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Meat Eater: Adventures from the Life of an American Hunter: A Natural History of an American Hunter
An exploration of humanity’s oldest pursuit and its relevance today Steven Rinella grew up in Twin Lake, Michigan, the son of a hunter who taught his three sons to love the natural world the way he did. As a child, Rinella devoured stories of the American wilderness, especially the exploits of his hero, Daniel Boone. He began fishing at the age of three and shot his first squirrel at eight and his first deer at thirteen. He chose the colleges he went to by their proximity to good hunting ground, and he experimented with living solely off wild meat. As an adult, he feeds his family from the food he hunts. Meat Eater chronicles Rinella’s lifelong relationship with nature and hunting through the lens of ten hunts, beginning when he was an aspiring mountain man at age ten and ending as a thirty-seven-year-old Brooklyn father who hunts in the remotest corners of North America. He tells of having a struggling career as a fur trapper just as fur prices were falling; of a dalliance with catch-and-release steelhead fishing; of canoeing in the Missouri Breaks in search of mule deer just as the Missouri River was freezing up one November; and of hunting the elusive Dall sheep in the glaciated mountains of Alaska. Through each story, Rinella grapples with themes such as the role of the hunter in shaping America, the vanishing frontier, the ethics of killing, the allure of hunting trophies, the responsibilities that human predators have to their prey, and the disappearance of the hunter himself as Americans lose their connection with the way their food finds its way to their tables. Hunting, he argues, is intimately connected with our humanity; assuming responsibility for acquiring the meat that we eat, rather than entrusting it to proxy executioners, processors, packagers, and distributors, is one of the most respectful and exhilarating things a meat eater can do. A thrilling storyteller with boundless interesting facts and historical information about the land, the natural world, and the history of hunting, Rinella also includes after each chapter a section of “Tasting Notes” that draws from his thirty-plus years of eating and cooking wild game, both at home and over a campfire. In Meat Eater he paints a loving portrait of a way of life that is part of who we are as humans and as Americans.“Chances are, Steven Rinella’s life is very different from yours or mine. He does not source his food at the local supermarket. Meat Eater is a unique and valuable alternate view of where our food comes from—and what can be involved. It’s a look both backward, at the way things used to be, and forward, to a time when every diner truly understands what’s on the end of the fork.”—Anthony Bourdain “An engaging, sharp-eyed writer whose style fuses those of John McPhee and Hunter S. Thompson.”—Minneapolis Star TribuneFrom the Hardcover edition.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 4, 2012
586 people are currently reading
3521 people want to read
About the author
Steven Rinella
47 books973 followersSteven Rinella is the host of the Netflix Original series MeatEater and The MeatEater Podcast. He's also the author of six books dealing with wildlife, hunting, fishing and wild game cooking, including the bestselling MeatEater Fish and Game Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for Every Hunter and Angler.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
December 2, 2012
There was a time not so long ago, Steven Rinella points out, that “there was no hiding from the fact that we have to kill to eat.” Today, “we’ve devised all sorts of clever mechanisms that enable us to avoid this reality. I’m thinking of grocery stores, restaurants, that sort of thing.”
In “Meat Eater,” Rinella takes us through a lifetime of hunting, from small game to big mammals and contemplates how we have lost touch with our connection to the process that puts protein on our plate.
“We’ve probably entered a period that will one day be regarded as the autumn of hunting,” he writes. “However, you should not consider this book to be an act of submission. It is not a tearful farewell. Rather, I think of hunting—and of writing about it—as a form of resistance. It’s an insurgency, an act of guerilla warfare against the inevitable advance of time.”
A chronicle of Rinella’s hunting life, "Meat Eater" is a straight-up account of what it's like to pursue a variety of prey from the Missouri Breaks, to Alaska and to your own back yard. The book is complete with between-chapter interludes provide “tasting notes” to help make your harvest more palatable.
Rinella is a gritty hunter and he is a powerful writer and that makes “Meat Eater” a smooth read.
Muskrat, we learn, exhale as they swim under water and the ice “collects the bubbles in a tell-tale line that marks perfectly their line of travel.”
Bears that have been foraging on blueberries, have fat with a “purplish tint” and “it’s so good you can melt it and spread it on toast like butter.”
In Alaska hunting Dall sheep, Rinella gets into a precarious situation on a cliff. “It seems counterintuitive, but you get into trouble in the mountains by climbing things you can’t get down rather than going down things you can’t get up.”
Rinella doesn’t pull punches when it comes to the degree of difficulty hunting, but the woes of a hunter are seen as just a fact of life, not a badge of honor. It’s readily apparent that even the most experienced hunters can encounter plenty of trouble in the wild and, sometimes, come home empty-handed.
Rinella is self-effacing, earnest and, in spots, very funny.
Vegetarians, of course, will not read this book (unless they are looking for further reinforcement for their reason for not eating animals). But all others might enjoy a writer who can make you feel like you’ve picked up a scent and closes the gap between food source and nourishment.
Writes Rinella: “I’ve learned to see the earth as a thing that breathes and writhes and brings forth life. I see these revelations as a form of grace and art, as beautiful as the things we human attempt to capture through music, dance, and poetry. And as I’ve become aware of this, it has become increasingly difficult for me to see hunting as altogether outside of civilization.”
I also highly recommend Rinella's, “American Buffalo, In Search of lost Icon.”
In “Meat Eater,” Rinella takes us through a lifetime of hunting, from small game to big mammals and contemplates how we have lost touch with our connection to the process that puts protein on our plate.
“We’ve probably entered a period that will one day be regarded as the autumn of hunting,” he writes. “However, you should not consider this book to be an act of submission. It is not a tearful farewell. Rather, I think of hunting—and of writing about it—as a form of resistance. It’s an insurgency, an act of guerilla warfare against the inevitable advance of time.”
A chronicle of Rinella’s hunting life, "Meat Eater" is a straight-up account of what it's like to pursue a variety of prey from the Missouri Breaks, to Alaska and to your own back yard. The book is complete with between-chapter interludes provide “tasting notes” to help make your harvest more palatable.
Rinella is a gritty hunter and he is a powerful writer and that makes “Meat Eater” a smooth read.
Muskrat, we learn, exhale as they swim under water and the ice “collects the bubbles in a tell-tale line that marks perfectly their line of travel.”
Bears that have been foraging on blueberries, have fat with a “purplish tint” and “it’s so good you can melt it and spread it on toast like butter.”
In Alaska hunting Dall sheep, Rinella gets into a precarious situation on a cliff. “It seems counterintuitive, but you get into trouble in the mountains by climbing things you can’t get down rather than going down things you can’t get up.”
Rinella doesn’t pull punches when it comes to the degree of difficulty hunting, but the woes of a hunter are seen as just a fact of life, not a badge of honor. It’s readily apparent that even the most experienced hunters can encounter plenty of trouble in the wild and, sometimes, come home empty-handed.
Rinella is self-effacing, earnest and, in spots, very funny.
Vegetarians, of course, will not read this book (unless they are looking for further reinforcement for their reason for not eating animals). But all others might enjoy a writer who can make you feel like you’ve picked up a scent and closes the gap between food source and nourishment.
Writes Rinella: “I’ve learned to see the earth as a thing that breathes and writhes and brings forth life. I see these revelations as a form of grace and art, as beautiful as the things we human attempt to capture through music, dance, and poetry. And as I’ve become aware of this, it has become increasingly difficult for me to see hunting as altogether outside of civilization.”
I also highly recommend Rinella's, “American Buffalo, In Search of lost Icon.”
April 9, 2020
One of the best books I have ever read.
Of course, that positive energy may coincide a lot with timing.
I am relatively new to the art of hunting, in fact so far I've only been on one single 8 day Elk hunt in the mountains of Colorado in my entire life. Even though I didn't walk out of the woods with elk quarters on my back, I was gifted the opportunity and experience to field dress a deer one of my hunting buddies harvested. We saw some elk, but in the end it just didn't happen. However, it was such a powerful experience that I am absolutely going back in 2020 for elk during rifle season, I am also planning a turkey spring 2020 hunt, and even going for archery season as well this year if at all possible.
So when it comes to timing, I am reading a book about a particular topic that I have a new found interest/passion in. That absolutely contributes to the 5/5 rating... but on top of that this book is just simply amazing.
I want to add this to the list of books that I want my daughter to read one day. That is how good this is.
If you are like me, and relatively new to hunting, this is exactly what you are looking for.
If you hate hunting and are willing to open your mind and accept a different perspective, this book might even be powerful enough for you to respect ethical hunters and honoring what our ancestors in the past had to go through to survive... versus a land of abundance where everything is bought in a store, ordered online, or picked up through drive through windows of which we live in today.
Experienced hunters I think will find a lot of affirmation, maybe even new found drive to explore different species, and also enjoy hearing tales of a fellow practitioner out there in the wilderness doing what you also love to do. The successes, the challenges, the failures.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Fishing is a big part of this book too! I am also a newbie fisherman as well and I in fact just went ice fishing for the first time in my life a few weeks ago (I walked away with 2 trout, I can proudly say!). This book also is filled with serious inspiration to get out there and go fish! Which in 2020 I certainly intend to do!
Quick bullets of the best take-a-ways from this book... there's almost too many to list. Might as well say Chapter 1 through 11, but here goes anyway because this book was so great I actually took little notes as I was reading it... that should again say just how good this book really is.
Here they are:
I cannot recommend this book enough. I absolutely loved it.
Of course, that positive energy may coincide a lot with timing.
I am relatively new to the art of hunting, in fact so far I've only been on one single 8 day Elk hunt in the mountains of Colorado in my entire life. Even though I didn't walk out of the woods with elk quarters on my back, I was gifted the opportunity and experience to field dress a deer one of my hunting buddies harvested. We saw some elk, but in the end it just didn't happen. However, it was such a powerful experience that I am absolutely going back in 2020 for elk during rifle season, I am also planning a turkey spring 2020 hunt, and even going for archery season as well this year if at all possible.
So when it comes to timing, I am reading a book about a particular topic that I have a new found interest/passion in. That absolutely contributes to the 5/5 rating... but on top of that this book is just simply amazing.
I want to add this to the list of books that I want my daughter to read one day. That is how good this is.
If you are like me, and relatively new to hunting, this is exactly what you are looking for.
If you hate hunting and are willing to open your mind and accept a different perspective, this book might even be powerful enough for you to respect ethical hunters and honoring what our ancestors in the past had to go through to survive... versus a land of abundance where everything is bought in a store, ordered online, or picked up through drive through windows of which we live in today.
Experienced hunters I think will find a lot of affirmation, maybe even new found drive to explore different species, and also enjoy hearing tales of a fellow practitioner out there in the wilderness doing what you also love to do. The successes, the challenges, the failures.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Fishing is a big part of this book too! I am also a newbie fisherman as well and I in fact just went ice fishing for the first time in my life a few weeks ago (I walked away with 2 trout, I can proudly say!). This book also is filled with serious inspiration to get out there and go fish! Which in 2020 I certainly intend to do!
Quick bullets of the best take-a-ways from this book... there's almost too many to list. Might as well say Chapter 1 through 11, but here goes anyway because this book was so great I actually took little notes as I was reading it... that should again say just how good this book really is.
Here they are:
I cannot recommend this book enough. I absolutely loved it.
February 2, 2024
Honestly one of the best books I’ve ever read. This book takes us to the very beginning of Steve’s hunting life, from growing up in western Michigan hunting squirrel and trapping mink, to his adolescent years in Michigans UP, to his more adult years out in Montana and Alaska. This man has hunted, trapped, and fished just about everything that walks in the US. The wisdom he shares is incredible I’m so glad he decided to write a book to share to the world the great practice of hunting. Not only is the information that Steve shares informational, it’s also inspiring. It has reminded me of my time hunting and fishing and how that desire is fundamental to show we all are as humans. I can’t recommend this book enough. Even if you’re not a hunter or a fan of the outdoors in general, it’s a great read to learn about and understand the life of the American hunter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2021
I was brought to the book by Rinella's Netflix series with the same title. It's a great show for any hunter/angler, and the book is just as great, if not better. Steven does a great job of discussing morals and ethics behind killing animals for food without sounding dogmatic or preachy, and without hiding from his past mistakes. He does a great job explaining why hunting is not only acceptable but extremely beneficial on both personal and societal levels. He articulates many things I have thought and felt for a long time, but haven't been able to put into words. I will definitely be reading more of Rinella's books and watching more seasons of his show.
September 28, 2014
At face value, Meat Eater is a somewhat disjointed, yet interesting, collection of 10 hunting stories ranging from hunting whitetail deer in the author's home state of Michigan, to hunting bonefish in Yucutan, Mexico, to hunting Dall Sheep in Alaska. In reality, however, the book is an expression of the author's love of hunting and the outdoors and his justification for its necessity today in spite of a society that no longer requires hunting as a means of sustenance and is, from some viewpoints, a controversial sport.
At points in the book, Rinella's writing takes on a persuasive tone, as if to convince non-hunter's of the values and morality of hunting in the modern day. I think book does a good job of putting into words what many hunters and outdoorsmen likely already feel, but I'm not sure how many entrenched anti-hunters this is going to convince any more than writing a book about art that will make someone with no appreciation for contemporary art recognize the genius behind a Jackson Pollack painting (I've seen one and I don't get it). That being said, Rinella's writing struck a chord with me; not in a way that was because it generated an original thought or feeling, but in a way that he was able to more precisely articulate a feeling that was already there.
Rinella's life of hunting is a fantasy that many who enjoy hunting will never get a chance to live out. His life is part Tom Sawyer, part Daniel Boone. In a lot of ways, his stories remind me of one of my favorite books as a kid, "Hatchet", by Gary Paulsen, except Rinella's hunting and survival stories were by choice not by plane crash. If you at all enjoy those stories, you're going to enjoy this book.
At points in the book, Rinella's writing takes on a persuasive tone, as if to convince non-hunter's of the values and morality of hunting in the modern day. I think book does a good job of putting into words what many hunters and outdoorsmen likely already feel, but I'm not sure how many entrenched anti-hunters this is going to convince any more than writing a book about art that will make someone with no appreciation for contemporary art recognize the genius behind a Jackson Pollack painting (I've seen one and I don't get it). That being said, Rinella's writing struck a chord with me; not in a way that was because it generated an original thought or feeling, but in a way that he was able to more precisely articulate a feeling that was already there.
Rinella's life of hunting is a fantasy that many who enjoy hunting will never get a chance to live out. His life is part Tom Sawyer, part Daniel Boone. In a lot of ways, his stories remind me of one of my favorite books as a kid, "Hatchet", by Gary Paulsen, except Rinella's hunting and survival stories were by choice not by plane crash. If you at all enjoy those stories, you're going to enjoy this book.
January 26, 2025
If you're looking for a book that conforms to the views you previously had and encourages them, this book is not for you. If you seek something that challenges how you view hunting, the morals and ethics of hunting, and your overall life stance, this book does just that. I've spend the last week pondering all manners of who I am and what I believe in hunting and fishing. From fair chase to trophy hunting, Steve does an excellent job of protraiting how we as people are connected to the land and it's belongings. He relates these lessons and reflects them back onto his life as well. Even as an avid outdoorsmen, who ponders many of these things on my own, I'm left with many new perspectives on the morals of hunting and how I want it to continue to influence my life and who I am. It'd also lit a spark in me to redouble me efforts in connecting with the land and its critters as I continue further in life.
October 29, 2020
Just the palate cleanser I needed after a couple heavier, denser reads. This was a pretty breezy read, essentially a bunch of hunting stories from Rinella's life. I've always enjoyed his thoughtful approach to hunting, an interesting window into a world I have little to no experience with.
June 13, 2025
A better title for this book would have been Feat Beater: Remorseless Confessions of an American Narcissist. This is one of the shorter books I have read recently but it still felt like a long slog. The book is a litany of the author's many transgressions since childhood. I almost bailed halfway but considered myself pot committed. What kept me going was the expectation that the author would ultimately experience some sort of epiphany, find some shred of humility, or benefit from a moral reconciliation. Spoiler alert: I was very wrong. When the author had the nerve to criticize other hunters while praising his own ethics near the end of the book, I did a spit-take and almost fell out of my chair.
This book was supposed to be my gateway into the Meat Eater empire where I would enjoy more books, podcasts, and TV shows from a fellow Michigander. Having recently stumbled upon Donnie Vincent, and what I would describe as his almost spiritual connection to nature and hunting, I had hoped to find something similar in Steven Rinella, with the added interest of being born and raised in my home state. What I found was something very different. Where Vincent has an overwhelming respect for the prey he hunts, and a deep love for the natural habitats where the animals dwell, Rinella is almost completely void of any morals or values. I don't even know what led me to connect these two hunters in the first place. My sincerest apologies to Mr. Vincent.
After subjecting myself to this entire book, I feel very confident in characterizing Rinella. I bet you know someone just like him. You might even have a "friend" that reminds you of him. He's the kind of guy who always needs to one up you. If you've got a great story to tell, he cuts you off with one he believes is better. All attention must always be focused on him. He's the bro who brags about everything, even the amount of breast milk his wife can pump out (I'm not joking, that's in the book). Everything he thinks, says, or does is magical and everything else is just sh!t. If he's not into it, then it sucks. He loves to criticize others with an almost comical lack of self-awareness. Anything outside of Rinella's orbit is immediately dismissed as completely meaningless. This even applies to education. Rinella makes his contempt for academics very clear throughout the early chapters, doing no favors for the reputation of his alma mater along the way.
When Rinella describes betraying the sacred trust of his beloved older brothers at an early age, you want to chalk the misdeed up to youthful folly. You expect this gut-wrenching betrayal to be the one exception that serves as a lifelong lesson. Not even close. Instead, this early deceit seems to permanently set Rinella's moral compass to treachery. Breaking a promise made with his brothers, who Rinella claims are the most important people in his life, just sets the stage for more lying, cheating, and stealing. There is a clear pattern of narcissistic behavior throughout the book that becomes exhausting.
Rinella writes about barging in on a crowded scene to fish in the Grand River. He has a complete disregard for his fellow fisherman or the personal space they have already claimed. All that matters is what Steve wants. His sense of entitlement knows no bounds. Yet again, Rinella's ego leads to more poor decision-making, and he finds himself in another precarious situation. He goes to great lengths to save face and try to impress onlookers who are likely less in awe, and more just dumbfounded by his reckless foolishness. Only a narcissist would try to spin his stupid decisions into heroic feats of strength. The entire passage was nauseating.
Then there's this from chapter 8: "Derrick was just a friend of a friend that we’d brought along because we needed a fourth paddler. None of us really knew him, and we didn’t care too much what he thought but he offered his opinion anyway." Wow, really?!? Rinella displays complete disdain for a fellow member of his hunting party who was apparently only being exploited for manual labor. It's bad enough to have that thought in the moment, but Rinella had years to reflect and mature, and still made a conscious decision to publish those words in a book! These two sentences provided so much insight into Rinella's character. I'm glad things didn't go sideways on that excursion because it's clear Derrick would have easily been sacrificed. I wonder how Derrick felt if he ever read this chapter. Having already suffered through in-person exposure to Rinella, I assume he knew better than to waste his time on this book.
Rinella's narcissism is not just limited to degrading fellow humans. Unfortunately, it extends into much more serious matters. Rinella clearly believes societal norms, and even criminal laws, don’t apply to him. He details the many pitfalls associated with using snares to trap animals but then continues to employ the method regardless of the pain, suffering, and collateral damage caused by the illegal devices. His greed and desire to continue being a fur trader even after the industry died, led him to ignore any consequences he inflicted on others. The interaction with a local sheriff, when Rinella chose to blatantly lie about his illegal trapping, felt more braggadocious than remorseful.
Like many narcissists, Rinella can only survive his own hypocrisy through cognitive dissonance. Illegally and inhumanely killing animals is ok when Steve wants money, but the permissible practice of hunting inside high-wire fences is "limp-dicked" according to Rinella. He also endorses, or at least condones, "camp meat" which is apparently a time-honored tradition among hunters of illegally killing animals on the side during an official hunt. Sometimes Rinella attempts to offer up excuses for his hypocrisy, but none come close to justifying his flippant actions. In other cases, he completely forfeits and admits to having no explanation at all.
I wish I could give Rinella credit for one thing, his honesty, but I can't. Even coming clean to the reader is transactional. Rinella always wants something in return. He divulges many secrets but only in clearly selfish attempts to gain more of the attention and fabricated notoriety he so desperately craves. You can almost feel the author begging the reader to think "wow, he's such a cool guy" to the point that it's cringy. Rinella seems to fancy himself as a famous folklore-ish outlaw living a life of adventure in the wilderness, but he just comes across as an insufferable a$$h0le. There is zero remorse. What could have been written as a heartfelt, conscious-clearing, confessional memoir, instead feels like an arrogant, chest-pounding mess of unrelated, ego-stroking conquests.
This book was supposed to be my gateway into the Meat Eater empire where I would enjoy more books, podcasts, and TV shows from a fellow Michigander. Having recently stumbled upon Donnie Vincent, and what I would describe as his almost spiritual connection to nature and hunting, I had hoped to find something similar in Steven Rinella, with the added interest of being born and raised in my home state. What I found was something very different. Where Vincent has an overwhelming respect for the prey he hunts, and a deep love for the natural habitats where the animals dwell, Rinella is almost completely void of any morals or values. I don't even know what led me to connect these two hunters in the first place. My sincerest apologies to Mr. Vincent.
After subjecting myself to this entire book, I feel very confident in characterizing Rinella. I bet you know someone just like him. You might even have a "friend" that reminds you of him. He's the kind of guy who always needs to one up you. If you've got a great story to tell, he cuts you off with one he believes is better. All attention must always be focused on him. He's the bro who brags about everything, even the amount of breast milk his wife can pump out (I'm not joking, that's in the book). Everything he thinks, says, or does is magical and everything else is just sh!t. If he's not into it, then it sucks. He loves to criticize others with an almost comical lack of self-awareness. Anything outside of Rinella's orbit is immediately dismissed as completely meaningless. This even applies to education. Rinella makes his contempt for academics very clear throughout the early chapters, doing no favors for the reputation of his alma mater along the way.
When Rinella describes betraying the sacred trust of his beloved older brothers at an early age, you want to chalk the misdeed up to youthful folly. You expect this gut-wrenching betrayal to be the one exception that serves as a lifelong lesson. Not even close. Instead, this early deceit seems to permanently set Rinella's moral compass to treachery. Breaking a promise made with his brothers, who Rinella claims are the most important people in his life, just sets the stage for more lying, cheating, and stealing. There is a clear pattern of narcissistic behavior throughout the book that becomes exhausting.
Rinella writes about barging in on a crowded scene to fish in the Grand River. He has a complete disregard for his fellow fisherman or the personal space they have already claimed. All that matters is what Steve wants. His sense of entitlement knows no bounds. Yet again, Rinella's ego leads to more poor decision-making, and he finds himself in another precarious situation. He goes to great lengths to save face and try to impress onlookers who are likely less in awe, and more just dumbfounded by his reckless foolishness. Only a narcissist would try to spin his stupid decisions into heroic feats of strength. The entire passage was nauseating.
Then there's this from chapter 8: "Derrick was just a friend of a friend that we’d brought along because we needed a fourth paddler. None of us really knew him, and we didn’t care too much what he thought but he offered his opinion anyway." Wow, really?!? Rinella displays complete disdain for a fellow member of his hunting party who was apparently only being exploited for manual labor. It's bad enough to have that thought in the moment, but Rinella had years to reflect and mature, and still made a conscious decision to publish those words in a book! These two sentences provided so much insight into Rinella's character. I'm glad things didn't go sideways on that excursion because it's clear Derrick would have easily been sacrificed. I wonder how Derrick felt if he ever read this chapter. Having already suffered through in-person exposure to Rinella, I assume he knew better than to waste his time on this book.
Rinella's narcissism is not just limited to degrading fellow humans. Unfortunately, it extends into much more serious matters. Rinella clearly believes societal norms, and even criminal laws, don’t apply to him. He details the many pitfalls associated with using snares to trap animals but then continues to employ the method regardless of the pain, suffering, and collateral damage caused by the illegal devices. His greed and desire to continue being a fur trader even after the industry died, led him to ignore any consequences he inflicted on others. The interaction with a local sheriff, when Rinella chose to blatantly lie about his illegal trapping, felt more braggadocious than remorseful.
Like many narcissists, Rinella can only survive his own hypocrisy through cognitive dissonance. Illegally and inhumanely killing animals is ok when Steve wants money, but the permissible practice of hunting inside high-wire fences is "limp-dicked" according to Rinella. He also endorses, or at least condones, "camp meat" which is apparently a time-honored tradition among hunters of illegally killing animals on the side during an official hunt. Sometimes Rinella attempts to offer up excuses for his hypocrisy, but none come close to justifying his flippant actions. In other cases, he completely forfeits and admits to having no explanation at all.
I wish I could give Rinella credit for one thing, his honesty, but I can't. Even coming clean to the reader is transactional. Rinella always wants something in return. He divulges many secrets but only in clearly selfish attempts to gain more of the attention and fabricated notoriety he so desperately craves. You can almost feel the author begging the reader to think "wow, he's such a cool guy" to the point that it's cringy. Rinella seems to fancy himself as a famous folklore-ish outlaw living a life of adventure in the wilderness, but he just comes across as an insufferable a$$h0le. There is zero remorse. What could have been written as a heartfelt, conscious-clearing, confessional memoir, instead feels like an arrogant, chest-pounding mess of unrelated, ego-stroking conquests.
October 16, 2015
I've never reviewed any piece of literature, but Brother Rinella has earned my first.
He put most of my own feelings about hunting and it's stigma down better than I could ever dream of articulating. I felt like I had to labor through the first chapter, but I soon felt like I was listening to an old friend.
I think everyone with an opinion or interest in the sport of hunting could get a little insight into the heart of it.
He put most of my own feelings about hunting and it's stigma down better than I could ever dream of articulating. I felt like I had to labor through the first chapter, but I soon felt like I was listening to an old friend.
I think everyone with an opinion or interest in the sport of hunting could get a little insight into the heart of it.
January 7, 2024
An amazing read. If you ever are curious why one hunts/fishes, this is the perfect explanation. It’s not for sport, it’s human nature.
September 10, 2020
I come from a family of hunters, but I am not one of them. I am the meat-eater, not the hunter. Author Steven Rinella is both a hunter and a meat-eater, a historian and a storyteller. He describes his book Meat Eater: Adventures from the Life of an American Hunter in chapter one.
Read aloud -- page 4
"While you will find a tove of hunting tricks within this book, this is not intended as how-to material. Instead, you might think of this book as why-to, who-to, and what-to. That is, this book uses the ancient art of the hunting story to answer the questions of why I hunt, who I am as a hunter, and what hunting means to me."
For many readers, Rinella's writing resonates with them. He provides stories of his personal experiences and reflections. The book is organized in ten chapters; each is a hunting adventure forced on a specific game. He describes hunting whitetail deer in his home state, Michigan, bonefish in Mexico, sheep in Alaska. Since I am a bit of a foodie, I appreciated the sections of each chapter that he termed Tasting Notes.
The book didn't inspire me to pick up a hunting rifle, rod or bow -- that's just not my interest. It does however leave me with a strong appreciation for the meat that nature can provide and the hunters who challenge themselves to find it, harvest it, and eat it. We are having some venison steak for dinner tonight!
Nonfiction ; Adventure ; Outdoors; Hunting
Read aloud -- page 4
"While you will find a tove of hunting tricks within this book, this is not intended as how-to material. Instead, you might think of this book as why-to, who-to, and what-to. That is, this book uses the ancient art of the hunting story to answer the questions of why I hunt, who I am as a hunter, and what hunting means to me."
For many readers, Rinella's writing resonates with them. He provides stories of his personal experiences and reflections. The book is organized in ten chapters; each is a hunting adventure forced on a specific game. He describes hunting whitetail deer in his home state, Michigan, bonefish in Mexico, sheep in Alaska. Since I am a bit of a foodie, I appreciated the sections of each chapter that he termed Tasting Notes.
The book didn't inspire me to pick up a hunting rifle, rod or bow -- that's just not my interest. It does however leave me with a strong appreciation for the meat that nature can provide and the hunters who challenge themselves to find it, harvest it, and eat it. We are having some venison steak for dinner tonight!
Nonfiction ; Adventure ; Outdoors; Hunting
July 5, 2025
Steve uses his experiences as a hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman to create yet another powerful book. This time, instead of a singular animal focus (like American Buffalo), Steve reminisces on many different hunts and uses them to teach us about several animal species. I would be remiss to say that the point of the entire book is to be an anthology on the importance of being a meat eater and how we fit as human beings on Earth.
I highly recommend this book to any outdoorsman, but I also recommend it to anyone looking to learn about what it means to be a meat eater. Although Steve can be a hard on those whose opinions differ from his throughout the book, his beliefs are important as he is a very influential leader of the outdoors population.
I highly recommend this book to any outdoorsman, but I also recommend it to anyone looking to learn about what it means to be a meat eater. Although Steve can be a hard on those whose opinions differ from his throughout the book, his beliefs are important as he is a very influential leader of the outdoors population.
January 18, 2019
This book "Meat Eaters" by Steven Rinella has made me want to go on many different hunts. Steven is my role model I would love to do what he dose for a living. I love the choice of words and the way he explains his hunt in the book "meat eaters" it makes me feel like i'm on the hunt with him but in reality im sitting on my bed reading this incredibly amazing book. He has such good morals he dosent hunt the animals for their horns, or their peals. He hunts for meat to support his family and to show and explain how to hunt correctly. I'm excited for his book and or tv show to come out he is such an inspiration to me.
March 4, 2020
Steven does a beautiful job explaining his choice to pursue wild game and to hunt.
As someone who has never hunted I am starting to see and understanding hunting as a way to harvest a resource it a smart and humane way.
As someone who has never hunted I am starting to see and understanding hunting as a way to harvest a resource it a smart and humane way.
March 29, 2024
I picked this book up as a quick read to stay on track for my reading goal this year. Although I understand that I am not the target audience, there was purpose in picking this book as opposed to a different lite read. I was disappointed in the writing. I was hoping to be drawn in by the ancient art of storytelling, but felt like it was a simple retelling of who, where and what. I appreciated his tasting tips and thoughts on cooking wild game. I hope I get to try even half of them. Overall, I’m glad I read it, but won’t be recommending it to very many people, if any.
October 15, 2024
Fantastic book! Rinella reminds me of Anthony Bourdain if he wasn’t as funny and wrote less about cooking(and more about killing). But his gift for story telling is just as strong. I think anyone would enjoy this book even a non-hunter. I actually think non-hunters should read it!
Lots of wild outdoor adventures and close calls with wild animals in this memoir style book of essays.
Lots of wild outdoor adventures and close calls with wild animals in this memoir style book of essays.
January 27, 2023
Not a huge perspective shift, but still a valuable one.
June 22, 2023
I love pretty much everything Steve does so the fact that I enjoyed this book wasn’t a surprise. It makes me want to quit my job and trek into the mountains but alas, I need money.
July 9, 2025
A great read for any hunter or outdoors person. A telling of a life of a hunter in the modern day. Great read!
January 7, 2026
Good book to listen to on audible. Fun stories and mental images.
August 18, 2025
Inspiring book
February 5, 2025
Steven Rinella skriver om sin store kjærlighet for naturen og dyrene. Jeg kjenner jeg gleder meg til høsten allerede
February 28, 2020
Steve Rinella has lots and lots of experience in hunting. This book tells his stories of a variety of different hunts and his techniques on how to be successful.
This book is about Steve Rinella's life and hunting from when he was young all the way until now. Steve talks about techniques for hunting like preparing animals and how to efficiently hunt deer, varmints, and many other animals. He also talks about fishing experience and his love for fishing Steelhead. Through the story, You read about stories, hunts, and other experiences he has had through his life.
I rate this book a 3/5 because I thought only some of the stories were entertaining and they sometimes dragged on. It also is hard to tell what is going on in some parts of the book because it is a bunch of different topics put in a few pages. I liked learning his stories on some of his hunts though so that is why I gave it stars.
This book is about Steve Rinella's life and hunting from when he was young all the way until now. Steve talks about techniques for hunting like preparing animals and how to efficiently hunt deer, varmints, and many other animals. He also talks about fishing experience and his love for fishing Steelhead. Through the story, You read about stories, hunts, and other experiences he has had through his life.
I rate this book a 3/5 because I thought only some of the stories were entertaining and they sometimes dragged on. It also is hard to tell what is going on in some parts of the book because it is a bunch of different topics put in a few pages. I liked learning his stories on some of his hunts though so that is why I gave it stars.
May 30, 2021
Enjoyed the book he writes about hunting the way it use to be done as a hunter to provide for meat on the table and wraps up hunting stories and stalking and tracking game animals. And about growing up running trapping in his youth. He throws in recipes and ethics of being a real hunter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2013
From watching his TV show Meat Eater, I felt like Rinella was just another egomaniacal hunter with some charisma, outdoor smarts and a winning smile. After reading the book, he is still a egomaniacal hunter with charisma, smarts, a winning smile - but now he is an adept author. The boy can tell a story.
Sure he comes across like a cocksure punk whose morals and ethics are superior to anybody who's ever lived on this rock - but his life experience backs it up in a way. He seems to pick and choose which parts of hunting and fishing ethics jive with him based on his own success rather than a gut instinct that a more mature woodsman would possess.
I wonder how the book would be different if he had written it a decade later after he had a chance to mature more and was more interested in letting the story impress the reader instead of the man telling the story being the point of impression.
His stories were very good. His use of the language was good. He can be funny - but seems to be trying too hard at times. He is certainly knowledgeable about his subjects but some of that could be his researchers behind the scenes.
The thing I appreciated most was his honesty. Many hunters try to either gloss over non-ethical mistakes from the past or ignore them altogether. While Rinella takes his transgressions head on, his cocksure attitude and elitist attitude dilutes his honesty at times.
One thing I especially didn't like was how he gave us approval to approach the sport on our own terms - like I need his approval to do anything I choose.
I would certainly recommend this book to hunter/non-hunter alike. I especially liked the tidbits about different wild game preparation; I could almost taste the blueberry in the bear fat.
He is an astute writer for sure but sometimes his elitist attitude and moral superiority get in the way of the content.
Sure he comes across like a cocksure punk whose morals and ethics are superior to anybody who's ever lived on this rock - but his life experience backs it up in a way. He seems to pick and choose which parts of hunting and fishing ethics jive with him based on his own success rather than a gut instinct that a more mature woodsman would possess.
I wonder how the book would be different if he had written it a decade later after he had a chance to mature more and was more interested in letting the story impress the reader instead of the man telling the story being the point of impression.
His stories were very good. His use of the language was good. He can be funny - but seems to be trying too hard at times. He is certainly knowledgeable about his subjects but some of that could be his researchers behind the scenes.
The thing I appreciated most was his honesty. Many hunters try to either gloss over non-ethical mistakes from the past or ignore them altogether. While Rinella takes his transgressions head on, his cocksure attitude and elitist attitude dilutes his honesty at times.
One thing I especially didn't like was how he gave us approval to approach the sport on our own terms - like I need his approval to do anything I choose.
I would certainly recommend this book to hunter/non-hunter alike. I especially liked the tidbits about different wild game preparation; I could almost taste the blueberry in the bear fat.
He is an astute writer for sure but sometimes his elitist attitude and moral superiority get in the way of the content.
August 28, 2012
I am of mixed minds about this book.
On the one hand- and most importantly- it's a very interesting and well-written description of a hunter's hunting lifestyle.
On the other- well I'll grant that the author says he's learned through the years, but some of the "hunting" and trapping he did as a kid was really cruel, and done only for money not for meat to eat.
Still- I think it's important that those of us who did NOT grow up in the hunting subculture understand those that did- and also the reverse. (The reverse is mostly not covered in this book.)
I think it was brave of Rinella to be so forthcoming about his various hunting stories. Personally, I am contemplating whether or not I would ever be interested in hunting, and this book is very informative- though not decisive- in that contemplation.
I do admire his general respect for the animals, and his dedication to making their deaths not go to waste (apart from the muskrats he killed as a teen for their fur).
It's a good book and I'm glad I read it.
It is not a book for everyone. There's a lot of gory details here. If you are a carnivore and want to face up to what meat-eating really means- I'd recommend it. If you are a vegan- you probably would rather skip it due to irrelevance.
On the one hand- and most importantly- it's a very interesting and well-written description of a hunter's hunting lifestyle.
On the other- well I'll grant that the author says he's learned through the years, but some of the "hunting" and trapping he did as a kid was really cruel, and done only for money not for meat to eat.
Still- I think it's important that those of us who did NOT grow up in the hunting subculture understand those that did- and also the reverse. (The reverse is mostly not covered in this book.)
I think it was brave of Rinella to be so forthcoming about his various hunting stories. Personally, I am contemplating whether or not I would ever be interested in hunting, and this book is very informative- though not decisive- in that contemplation.
I do admire his general respect for the animals, and his dedication to making their deaths not go to waste (apart from the muskrats he killed as a teen for their fur).
It's a good book and I'm glad I read it.
It is not a book for everyone. There's a lot of gory details here. If you are a carnivore and want to face up to what meat-eating really means- I'd recommend it. If you are a vegan- you probably would rather skip it due to irrelevance.
December 27, 2025
Full disclosure: I am a vegetarian who hunts cans of beans and tofu at Costco, though without the same grace and existential beauty that Rinella describes. I heard about this book after reading Cameron Hanes' book Undeniable, having read (and recently re-read) Endure. I'm not a hunter and Hanes and I share differing views on a lot of things but his work ethic and talking about running/the grind, brought me to its pages. Similarly, Rinella and I don't share the same culinary philosophies, but I was inspired to read it because of Hanes. I'm grateful that I did because it's among the best books I've read this year, and is ridiculously well-written. I'm happy I took a detour through this book from my usual genres, to understand more about hunting culture from Rinella. Did I think I would be closing out 2025 talking about a hunting book so good I read it in 24 hours? No. Did I believe I would ever recommend a book with a chapter titled "Killing Proper" because of how it challenged my beliefs about hunters? Even less so. I'm a happy vegetarian, and choose that for spiritual purposes as much as the health benefits, but I'm not so naive to believe that hunting writers, whose culinary choices are wildly different from mine, don't have something valuable to feed my mind.
He describes hunting in a way that brings you right into the hunt with him. You can practically smell the cool forest air, and even colder waters of Alaskan rivers he describes later in the book. He doesn't write about hunting in terms of joy at seeking or sourcing prey. He also eschews the way it is commonly cozied up with masculinity. He turns instead, towards the underpinning principles of feeding people, bonding with others (generally speaking, his hunts happen with others aside from fishing for steelhead), and seeking a way of life that rejects the trappings of modernity. It doesn't reject the modern in favour of any politicized view, but he writes of a way of life that differs so significantly from what is prioritized in the West that it's understandable some would view it in terms of its primal, survivalist-leaning lore. It will resonate with hunters undoubtedly, but also with those (like myself) who grew up and remember life before the internet. Hunting culture similar to Rinella's is at once about sourcing food, but it's also about community, kinship, love of the outdoors, and the challenge of solving a problem with patience and deep thinking (reading the "Killing Proper" chapter illuminates the mental side of Rinella's spiritual view of hunting, deeply intertwined with values that would serve people beyond the valleys-of-no-cell-service).
Hunting has been politicized significantly (due to the NRA's harmful gun lobbying that uses hunting as one of its foundational justifications for access to firearms, even though hunters of most stripes disagree with any need for access firearms most commonly used in mass shootings). What I found interesting however, was the solidarity to be found between the (usually left-leaning) political camps that would say they have nothing in common with a hunter from rural(ish) Michigan. Rinella invited me to think again about some assumptions I made as a vegetarian, left-leaning city-dweller in Ontario, Canada, mostly disconnected from his food and its derivation from the land.
I'm not about to start eating meat anytime soon, but after reading his book I appreciated some universal truths about people, regardless of their hunting affiliation: we're all trying to feed our people (whether they are family, friends, or chosen family and whether we feed them food or intangibles like care) and feel a sense of pride in doing so. Hunting is just one of the ways that humans have been doing so since the dawn of time which makes it a lowest common denominator among providing-for-your-family offerings. It is easy for political divides to overlook the fact that a lot of hunting culture which is often associated with Red states, is actually just people choosing game meat as a source of sustenance over malnourishment common for those who live outside of hunting culture's furthest reaches into the city. Rinella writes about living in New York City and experiencing the sense of isolation and alienating looks from people when carting a hunting rifle out of a store there. Hunting has unfortunately become associated with a violence that is more about political affiliations than it is about food.
Hunting, when done for the purposes of eating rather than sport, aggression, or defending/expressing masculinity, also brings many points of solidarity together with indigenous communities in the United States (and Western rural Canada). Rising property taxes push people out of rural places they've lived nearly forever, and with that a way of life disappears for many as they have no choice but to move despite relying on the land to keep food on the table. The land they lived on (and in many cases hunted and fished from) is unrecognizable to them and cannot support the ways of life they once relied on to feed their families and make a living reasonable enough to shelter themselves and their families. Often, it's become polluted to the point of being unsafe to even hunt from, as with Indigenous communities in Ontario whose diets at one time relied on river/freshwater mussels but cannot do so without risks of disease because of pollution. Rinella doesn't delve into the politics of these things as much as I am generously inferencing here. I am sharing it in this review however, to encourage those who aren't hunters, and may feel strongly against it to read this book to cultivate respect for and find common ground with those whose lives are fundamentally different from theirs.
Steve Rinella, whether intending to or not, has written a hunting book for the ages. I'm not about to abandon vegetarianism, but I can certainly appreciate other people's choices with greater depth. The hunting community is not a monolith. Accordingly, Rinella doesn't paint in broad strokes, and shares his own philosophy through a handful of well-told stories in a refreshing take on food and one man's enduring connection with nature. Hunters and non-hunters alike will find something wonderful in its pages.
He describes hunting in a way that brings you right into the hunt with him. You can practically smell the cool forest air, and even colder waters of Alaskan rivers he describes later in the book. He doesn't write about hunting in terms of joy at seeking or sourcing prey. He also eschews the way it is commonly cozied up with masculinity. He turns instead, towards the underpinning principles of feeding people, bonding with others (generally speaking, his hunts happen with others aside from fishing for steelhead), and seeking a way of life that rejects the trappings of modernity. It doesn't reject the modern in favour of any politicized view, but he writes of a way of life that differs so significantly from what is prioritized in the West that it's understandable some would view it in terms of its primal, survivalist-leaning lore. It will resonate with hunters undoubtedly, but also with those (like myself) who grew up and remember life before the internet. Hunting culture similar to Rinella's is at once about sourcing food, but it's also about community, kinship, love of the outdoors, and the challenge of solving a problem with patience and deep thinking (reading the "Killing Proper" chapter illuminates the mental side of Rinella's spiritual view of hunting, deeply intertwined with values that would serve people beyond the valleys-of-no-cell-service).
Hunting has been politicized significantly (due to the NRA's harmful gun lobbying that uses hunting as one of its foundational justifications for access to firearms, even though hunters of most stripes disagree with any need for access firearms most commonly used in mass shootings). What I found interesting however, was the solidarity to be found between the (usually left-leaning) political camps that would say they have nothing in common with a hunter from rural(ish) Michigan. Rinella invited me to think again about some assumptions I made as a vegetarian, left-leaning city-dweller in Ontario, Canada, mostly disconnected from his food and its derivation from the land.
I'm not about to start eating meat anytime soon, but after reading his book I appreciated some universal truths about people, regardless of their hunting affiliation: we're all trying to feed our people (whether they are family, friends, or chosen family and whether we feed them food or intangibles like care) and feel a sense of pride in doing so. Hunting is just one of the ways that humans have been doing so since the dawn of time which makes it a lowest common denominator among providing-for-your-family offerings. It is easy for political divides to overlook the fact that a lot of hunting culture which is often associated with Red states, is actually just people choosing game meat as a source of sustenance over malnourishment common for those who live outside of hunting culture's furthest reaches into the city. Rinella writes about living in New York City and experiencing the sense of isolation and alienating looks from people when carting a hunting rifle out of a store there. Hunting has unfortunately become associated with a violence that is more about political affiliations than it is about food.
Hunting, when done for the purposes of eating rather than sport, aggression, or defending/expressing masculinity, also brings many points of solidarity together with indigenous communities in the United States (and Western rural Canada). Rising property taxes push people out of rural places they've lived nearly forever, and with that a way of life disappears for many as they have no choice but to move despite relying on the land to keep food on the table. The land they lived on (and in many cases hunted and fished from) is unrecognizable to them and cannot support the ways of life they once relied on to feed their families and make a living reasonable enough to shelter themselves and their families. Often, it's become polluted to the point of being unsafe to even hunt from, as with Indigenous communities in Ontario whose diets at one time relied on river/freshwater mussels but cannot do so without risks of disease because of pollution. Rinella doesn't delve into the politics of these things as much as I am generously inferencing here. I am sharing it in this review however, to encourage those who aren't hunters, and may feel strongly against it to read this book to cultivate respect for and find common ground with those whose lives are fundamentally different from theirs.
Steve Rinella, whether intending to or not, has written a hunting book for the ages. I'm not about to abandon vegetarianism, but I can certainly appreciate other people's choices with greater depth. The hunting community is not a monolith. Accordingly, Rinella doesn't paint in broad strokes, and shares his own philosophy through a handful of well-told stories in a refreshing take on food and one man's enduring connection with nature. Hunters and non-hunters alike will find something wonderful in its pages.
January 7, 2015
Very, very food book for someone who hunts or has an interest in hunting. Rinella offers up some classic hunting stories that anyone who has swapped tales with their hunting buddies after a full day of hunting can really appreciate. But as entertaining as the stories were on their surface, he used them as a means to discuss much larger items. The real beauty of this book is Rinalla's introspective look at why we hunt, what it means to be a hunter, and why it remains an important part of "civilized" or "modern" society. Rinella's insights on these philosophical questions really cut to the core of what I've always felt as a hunter, but never fully articulated. I felt this book gave a voice to many hunters just like me who find themselves searching to describe to non-hunters why we do what we do and believe what we believe.
While this book certainly isn't going to appeal to everyone, I think it would appeal to most hunters.
While this book certainly isn't going to appeal to everyone, I think it would appeal to most hunters.
August 3, 2016
Rinella is a solid writer, and he interjects education along with his stories from the hunt with great literary fluency.
The problem I had with the book was I wasn't sure what the purpose was. I get that it's a collection of essays telling stories of various hunts, but given Rinella's intellect and writing ability it felt like the whole thing together lacked trajectory.
Towards the end it finally starts to bring some of the deeper introspection and philosophizing that I'd come to expect from watching his various TV shows and listening to him on podcasts, thus the four stars rather than three (or, frankly, two). His writing talent is undeniable, but through most of the book it felt like he was holding back for some reason.
I'm still glad I read it, and I will continue to be a fan of the author.
The problem I had with the book was I wasn't sure what the purpose was. I get that it's a collection of essays telling stories of various hunts, but given Rinella's intellect and writing ability it felt like the whole thing together lacked trajectory.
Towards the end it finally starts to bring some of the deeper introspection and philosophizing that I'd come to expect from watching his various TV shows and listening to him on podcasts, thus the four stars rather than three (or, frankly, two). His writing talent is undeniable, but through most of the book it felt like he was holding back for some reason.
I'm still glad I read it, and I will continue to be a fan of the author.
October 28, 2012
This was a nice, easy read. Rinella's writing style is much like his voice in his Outdoor Channel show of the same name. This is not a "trophy hunter's" tale, but rather a narrative of hunting memories from his childhood and the importance that the outdoor lifestyle still plays in his life. Though I did enjoy reading this book, it pales in comparison to his excellent "The Scavenger's Guide to Haute Cuisine."
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