Thoughts and stories from a vegan-turned-hunter

"As a long-time vegetarian . . . I was more than a little wary. . . Fortunately, this book retires exhausted tropes and instead presents a truly original and touching account of connecting with nature.”
—Serious Eats

"A gripping look at some of the central questions, both practical and philosophical, of human existence."
—Sports Afield

“One of the most unusual and intriguing books I’ve ever read. . . . Thought-provoking, educational, subtle, and agenda-free.”
—Casual Kitchen

"This groundbreaking book has enormous potential to create a dialogue with differing groups."
—New Mexico Wildlife

"A touching and thought-provoking exploration of not only what we eat but how we eat it."
—Publishers Weekly

Read more reviews

"Both a personal tale of how one man comes to terms with the meat on his plate and a historical look at humanity’s connection to animals, The Mindful Carnivore delivers new insight in the too often simplistic vegetarian-versus-carnivore argument."
—Novella Carpenter, author of Farm City

"Elegantly written, thoughtful, intensely personal yet universal, Tovar Cerulli’s The Mindful Carnivore is destined to become a classic."
—Nicolette Hahn Niman, author of Righteous Porkchop

"Bull’s-eye! Cerulli cuts through forests of argument with a thoughtful and thrilling narrative. We experience his growing awareness of what it means to be fully involved in the web of nature. With him we can wonder at its complex mystery and share in ‘mindful eating’ as a sacred act."
—Betty Fussell, author of The Story of Corn and Raising Steaks

"Cerulli offers penetrating insights into not only where our food comes from, but what our daily dietary choices say about who we are as human beings."
—Hank Shaw, author of Hunt, Gather, Cook

"A remarkably candid, nuanced, and engaging meditation on what it means to be human. There are no prescriptions or preachy admonitions—just an honest account of the mindful unfolding of a person who has taken seriously the responsibility of being dependent upon the death of other organisms in order to live. The Mindful Carnivore is a bracing read."
—Jan E. Dizard, author of Mortal Stakes and Going Wild

"An unflinching account of one omnivore’s dilemma, drawn with psychological sensitivity and ecological sense. Cerulli treats compelling arguments on both the pro- and anti-hunting sides of the environmental divide with equanimity, while being just as equally impatient with both sides’ time-worn clichés and sound-bite slogans. A nourishing read!”
—Mary Zeiss Stange, author of Woman the Hunter and Hard Grass

"Tovar Cerulli has written the book I’ve been waiting for. It’s memoir, adventure story, and exploration. His journey is from vegan to hunter, but it’s more than that. It’s a journey into history, ethics, nutrition, ecology, and philosophy. An entertaining read—and an entertaining ride—into the human experience. A savory morsel indeed."
—Daniel Herman, author of Hunting & the American Imagination

"On the surface, the worldviews of hunters and vegans couldn’t be further apart, but Cerulli is a bridge between the two—a valuable reminder that camouflage and Birkenstocks aren’t as incompatible as most would like to think."
—Holly A. Heyser, blogger at NorCal Cazadora

"Spiritual, intuitive, and profoundly real. By witnessing Cerulli's transformation from staunch vegan to thoughtful hunter, we are reminded that mindful hunting not only makes us stewards of the land, but thoughtful eaters and more awake human beings. Bravo!"
—Georgia Pellegrini, author of Girl Hunter and Food Heroes

"Cerulli lays bare the complicated relationship we have with the food we eat, exposing the many myths and prejudices that pile up on our plates. Full of compassion, curiosity, and a nourishing eloquence, his story is a healthy reminder that our choices matter, an invitation to vegetarians and carnivores alike to examine their paths to sustenance."
—Langdon Cook, author of Fat of the Land

"Best Book" - Award presented by New England Outdoor Writers Assoc.

"The Story" - Interviewed by Dick Gordon for NPR

"New Breed of Hunter" - Featured in a skeptical front-page NY Times article

"My 5 1/2 Favorite Books About Food" - Listed on Field&Stream's "Wild Chef"

“Natural causes”: Life and death, food and fantasy

Adult-onset hunting: Know the signs

When hunters ruin the hunt

Hunting with Gandhi

The good and the slobby: Hunting, logging, living

Eating and caring: The lines we draw

The Dalai Lama: On meat and moral gymnastics