for both camps, something that could build a bridge or two in my opinion, if given half a chance and an open mind.
Steven has done a service to hunting and hunters everywhere with his delivery and substance, I dare hope he has also given some food for thought to those same hunters, and those who don't hunt just the same.
It's well worth the price of admission.
Nicely done Steven.
I'm sold AG! I'll order mine today.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
DeleteYou and your bookreviews are costing me money! ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to read and write so about these books!
Ha! Sorry for that Ron, though I think you'll be pleasantly pleased with this one!
DeleteI haven't read this book but I'll be on the lookout for it. I do enjoy his show. It started on the Travel channel and now is a 30 min show on a designated outdoor channel. It's good stuff as it's more hunting most of us can relate to, rather than the high dollar ranch hunts.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. While he does get out on those dream hunts from time to time it is the stuff all of us could do that is most interesting. I like the show too, finally someone hunting something other than horns.
DeleteI also like that he dresses out and processes his own game, usually on the spot after the kill. Not many other hunting hosts are doing that, Sasquatch is another good hunting show if you haven't caught it. It's not what you think by the title. It's about a young mountain man trying to live the old way, meaning, the "Fun" way :)
DeleteThat is indeed one of the best aspects of the show. I can't recall him ever going down the path of 'we're not sure of the hit, we're going to back out until morning'.
DeleteI've seen an episode of Sasquatch, then I lost track of when it came on. The episode I did see was okay, though I found myself questioning some of it as it appeared a little staged. I'm going to try to get them on the DVR. I did like the premise as it was quite original compared to the other hunting shows out there.
I've got mixed feelings about Steven Rinella, but I have watched his shows regularly. What the Sportsman channel shows, the Outdoor channel will not allow. You will not see anyone dress or butcher game on the Outdoor channel. I do respect Steven Rinella and the way he hunts.
DeleteI wasn't aware that there was a difference between the two channels, that's interesting. The dressing and butchering of game is a part of the hunt as much as the hunting or killing there of. I had no idea the Outdoor Channel had a policy on that. Thanks for the heads up and the post.
Delete