Review: The Mindful Carnivore by Tovar Cerulli

I am a deer hunter. Before you dismiss me as a redneck country bumpkin however, let me say that I was born and raised in the city and have two college degrees under my belt. I am more than a little scared of cows (they are just so big!) and I hate being in the woods by myself after dark. I was not raised a hunter and I even surprised myself when I took it up. After all, I was the kid that would catch roly poly's and put them out of harm's way. But what appealed to me about hunting was that I would know where our meat was coming from. With all the news stories about contaminated food, I was ready to move away from grocery store meat and move towards "buying" local or rather harvesting local.

I have found a kindred spirit with Tovar Cerulli and his new book, The Mindful Carnivore: A Vegetarian's Hunt for Sustenance. Tovar takes us on his own journey from vegetarian to hunter. Along the way he discovers things about himself and how he views his place in the world. Tovar starts his journey as your typical child, fishing with his family and not giving much thought to where his food comes from. As a young adult, he turns to vegetarianism and eventually veganism as a matter of principal. As he begins to have health problems, however, he delves further into his personal choices and their consequences. He begins to realize that being a vegetarian has it's own kind of physical and environmental impact. He also begins to realize how far removed we are as a culture from nature and true farming and hunting.

Tovar's is a journey I myself have been on to an extent. I have never been a vegetarian but once my kids were born I began to seriously question where our food was coming from and by what methods. At that point, I decided I would rather hunt for our meat than buy it at the store. I know the deer I hunt have lived a a life free of fences and overcrowding. I know in general what they eat. I do not enjoy killing animals. Yes, I am taking an animals life and I am hyper aware of this. It affects me every time and I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't take a shot unless I know it will be a good one. Like Tovar, I have a deep respect for that animal that has given it's life to feed my family.

This book explores in depth the issues surrounding our perceptions of how we feed ourselves, how we view nature, and where hunting fits in. Regardless if you are an omnivore, carnivore, herbivore, or some variation of the three, this book will make you think about your choices and your impacts on the planet. And maybe, just maybe, it will change the way you see food.

A copy of this book was provided for review.