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  • The Fair Chase

  • The Epic Story of Hunting in America
  • Written by: Philip Dray
  • Narrated by: Will Collyer
  • Length: 14 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (6 ratings)

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The Fair Chase cover art

The Fair Chase

Written by: Philip Dray
Narrated by: Will Collyer
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Publisher's Summary

An award-winning historian tells the story of hunting in America, showing how this sport has shaped our national identity.

From Daniel Boone to Teddy Roosevelt, hunting is one of America's most sacred - but also most fraught - traditions. It was promoted in the 19th century as a way to reconnect "soft" urban Americans with nature and to the legacy of the country's pathfinding heroes. Fair chase, a hunting code of ethics emphasizing fairness, rugged independence, and restraint towards wildlife, emerged as a worldview and gave birth to the conservation movement. But the sport's popularity also caused class, ethnic, and racial divisions, and stirred debate about the treatment of Native Americans and the role of hunting in preparing young men for war.

This sweeping and balanced book offers a definitive account of hunting in America. It is essential listening for anyone interested in the evolution of our nation's foundational myths.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2018 Philip Dray (P)2018 Hachette Audio

What the critics say

"Less than ten percent of the population now hunts, but they still represent a large symbolic place in our national narrative. Philip Dray helps us understand why hunting and hunters continue to shape our ongoing debates about our relationship to wildlife, endangered species, and environmental policy. Given the dramatic changes in the management ethos of our natural resources brought on by the Trump administration, The Fair Chase is a timely and engaging reminder of what's at stake." (Jan E. Dizard, author of Going Wild and Mortal Stakes)

"A fluid and fascinating history for hunters and nonhunters alike." (Garden & Gun)

"Revealing...[Dray] does a marvelous job walking us, mostly chronologically, through nearly every aspect and controversy of hunting's long history, with themes of ethics ('fair chase, the idea that hunted animals must have a chance to evade or flee their pursuers') and conservation looming large throughout...A lively history that can be enjoyed by hunters and conservationists alike." (Kirkus)

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Started out slow and went into an anti hunting vibe at the end

I found that the first half of the book was a bunch of long stories from the 1800’s that I have already heard/read, then near the end it transitioned into what I feel was a strong anti hunting vibe, not worth buying in my opinion

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