- ISBN13: 9781592574179
- Condition: USED – VERY GOOD
- Notes:
Product Description
The definitive book on becoming a vegan—with recipes included. Becoming a vegan isn’t just about giving up animal products. It’s about making a lifestyle change. In The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Living, authors Beverly Lynn Bennett (known as the Vegan Chef) and Ray Sammartano provide a complete guide to living vegan-style, focusing on compassion for all, good health, and great eating. Inside, readers will find 50 sensational recipes, … More >>
$2.99
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Living
`The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Living’ by Beverly Lynn Bennett and Ray Sammartano, `Vegan Freak’ by Bob Torres and Jenna Torres, and `Vegan Planet’ by Robin Robertson are three books my godson purchases, believing they were oriented primarily toward what most of us would consider a vegetarian diet adopted for simple health reasons. The primary objective of this review is to warn those who may be interested in these books for the same purpose. And, to make a strong distinction between the first two and the third.
The vegan lifestyle, at its heart, is far more than a dietary regimen. It is a combination of a system of spiritual values, culinary choices for health, and economic values allied with `green’ doctrines of helping to preserve resources. Surprisingly, the first is by far the most important of these three, especially to those like the authors of the `Vegan Freak’ book. One need read only a few pages of this book to realize veganism may in some senses be considered a Hindu sect, as it shares many of the same values of this religion, including many approaches to animal products which are as extremely anti-scientific as the rejection of some scientific theories by those who espouse creationism. As someone who has some reasonably sound background in Christian and Jewish doctrines, I can say with some certainty that vegan values are NOT shared by either Christian, Jewish, or Muslim value systems. In fact, the Judeo-Christian scriptures are often cited as justifications for using animal products. I will also venture the thought that the vegan doctrines are not consistent with secular ethical theory. By the definition assumed by every ethical value system, including those based on Judaism and Christianity, moral principles are those principals related specifically to behavior toward other humans. Thus, the vegan apologists are truly stretching the meaning of `ethical’ or `moral’ in order to add cachet to their preaching, which it does not deserve. That doesn’t mean these values are baseless. It just means they need some justification which is independent of moral theories.
Now that is not to say many vegan values are not shared by the non-vegan population at large. Most civilized people, and even cultures which may be considered pre-civilized savages, place a value on `humane’ treatment of animals. Thus, we have dedicated a fair amount of resources to SPCA organizations and other animal rescue organizations. It is also due more to ignorance than to inhumanity that we indulge in animal products which are raised in an inhumane manner. And, the rationale that these animals would never have lived if it were not for our raising them specifically for food is scant excuse.
As sound as the basic vegan value system is, to some peoples’ minds, it seems to cross some line from humane principles to surprising extremes when it raises its ban against literally every animal product, no matter how remotely removed from cruel commercial animal husbandry. Two of the most extreme examples are bans against vaccines because they are incubated in eggs and many beers and wines, because they are clarified using animal products. Less extreme, but similarly questionable are the prohibitions against milk and eggs, especially if one makes the effort to purchase products raised according to humane husbandry techniques. Here, one encounters many of the health concerns of vegans, and for many people, milk and eggs have health problems. But not for everyone. And, eggs and milk products are the basis of some of the most nutritious and delicious food products.
`Vegan Freaks’, as one may assume from the title, is the most extremely doctrinaire of the three books. As with the `freaks’ of the 60′s and later, they revel in their differentness, making that a fourth leg of their vegan lifestyle. `…Vegan Living’ is less strident, but, it is no less doctrinally `pure’. It is somewhat easier to read, as it does not have the attitude of poking a stick in the eyes of non-vegans. Both are excellent starting points and both have very good bibliographies for obtaining additional information. But, neither contains any major sections on recipes! And this is where a purchaser may be most surprised, believing that these are `cookbooks’.
`Vegan Planet’ is substantially different, as it is a cookbook from start to finish. In fact, it is not even doctrinally pure vegan, as it joyfully includes bread recipes which use yeast! As I write this, I realize that it has been a very long time since I took high school biology, and I’m no longer sure whether yeasts are related to the animal protozoans or the `vegetable’ fungi. Except for this somewhat gray area, the book is otherwise true vegan, except that it never leaves the kitchen in order to climb on its soapbox and preach its gospel of avoiding animal products in every form.
In the end, if you have health concerns which bring you to the vegan diet, `Vegan Planet’ is certainly the book you want. It will give you hundreds of recipes which simulate dishes traditionally cooked with milk, plus lots of great recipes for the staple vegan protein replacements such as beans, pulses, and grains. The other two books may only be of value if you are interested in the vegan value system. And, although these books mention the raw `cooking’ style, neither deals with it in any depth. For that, I suggest `RAW, The UnCook Book’ by Juliano.
Rating: 4 / 5
The book is a little preachy. It really left me feeling like I wanted more and much less from it. I dont like it. Really I should have sent it back. Want to buy mine?
Rating: 1 / 5
This is a comprehensive overview of the issues that a person who is considering living a Vegan lifestyle must think about. The information is not presented through the use of scare tactics but with facts and philosophical debates and queries.The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Living (The Complete Idiot’s Guide)
Rating: 5 / 5
A good introductory manual for anyone even remotely considering the switch to a vegan diet. This book delves little beyond the surface and I’d definitely recommend that a newbie do more research on nutrition after reading this book. As a veteran vegan of one year, however, I still found interesting tidbits that were new to me. I’ll be keeping this book around for as a loaner to those curious about the lifestyle, and also for the recipes in the back. I do give this book props, however, for detailing the history of vegetarianism and veganism, something you don’t find in most other books of this nature. I think it’s beneficial and grounding for all vegs to know how the movement began.
Rating: 4 / 5
This is not only awesome for beginners but also long time vegans for a refresher and new ideas. If you’re already vegetarian, this will prove how easy it is to transition into a very healthy vegan diet. This book introduced seitan to me and it was staple in my house until I over did it and formed a gluten intolerance…but maybe one day I’ll be able to enjoy it again.
The recipes are sooo good. I like the collection of recipes in this book better than the modified versions of Vegan Cooking (like the mayo and cheesecake).
I recommend this book and The Nutritonal Yeast Cookbook and Vegan cooking-they’re all you need.
Rating: 5 / 5