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On Killing: Meditations on the Chase

A controversial collection on the ethics of taking animal life.

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

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Robert F. Jones

46 books13 followers
Librarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
369 reviews9 followers
February 22, 2012
Many of the pieces contain truly thoughtful meditations on the ambivalence harbored by mature killers, the guilt and shame, but also the pride in and love of the prey.

Examinations like these ones should be passed on to PETA in exchange for their factory-farming videos. They might realize that hunters and fisherman are closer allies to their cause than they think.
That being said, the editor, perhaps intentionally, seemed to choose weak anti-hunting and anti-meat voices. There is value in such voices, especially those rigid moralists who at one time had to face up to the consequences of a high-minded but impractical philosophy of "do no harm". Not that they relent, but they understand that things aren't as simple as activists would like them to be. How far will you go to do less harm? Will you swerve your car? Will you give up meat? Will you lose your house? Would you starve to death? The lines drawn by each non-killer in this anthology make for interesting reading.

Still, I felt that the editor avoided stronger voices on the anti-killing agenda, and it damaged the discussion. The same way, he left out advocates of trophy hunting, a pasttime even most dyed-in-the -wool killers abhor.

Great, though. I highly recommend. Some passages may be inaccessible to non-hunters and urbanites.
Profile Image for Meg.
5 reviews4 followers
May 11, 2012
Surprisingly good, this book reminded me that hunting and fishing can and should be done in a respectful way. It has made me question if I would be ok with eating game meat (which would be music to my dad's ears).
Profile Image for stew.
42 reviews7 followers
December 26, 2007
Mandatory reading for anyone that buys their meat cocooned in cling wrap and styrofoam. Attention: this was once a living, breathing beast.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews