Vegan Freak: Being Vegan in a Non-Vegan World [Paperback]

 

 

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According to the back cover description this book is to help vegans deal with situations in a non-vegan world with humour and insight. In my experience I didn't think this book was humourous, insightful, enlightening or worth my time or money. This book is almost entirely a rant on animal rights and animal cruelty thus the only reason and conclusion to be vegan. The authors go on to condemn readers for becoming vegan for reasons other than compassion towards animals.

To save you your hard-earned money I'll do a quick summary of this book:
- to deal with people in your life without creating havoc or strife Advice given -don't react, be an example of a happy vegan so the person(s) won't get their desired reaction and see you agitated
- to deal with eating at a restaurant Advice given: choose a restaurant that you know will have something for you; ask the restaurant if they can prepare something special for you that's not on the menu; bring your own food to the restaurant to eat; eat at home before going to dinner with others or eat after you've gone out with others.
Basically the authors don't tell you anything you don't already know or haven't figured out because it's just common sense.

What I disliked most about this book is their absolutist perspective. According to the authors, vegans should not eat, wear or use animal based/derived products solely because, "veganism is an outright rejection of the violent and hierarchical processes that condemn animals to lives of subjugation, servitude and oppression" and the authors condemn others who are not vegan for that sole reason:"when people aren't vegan for the right reasons, they often make for poor vegans... We need to have vegans who are clear exemplars of the concept [subjugation, servitude and oppression of animals]". In another chapter the authors berate individuals who have become vegan because they are weight conscious. In this book there is no other possible good reason to be vegan except to end animal suffering and the authors openly berate individuals doing so for other reasons. Oftentimes individuals will come to veganism for their own individual reasons -food sensitivities, health reasons, wanting to lose weight, concerns about hormones/antibiotics- and while the original reason they began veganism was not for ending animal cruelty, individuals develop compassion for animals and want to end animal suffering because they can no longer see a reason for having farmed animals. I felt that the authors condemnation alienated a large segment of individuals who did not come to veganism due to animal ethics. I became raw vegan entirely due to health reasons. I have a Bachelors in Human Nutrition and a post grad in Plant-Based Nutrition and the research is pretty compelling to adopt a plant based diet. If you would like to learn more about the health reasons to adopt a plant-based diet please see Dr. T. Campbell's book "The China Study". Even if individuals become vegan for other than ethical reasons, they may find additional reasons to reinforce their veganism along the way. I know I feel better about the environmental impact of my switch to a plant-based diet and since becoming raw vegan I have more energy and feel more vital. The environmental and feeling good reasons combine with my knowledge about health to further reinforce my commitment to being and staying vegan. I think sometimes its just good to come to veganism whatever the reason and while trying veganism you may find a multitude of reasons to reinforce that positive change.

In general, this book was just so off-putting with their constant ramming of their take on animal ethics down the reader's throat. Most of all this book was a disappointment since it contained little of what it promised on it's description, the description was incredibly and entirely misleading. Save your money it doesn't deliver any of what it promises on helping vegans navigate through this non-vegan world.

If you are Vegan or Vegetarian, or just thinking about it....this is the book for you. Its jam packed with recommendations, inspiration, and lots of fun too ! You won't be dissapointed.

This book was very disappointing to me, mostly it is just a rant about animal rights. Nothing against that except it wasn't the reason I bought the book nor the reason I choose to become vegan, although according to this author there is no other acceptable reason to be vegan. Not true.

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2.0 out of 5 stars Vegan Freak, dude
The title, pretty well contains the topic and the authors' description. It is a book for people who just don't fit in, but also happen to be vegan. Read more

Published on Dec 7 2007 by Alan Macdonald

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