Vegans Are Cool is a collection of essays, articles, and interviews from vegans all around the world. It contains interviews with folks from all walks of life, including athletes, naturopaths, and business owners. In addition to the personal stories contained in Vegans Are Cool, there is a plethora of useful information about going vegan and quite a bit of myth debunking for the vegan-curious. One nice aspect of the book is that it is not crucial that you read it from front to back, it is extremely browse-friendly. Perusing an article or interview here or there is just as enjoyable as reading it all the way through. It is available for free download as an e-book at vegansarecool.com.

Covering the bases

The book starts off with a general overview of veganism in a chapter titled “What does ‘being vegan’ actually mean?”, which is very thorough and well sourced. Other topics covered include nutrition, vegan pregnancy, owning a vegan business, myths debunked, cruelty free fashion, and effects on the planet. Reading the interviews complied within Vegans Are Cool, I found it particularly fun and interesting to follow other people’s journeys to the vegan lifestyle and why they chose to stick with it. There is even a chapter for recipes that could be helpful for those who are just starting out, especially since one of the first questions any vegan faces is ‘what can i eat?’ The articles are motivating and interesting, due in large part to the diversity of the interviewees. After reading the book there is no doubt that going vegan can be healthy, easy, fun, and liberating!

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is considering switching to a vegan lifestyle or a vegan who simply wants to brush up on their knowledge. I will use this book as a reference and revisit articles as they become relevant in my life. That being said, as a out and proud vegan of two years, I did not necessarily learn a whole lot of new information, but it is always good to brush up and remind one’s self why being vegan is in fact so freaking cool!

Reviewed and recommended by Raquel Moreno

Pick up a copy here:

Free e-book | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Oh look, what a surprise, yet anther article about how veganism kills babies (English article here).

A couple in a Amiens, France, is facing charges of neglect after their exclusively-breastfed, 11-month-old daughter, Louise, died of pneumonia and vitamin deficiency. Distrustful of Western medicine, the parents treated a 2007 case of bronchitis with cabbage poultices and camphor, and bathed their daughter with dirt. Both parents are facing up to 30 years in prison.

While the French article makes a point of saying that we shouldn’t confuse a “respectable lifestyle choice and human drama,” the English articles I have come across on the internet often do not make the same distinction. In fact, some of the articles even neglect to mention the bronchitis/pneumonia, which is recognised as playing a part in the death. Comments on these articles include such gems as “Poor kid… vegans are idiots to begin with,” and “Those idiots, here is a clue, mothers milk is an animal product. Cows are mammal’s so are humans. I feel so sorry for children of morons.”

Is anyone really surprised by this anymore? In T.O.F.U.’s last issue, our focus was on vegan parenting. Both Kelly Twomey and I spoke on the additional scrutiny vegan parents face, and stories like this just contribute to that hysteria. Among other issues that some news sources don’t mention is the fact that the child had an older sister – who is still alive and well – and that the family lived in a “run down” home. Ignoring economic context, the baby’s long battle with illness, and the parents’ reluctance to seek medical care frames veganism as the main element of Louise’s death… But this just isn’t the case (or at least, it’s not the whole case). The sensationalist headlines and blatantly anti-vegan spin represent a dishonest, incredibly biased form of journalism that I am, frankly, sick and tired of seeing. For those of use who are vegan parents raising healthy, happy children, this kind of coverage is a reminder that we will always have to defend ourselves and our children from a sea of status quo.

Not every media outlet is so blatantly biased, however. At the very least, this article from UPI makes a point of mentioning not only the bronchitis/pneumonia, but also the fact that the parents did manage to raise a 13 year old without any vitamin deficiencies. Why it is so difficult for most other media outlets to handle this story with an ounce of even-handedness, I don’t know. When Fox News is reporting with more journalistic integrity than you, you know you’ve got some issues to work out.