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Beg: A Radical New Way of Regarding Animals
Rory Freedman, co-author of the #1 New York Times mega-seller Skinny Bitch, returns with a call-to-arms to all animal lovers.
So many of us call ourselves animal lovers and worship our dogs and cats—but we could be using that love as a force for helping all animals. Beg is a battle cry on their behalf, as well as an inspirational, empowering guide to what we can do to help them. With the same no-nonsense tone that made Skinny Bitch a multi-million copy success, Beg galvanizes us to change our choices and actions, and to love animals in a radical new way.
So many of us call ourselves animal lovers and worship our dogs and cats—but we could be using that love as a force for helping all animals. Beg is a battle cry on their behalf, as well as an inspirational, empowering guide to what we can do to help them. With the same no-nonsense tone that made Skinny Bitch a multi-million copy success, Beg galvanizes us to change our choices and actions, and to love animals in a radical new way.
206 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
19 people are currently reading
660 people want to read
About the author
Rory Freedman
24 books97 followersRory Freedman is the co-author of "Skinny Bitch". She attended the University of Maryland, and used to not like writing, but has developed a passion for writing due to her passion for the subjects that she writes about. She wrote "Skinny Bitch" because she is passionate about not being skinny or being a bitch, but to educate everyone about becoming vegetarian and vegan. Rory Freedman was not always a vegan, or vegetarian. Growing up she ate meat every day. Her passion for becoming vegetarian and vegan developed about 15 years ago. Her passion developed due to reading an article about animals being slaughtered for food. She always saw herself as an animal lover and she was disgusted by what she saw in the article. One image was of baby chickens crammed into a garbage bag and thrown into a dumpster. The next picture she sees is a picture of a mother cow and a baby cow. The baby was taken away from the mother, and being upset that she baby was taken away from her, she started to ram the cage and broke her neck. The mother cow was left there to lay and die with a broken neck. The other picture she saw was of a downer cow, an injured cow, on the back of a truck being unloaded by a chain wrapped around the cows legs. She was devastated to know that animals were being treated this way due to her eating meat. After reading this article in the magazine, she made the decision to become vegetarian. She did not want to contribute to the torture and slaughter of animals. The sole reason she became a vegetarian was so that she did not have to be part of the pictures that she saw.
Since she became vegetarian, she was now interested in doing more research on nutrition. People always said that vegetarians lack protein and other things that your body needs, so therefore she conducted research and found that these statements and assumptions are not true. Rory found out that by becoming vegetarian, you do not lack protein, and that most Americans actually have too much protein in their diets. Becoming a vegetarian had a total change on Rory. She felt as though she became nicer, happy, had more energy, and overall a better person. She became an animal rights activist due to her passion for animals. After making these changes, she felt as though she had a purpose in life. Rory encourages people to try a 30 day Veg Pledge. This is trying to be vegetarian for 30 days to just try to and see if you like the changes that your body will go through.
*Rory Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models, is co-author of the #1 New York Times bestselling books.
She resides in Los Angeles.
Since she became vegetarian, she was now interested in doing more research on nutrition. People always said that vegetarians lack protein and other things that your body needs, so therefore she conducted research and found that these statements and assumptions are not true. Rory found out that by becoming vegetarian, you do not lack protein, and that most Americans actually have too much protein in their diets. Becoming a vegetarian had a total change on Rory. She felt as though she became nicer, happy, had more energy, and overall a better person. She became an animal rights activist due to her passion for animals. After making these changes, she felt as though she had a purpose in life. Rory encourages people to try a 30 day Veg Pledge. This is trying to be vegetarian for 30 days to just try to and see if you like the changes that your body will go through.
*Rory Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models, is co-author of the #1 New York Times bestselling books.
She resides in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
August 6, 2016
Okay, so, I have a thing to say about this author, but I don't believe that you should base a book's rating on something that isn't part of the book, so I'm giving the book three stars on its own - and it is a good book. It's a bit deceptive; it looks like it's about dogs, or just about companion animals, but it's actually about animal rights. I am totally cool with that, being an aspiring vegan myself and a vegetarian of over ten years. It's well-written, engaging, has a lot of sources for the facts and resources for the reader.
However.
The author is one of the women who produced the execrable line of "Skinny Bitch" books, and I don't know if I can ever entirely forgive her for that, especially having read her basically admit that she and her co-author exploited women's obsession with losing weight in order to sell veganism.
It's bad enough that veganism is being sold as a weight loss plan anyway; aside from the fact that the ethical aspect of veganism is in direct protest to female animals' bodies being manipulated and reshaped for the pleasure of humans - which is exactly what the weight loss industry does - veganism is NOT A GUARANTEE OF WEIGHT LOSS. It just isn't. And by tricking people into it using the bright shiny Holy Grail of thinness, when it finally doesn't work (95% of diets fail long term), people give up and go back to eating animals with abandon, almost out of spite. I've seen it.
Worse is the idea that it's okay to trade on the exploitation of one being for another, to use the insecurities and self-hatred of millions of women to further your personal agenda. And I say this as someone who totally agrees with her stance on animal rights. I just happen to think you can help people change without making them hate their bodies even more. Especially with all this "tough love" bullshit going around in the diet business - Skinny Bitch or Biggest Loser, it's bullying, plain and simple. You cannot hate someone healthy. And that the authors did this willingly, looking for a way to piggyback the vegan ideal onto something that would sell, really upsets me. Freedman even goes so far as to express regret over all the profanity she spewed - but where's her regret over encouraging negative body image in women all over the country - men too, later on?
Vegans are often stereotyped in a lot of unjust ways, including that they only care about animals and not about people. When I see things like this, I can see where that comes from. I find the whole idea extremely distasteful, and it was hard to read Beg fairly as its own entity. I thought I could temporarily blind myself to my revulsion at exploiting the hatred of fat people in the name of loving animals (which makes the whole spirituality chapter at the end of Beg seem almost farcical), but that would be like realizing that bacon is made of intelligent, emotional, innocent creatures and then ordering a BLT anyway. So I thought, I'll rate the book on its own, but I have to say my piece. I hope one day, in her quest for a compassionate life, she realizes what a contradictory and disempowering message lies beneath such a cynical ploy for attention.
However.
The author is one of the women who produced the execrable line of "Skinny Bitch" books, and I don't know if I can ever entirely forgive her for that, especially having read her basically admit that she and her co-author exploited women's obsession with losing weight in order to sell veganism.
It's bad enough that veganism is being sold as a weight loss plan anyway; aside from the fact that the ethical aspect of veganism is in direct protest to female animals' bodies being manipulated and reshaped for the pleasure of humans - which is exactly what the weight loss industry does - veganism is NOT A GUARANTEE OF WEIGHT LOSS. It just isn't. And by tricking people into it using the bright shiny Holy Grail of thinness, when it finally doesn't work (95% of diets fail long term), people give up and go back to eating animals with abandon, almost out of spite. I've seen it.
Worse is the idea that it's okay to trade on the exploitation of one being for another, to use the insecurities and self-hatred of millions of women to further your personal agenda. And I say this as someone who totally agrees with her stance on animal rights. I just happen to think you can help people change without making them hate their bodies even more. Especially with all this "tough love" bullshit going around in the diet business - Skinny Bitch or Biggest Loser, it's bullying, plain and simple. You cannot hate someone healthy. And that the authors did this willingly, looking for a way to piggyback the vegan ideal onto something that would sell, really upsets me. Freedman even goes so far as to express regret over all the profanity she spewed - but where's her regret over encouraging negative body image in women all over the country - men too, later on?
Vegans are often stereotyped in a lot of unjust ways, including that they only care about animals and not about people. When I see things like this, I can see where that comes from. I find the whole idea extremely distasteful, and it was hard to read Beg fairly as its own entity. I thought I could temporarily blind myself to my revulsion at exploiting the hatred of fat people in the name of loving animals (which makes the whole spirituality chapter at the end of Beg seem almost farcical), but that would be like realizing that bacon is made of intelligent, emotional, innocent creatures and then ordering a BLT anyway. So I thought, I'll rate the book on its own, but I have to say my piece. I hope one day, in her quest for a compassionate life, she realizes what a contradictory and disempowering message lies beneath such a cynical ploy for attention.
Want to read
May 27, 2013I have no idea how this book got published. The author touts herself as an animal activist and quotes PETA--is she affiliated with them? Obviously she did not do her homework; real animal activists know that organization will not rest until all pets and service animals have been "liberated from slavery" and put to death.
She also treats her own pets in a disturbing fashion. From the Introduction: "I habitually bite them--the tips of their ears...the sides of their lips, their elbows, their toes, their nails, their paws, their necks, their throats, those bones underneath and to the side of their chins..." Someone needs to rescue her dogs. Seriously. This woman is disturbed.
Her opinion on spaying and neutering, which the entire book touts as the only solution to the full-shelter problem: "...I'm not all excited about spaying and neutering...Our doing it to animals is definitely messed up...Spaying and neutering is the lesser of two evils. This is the mess we've made of things and this is the reality we now have to deal with." Excuse me? She anthropomorphizes animals to the point of equating them with children, and equates spaying a pet to spaying a daughter. Big difference, Ms. Freeman.
The book touts being vegan as well as finding a better way to treat animals, but she gives us problem after problem with no real solution. Spay and neuter is only part of the solution. We as a society have to change the way we see animals (as disposable) and reward the shelter system for placing animals instead of killing them. Ms. Freeman never even mentions the No-Kill advocacy movement and their solutions to the overpopulation issue, which includes spay and neuter but also creative solutions to overcrowded shelters.
If I could give negative stars, I would. I wish something worthwhile had been published instead. This book is going to give all sorts of people a lot of bad information.
She also treats her own pets in a disturbing fashion. From the Introduction: "I habitually bite them--the tips of their ears...the sides of their lips, their elbows, their toes, their nails, their paws, their necks, their throats, those bones underneath and to the side of their chins..." Someone needs to rescue her dogs. Seriously. This woman is disturbed.
Her opinion on spaying and neutering, which the entire book touts as the only solution to the full-shelter problem: "...I'm not all excited about spaying and neutering...Our doing it to animals is definitely messed up...Spaying and neutering is the lesser of two evils. This is the mess we've made of things and this is the reality we now have to deal with." Excuse me? She anthropomorphizes animals to the point of equating them with children, and equates spaying a pet to spaying a daughter. Big difference, Ms. Freeman.
The book touts being vegan as well as finding a better way to treat animals, but she gives us problem after problem with no real solution. Spay and neuter is only part of the solution. We as a society have to change the way we see animals (as disposable) and reward the shelter system for placing animals instead of killing them. Ms. Freeman never even mentions the No-Kill advocacy movement and their solutions to the overpopulation issue, which includes spay and neuter but also creative solutions to overcrowded shelters.
If I could give negative stars, I would. I wish something worthwhile had been published instead. This book is going to give all sorts of people a lot of bad information.
July 25, 2013
I love Rory Freedman. Her passion for animals is inspiring and this book is completely eye opening without being alienating. I have been a vegetarian for a month now - in part due to this book. Every meat eater should read it!!
June 22, 2013
This book was a bit of a disappointment. Not because of the subject matter, but because you have no idea that's what you're going to be reading until you're a third of the way into it. I would never have an issue with someone who exposes, abuse of animals in the name of the dollar, and is so strong in her beliefs. However, she paints with a broad brush, not everyone who eats meat gets it from the store (although the vast majority do), some hunt, and some have sustainable farms. Also, she asks you not to buy leather and fur because not only is it cruel, but the chemicals to preserve them are detrimental to the environment and humans that handle them, so, buy synthetic instead, made by children...in developing countries...I just don't believe this was an exhaustively researched book, although it IS filled with facts that support her pov... I wish I'd known that going in, the cover is no indicator whatsoever what the book is really about...
May 2, 2013
My head says she might be slightly crazy and a little tone-deaf to the plight of humans; my heart says she's so right it's scary. It reminds me of a "Jungle" like "expose" of things that, if not in plain sight, are understood on some level that we just can't bear to look at consciously. I seriously was not expecting to be wowed by something written by the author of a book called "Skinny Bitch." Some parts are better than others, but as a work, it's 5-star. Woof!
March 10, 2013
Great book. She goes beyond dogs and cats and their often not so happy endings in our "disposable" society. She brings some humor to a serious subject, but is at times very "in your face" about it....and the truth hurts. I enjoyed it very much and it has given me great pause to reconsider my own eating habits.
May 25, 2013
informative animal-rights book by popular "Skinny Bitch" author Rory Freedman. This focuses less on diet and more on how humans should respectfully treat animals. I love that she has a list of book recommendations in the back based on what kind of animal-friendly book you're craving. I'm a sucker for book lists and love animals too so win-win!
January 25, 2013
On behalf of every dog (or cat) in the world THANK YOU for this book!!!
I didn’t really know what I was getting when I asked to review this book but from page 1 I was not disappointed (it is also the first book I have read on this subject). The author’s sense of humour combined with her own personal experiences makes this book a must read for anyone considering adopting a pet for the first time or the tenth.
This is such an important book – from pointing out why adoption from rescues should be the preferred method of pet adoption to explaining the differences between buying from a breeder or pet store – it makes you think and rethink previous pet adoptions and future adoptions. Hopefully along with that rethinking, it does the job by convincing pet owners to be more responsible towards our four legged bundles of love instead of considering them as disposable as last year’s furniture.
Over the past few years, I have become what I never expected to be – a doggy mom, lover and advocate (I am owned by two dogs that were rescued by me before they got dumped at shelters). I have become disgusted watching friends BUY when there are rescues flying in dogs from up north (I live in Manitoba) that are subjected to yearly stray dog culls. This is a way of life and the people up don’t even blink when it happens. Yet it is 100 percent preventable!
The second half of this book focused on the rest of the animal kingdom. It is a call to arms against zoos, circuses, factory farms, fishing, hunting, trapping, bull fighting, dog races, horse races, carriage rides, animals in movies – basically any practice that animals can suffer, be injured or killed. A self-professed vegan, the author encourages people to realize that “suffering is suffering” and the way we treat animals (including those we eat) is deplorable.
While I am on the fence regarding going vegan (I was raised on a small dairy and hobby farm and we did none of the things described in the book), I have a daughter who adopted the vegan lifestyle about five years ago. Reading this portion helped educate me on her viewpoint. While I am not sure I would swear off meat (which I rarely eat anyways) it makes me more inclined to raise a few chickens in my garage to ensure that my eggs are gathered in a humane way.
This book needs to be read by anyone who claims to be an animal lover; especially by newbie pet owners. As the title implies, there are animals who “Beg” just to be loved, appreciated and to have a life – we owe the fur-balls that commitment. We created this madness of the pedigree animal and millions of animals suffer because they don’t fit in that category. Animals are powerless – we are not.
Beg is an educational manual that should be placed in the hands of every single person who claims that they love animals; it will make you think twice the next time you buy a pet, go clothes shopping or pick up the weekly groceries.
Marianne Curtis
Author
Finding Gloria
Moondust and Madness: A collection of Poetry
Finding Gloria ~ Special Edition
Behind Whispering Pines
Brian's Last Ride
I didn’t really know what I was getting when I asked to review this book but from page 1 I was not disappointed (it is also the first book I have read on this subject). The author’s sense of humour combined with her own personal experiences makes this book a must read for anyone considering adopting a pet for the first time or the tenth.
This is such an important book – from pointing out why adoption from rescues should be the preferred method of pet adoption to explaining the differences between buying from a breeder or pet store – it makes you think and rethink previous pet adoptions and future adoptions. Hopefully along with that rethinking, it does the job by convincing pet owners to be more responsible towards our four legged bundles of love instead of considering them as disposable as last year’s furniture.
Over the past few years, I have become what I never expected to be – a doggy mom, lover and advocate (I am owned by two dogs that were rescued by me before they got dumped at shelters). I have become disgusted watching friends BUY when there are rescues flying in dogs from up north (I live in Manitoba) that are subjected to yearly stray dog culls. This is a way of life and the people up don’t even blink when it happens. Yet it is 100 percent preventable!
The second half of this book focused on the rest of the animal kingdom. It is a call to arms against zoos, circuses, factory farms, fishing, hunting, trapping, bull fighting, dog races, horse races, carriage rides, animals in movies – basically any practice that animals can suffer, be injured or killed. A self-professed vegan, the author encourages people to realize that “suffering is suffering” and the way we treat animals (including those we eat) is deplorable.
While I am on the fence regarding going vegan (I was raised on a small dairy and hobby farm and we did none of the things described in the book), I have a daughter who adopted the vegan lifestyle about five years ago. Reading this portion helped educate me on her viewpoint. While I am not sure I would swear off meat (which I rarely eat anyways) it makes me more inclined to raise a few chickens in my garage to ensure that my eggs are gathered in a humane way.
This book needs to be read by anyone who claims to be an animal lover; especially by newbie pet owners. As the title implies, there are animals who “Beg” just to be loved, appreciated and to have a life – we owe the fur-balls that commitment. We created this madness of the pedigree animal and millions of animals suffer because they don’t fit in that category. Animals are powerless – we are not.
Beg is an educational manual that should be placed in the hands of every single person who claims that they love animals; it will make you think twice the next time you buy a pet, go clothes shopping or pick up the weekly groceries.
Marianne Curtis
Author
Finding Gloria
Moondust and Madness: A collection of Poetry
Finding Gloria ~ Special Edition
Behind Whispering Pines
Brian's Last Ride
July 31, 2013
I appreciate what the author means by this book, but I do have to agree with other reviews which say that this book is PETA propaganda. All of my pets are shelter rescues, and I do not attend zoos or circuses. I look specifically for brands that do not test on animals, and for food that is fair trade and/or sustainably grown. I do this because of my own personal morals and beliefs. I felt as though this book was condemning and preachy--it felt as though the author means to say that anyone who does not do the things she states as necessary are filthy, worthless abominations. This is not okay.
December 9, 2018
Much of the information I already knew, but it’s always good to be reminded of why I believe and act as I do. No, I am not perfect. That is why this book and others like it are so important. They motivate me to stay the course and live compassionately.
One of my favorite lines in the book that I wish all the world could hear and take to heart: “unfortunately, sympathy alone doesn’t help animals.”
May I and other animal lovers have the courage to share what we know and bring much needed healing to our world.
One of my favorite lines in the book that I wish all the world could hear and take to heart: “unfortunately, sympathy alone doesn’t help animals.”
May I and other animal lovers have the courage to share what we know and bring much needed healing to our world.
June 24, 2013
I should have known that this book would suck because I hated Skinny Bitch. But I thought I'd give it a try.
The first few chapters were so great. I was enjoying the stories about the dogs. Then the book turned into a PETA propaganda book. I didn't finish it. I don't want to read details of how animals are horribly abused and killed. I am aware that that happens and I do what I can to volunteer and donate money to no-kill shelters. I don't need to read a book about PETA's agenda.
The first few chapters were so great. I was enjoying the stories about the dogs. Then the book turned into a PETA propaganda book. I didn't finish it. I don't want to read details of how animals are horribly abused and killed. I am aware that that happens and I do what I can to volunteer and donate money to no-kill shelters. I don't need to read a book about PETA's agenda.
May 13, 2013
Great read for anyone who owns pets, appreciates animals, or just wants to be more informed on the issues surrounding our relationships with animals. The author has seriously cleaned up her act (specifically her language) and presents the information in a fresh, funny, but still in-your-face manner.
January 1, 2015
Beg is a very thorough review of the treatment of animals at the hands of humans across the globe. While obviously not all issues could be tackled in this one book, Freedman did manage to cover topics varying from horse drawn carriages, adoptions, spaying/neutering, cat/dog overpopulation, hunting (and overpopulation excuse myths), raising animals for food and even circuses and zoos. As a long-time vegan I already knew the details discussed within, although the recent statistics (from 2012 many of them) were noted by me to be used in what will most likely be interesting "conversations" with non-vegans. Since I am a well-informed vegan I feel as though I would be at an advantage to say whether this book is worth your time if you want to know more about the treatment of animals. As far as books of these kinds go, I think this is a comprehensive good start and written in an inviting way. Freedman would likely not make someone feel like she is on a soapbox and judging you from afar. However, Beg would likely make you reconsider your view of animals and how you interact with them daily (whether it is through wearing them or eating them or buying them).
Overall I would recommend it to non-vegans to hopefully open their minds to the issues facing animals. Vegans would perhaps like to read it so they can pass it on to people they know.
P.S. The opening chapters were quite entertaining and reminded me very much of my own dog children. The only chapter I disliked was the one regarding "spiritualism", I felt it unnecessary and as an atheist, obviously not for me.
Overall I would recommend it to non-vegans to hopefully open their minds to the issues facing animals. Vegans would perhaps like to read it so they can pass it on to people they know.
P.S. The opening chapters were quite entertaining and reminded me very much of my own dog children. The only chapter I disliked was the one regarding "spiritualism", I felt it unnecessary and as an atheist, obviously not for me.
July 23, 2013
After a bit of a muddled start, I thought this book was going to be entirely about dogs, it turned out to be very eye opening and enlightening to read.
I am already a vegetarian so this book was highly topical to me and had inspired me to do more. Because of this book, I told a lady on the train the story of where the mink in her coat comes from and how it ends up in her coat. I felt like I had affected change.
I was put off by the final chapter about godliness and think that she should have taken her editors advice and scrapped the chapter.
I agree with her views on pet adoption and spaying and neutering, after reading a review of this book from another goodreads user professing outrage at her views on these topics, I have come to the conclusion that that user didn't read the whole book and merely judged it on the first chapter. That being said, this person also clearly misinterpreted Freedmans position.
I recommend this book for all vegetarians and vegans, dog and cat lovers, animal lovers/activists/advocates and everyone in between. It is only once the world knows the truth about these atrocities will anything change.
I am already a vegetarian so this book was highly topical to me and had inspired me to do more. Because of this book, I told a lady on the train the story of where the mink in her coat comes from and how it ends up in her coat. I felt like I had affected change.
I was put off by the final chapter about godliness and think that she should have taken her editors advice and scrapped the chapter.
I agree with her views on pet adoption and spaying and neutering, after reading a review of this book from another goodreads user professing outrage at her views on these topics, I have come to the conclusion that that user didn't read the whole book and merely judged it on the first chapter. That being said, this person also clearly misinterpreted Freedmans position.
I recommend this book for all vegetarians and vegans, dog and cat lovers, animal lovers/activists/advocates and everyone in between. It is only once the world knows the truth about these atrocities will anything change.
July 5, 2013
I was disappointed in this book. I picked it up because it is "A Radical New Way of Regarding Animals." I found nothing new in it. It described every horror committed to animals in the name of food, clothing or entertainment. This was followed by a short section on animal activism and how we can help. Basically: spay/neuter, adopt, be vegan, don't buy leather, boycott entertainment that uses animals (rodeos, dogsled races, etc). Oh yeah, and while you're becoming a vegan, so can your dog. The book has 413 footnotes with a large number of those references being PETA materials.
One star for Ms Freedman's originality in the discussion of her dogs, their behavior and her relationship with them.
One star for Ms Freedman's originality in the discussion of her dogs, their behavior and her relationship with them.
May 14, 2013
This book wasn't what I was expecting. The author was having a book signing that I never got to. This is a real in-your-face eye opener of animal cruelty at it's highest level. There were parts that I had to skim through it was so upsetting...not only pets like dogs and cats, but all animals and fish who we never think of as feeling pain. I've only taken a small step to give up meat when you read about all the suffering. Rory Freedman does not hold back! Unless you're ready to deal with reality, I wouldn't recommend reading it.
May 28, 2013
This book is an absolute must read for every animal lover. Not only does it explain with thorough research backing how we sometimes unknowingly harm animals but it gives readers a tool set to make changes. Freedman gives us all the information and leaves it to us to determine if we're going to do something about it or just keep complaining pretending we're not a part of the problem.
May 27, 2013
Wonderful book for those who love their dogs and cats but haven't quite connected the dots yet on the issues facing all other animals on the planet. Gentle approach to helping readers take the next step in compassion and saving the planet.
May 8, 2013
Anyone who cares about animals should read this book. Animals have gotten a raw deal from man.
March 15, 2017
Beg wasn't my favourite book, but it is interesting to see how many people in the Goodreads community seem so offended by the content. This isn't PETA propaganda. This book is made up of facts. Rory is writing about what really happens to animals, not just dogs and cats, but all animals. If that makes you uncomfortable you need to look at your behaviour and how you are contributing to the things that you couldn't even bring yourself to read about. Why were these readers only happy when reading about dogs and cats? Because most of them are not actively contributing to their suffering. When the book expands to talk about pigs and chickens and other animals, it is clear, from reading reviews on here, that people cannot handle the truth that they are causing immense suffering with their dollars.
Rory's outrage at the animal industries comes across loud and clear and I do appreciate that, as many books try to tip toe around the suffering of animals and concentrate on health or the environment. Rory pushes us to question whether we truly love animals or whether we just think we do. Do our actions reflect our 'love' of animals? Or are we contributing to their suffering?
Whilst I love the premise of the book, I found the reading to be a bit of a slog. It gives a good overview of the ways humans abuse animals and what we can do about it, but I had to take it one chapter at a time and then I needed a break. I know Rory had decided not to swear in this book, as she had in Skinny Bitch etc, but I wonder if she also sacrificed some of her relatable and page turning style.
I realise this book isn't really aimed at people who are already vegan, like me. Perhaps, someone who just thinks of themselves as an animal lover, but not an activist yet, could gain a lot more from it. There are other books, such as Eating Animals, that I feel would be more likely to elicit change in my meat eating family members. However, I love the fact that Beg targets those that love dogs (who may never pick up another animal rights book) and hopefully will encourage these people to be kind to all animals.
Rory's outrage at the animal industries comes across loud and clear and I do appreciate that, as many books try to tip toe around the suffering of animals and concentrate on health or the environment. Rory pushes us to question whether we truly love animals or whether we just think we do. Do our actions reflect our 'love' of animals? Or are we contributing to their suffering?
Whilst I love the premise of the book, I found the reading to be a bit of a slog. It gives a good overview of the ways humans abuse animals and what we can do about it, but I had to take it one chapter at a time and then I needed a break. I know Rory had decided not to swear in this book, as she had in Skinny Bitch etc, but I wonder if she also sacrificed some of her relatable and page turning style.
I realise this book isn't really aimed at people who are already vegan, like me. Perhaps, someone who just thinks of themselves as an animal lover, but not an activist yet, could gain a lot more from it. There are other books, such as Eating Animals, that I feel would be more likely to elicit change in my meat eating family members. However, I love the fact that Beg targets those that love dogs (who may never pick up another animal rights book) and hopefully will encourage these people to be kind to all animals.
December 21, 2021
What an awful book. To be honest, I couldn't even finish reading it. Author starts out talking about her own dogs and then switches to trashing every other animal based industry/sport/hobby there is. Stuff like dog shows, racing, farming, etc. True, there is a long of animal abuse in this country world and I would like to see more done to stop it, but this book isn't going to help. Weirdly, she uses cutsey language to describe a lot of what she goes on about and she seems to just be a shill for PETA. Oh, and she feeds her dogs a vegan diet. Dogs are carnivores and should be fed at least some meat. They can get by on a vegan diet, but it is not recommended. She talks about getting a cat. Cats MUST have meat so here's hoping she never gets a cat. She seems to be totally unqualifed to be writing a book on this subject and has no real suggestions on how to make animal's lives better. Well, I take part of that back. She tells you to brush your dogs and play with them. That'll help.
December 29, 2018
I had a funny feeling most of the references would be from PETA. They are. The author wants you to feel bad about yourself if you eat animal products and guilt you into becoming vegan. We are part of the food chain. Know where your food comes from. Visit and support your local farm. Hunt for food. Pick mushrooms. Have a garden.
The author does have balls though and I like that. She deceived us with the cover of the book.
The author does have balls though and I like that. She deceived us with the cover of the book.
June 9, 2019
This book starts with a very good personal narrative about the author and her journey to becoming an animal rights activist. But it soon devolves into a lecture on the many indignities animals experience at the hands of people. I agree with pretty much everything the author writes, but I am not sure she is convincing anyone through this book. It feels like preaching to the choir.
March 24, 2018
Startling things about animals that I’ve never heard, told in a sweet, friendly style. The author is obviously an animal rights activist.
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January 6, 2022I just don't feel qualified to rank this book. I am so confused. Not for the faint-of-heart, as they say! Pick it up if you want to chance it at a local public library!
August 7, 2013
There were a lot of things I liked about this book but there were also just as many things I didn't like about it.
Of course I loved the fact that she is all about adopting animals instead of purchasing them from a breeder and whatnot. I'm all for that idea, hands down. I'm 100% positive adopting an animal is better than purchasing one from a breeder or a puppy mill of the sort. So I was thrilled when the author went into detail about her opinion towards that.
She also went into how when she was growing up she was a fan of the dog shows on TV because well, you're a little girl and you get to watch hours of dogs trying to be the best of all the dogs.. Who wouldn't love that? But then when she thought about the animals feelings.. Everything changed. Which I completely agree with too. Those dogs more than likely are abused into being the "perfect" purebred dog. So many of them, as she points out in her book, are kept in cages to prevent from getting dirty. They're also debarked which I think is completely wrong. You ask a little kid what sound a dog makes and of course he's going to say woof. That's what dogs do.. They bark. Why take away their trademark difference?
But then she got a little TOO opinionated, I guess is what I'm trying to say. She went on and on about so many different things that I didn't even realize were much of an issue. Though I appreciate her being such an animal advocate, she acts like eating meat and not being 100% vegan and vegetarian (which I didn't even know the difference until now really.. A little ridiculous if you ask me) were a horrible thing. I'm sorry but I love chicken and I love bacon. Yes I know they came from a cute widdle chicken and an adorable pig. But you know what. We have to have food to survive. That's just how it works.
All in all, I believe the main lessons were expressed well but like I said, she did seen to go over the top a lot. There were some paragraphs I even skipped because I couldn't handle her attitude towards things. But other than that, there were some great things in this book to keep in mind if you're a true animal lover! So I'm going to stick with my 3 stars on this one.
Of course I loved the fact that she is all about adopting animals instead of purchasing them from a breeder and whatnot. I'm all for that idea, hands down. I'm 100% positive adopting an animal is better than purchasing one from a breeder or a puppy mill of the sort. So I was thrilled when the author went into detail about her opinion towards that.
She also went into how when she was growing up she was a fan of the dog shows on TV because well, you're a little girl and you get to watch hours of dogs trying to be the best of all the dogs.. Who wouldn't love that? But then when she thought about the animals feelings.. Everything changed. Which I completely agree with too. Those dogs more than likely are abused into being the "perfect" purebred dog. So many of them, as she points out in her book, are kept in cages to prevent from getting dirty. They're also debarked which I think is completely wrong. You ask a little kid what sound a dog makes and of course he's going to say woof. That's what dogs do.. They bark. Why take away their trademark difference?
But then she got a little TOO opinionated, I guess is what I'm trying to say. She went on and on about so many different things that I didn't even realize were much of an issue. Though I appreciate her being such an animal advocate, she acts like eating meat and not being 100% vegan and vegetarian (which I didn't even know the difference until now really.. A little ridiculous if you ask me) were a horrible thing. I'm sorry but I love chicken and I love bacon. Yes I know they came from a cute widdle chicken and an adorable pig. But you know what. We have to have food to survive. That's just how it works.
All in all, I believe the main lessons were expressed well but like I said, she did seen to go over the top a lot. There were some paragraphs I even skipped because I couldn't handle her attitude towards things. But other than that, there were some great things in this book to keep in mind if you're a true animal lover! So I'm going to stick with my 3 stars on this one.
August 22, 2014
An enjoyable read, but not a radical new way of regarding animals. First off, the author should learn how to properly cite and use peer-reviewed articles rather than random stuff she finds surfing the net. Thank you, Rory Freedman, for putting everything you could possibly find on PETA's website and stuffing it into a $15 book. I was more than aware of all of the problems explained in the book, and working in veterinary medicine, I disagreed with some of the excerpts. The way she explained spaying and neutering was weird, it is not "the lesser of two evils". It is being a responsible pet owner and preventing unwanted litters and ovarian and testicular diseases, as well as pyometras. Semen testing in bulls is not perverted, I've helped with it and it's definitely not something anyone WANTS to be doing. It's a reproductive health check. And most definitely we are not "masturbating the bulls". Pigs are put into gestation crates so that they don't squish their babies, and they are only kept their for a limited amount of time. Not all slaughterhouses are as awful as she describes. Maybe living in Canada, the farming here is a lot different and there are more laws protecting farm animals. I also got a little ticked when she said "don't let the vet take your pet to the back room without you!" Yes, PLEASE let the vets and techs do their work without having the owner hovering over their shoulder. Absolutely something that I cannot stand. But, very convincing vegan chapter. Although I don't agree with "Skinny Bitch" and playing on women's feelings in order to sell veganism under the table.
October 2, 2013
Powerful, provocative, insightful, and inspiring...as someone who has already read several books concerning the welfare of animals, our planet, and ourselves - coupled with the fact that i've already read work by Rory Freedman - I wasn't expecting to learn much new information when i checked this book out of the library. Thankfully, I was wrong. Freedman has changed my view on adopting dogs from shelters (i previously believed that if i wanted a dog i could snuggle with sneeze-free, i'd have to buy a hypoallergenic purebred). Now i'm committed to adopting the right one from a shelter or rescue group, when the time comes. Hypoallergenic dogs end up in shelters too and in rescue groups. Previously, i thought my commitment to not eat animals was "good enough" in terms of doing my part to help the environment and not contribute to animal suffering. Now that i have learned about the animal and environmental atrocities related to the wool and leather industries, i will no longer be supporting these commercial enterprises (don't get me wrong - i'm not going straight home to throw out my Birkenstocks or my Coach bag. But i'm not going to purchase any more, and i'll replace them with cruelty-free and animal-free alternatives when they do wear out). These are just a few of the ways this book has impacted me and caused a radical shift in my thinking - when i thought i knew it all already! This book has inspired me personally, professionally, and spiritually. I hope it does the same for you.
April 21, 2014
"We're the only species that has completely messed up the earth---air pollution, water pollution, land degradation, rain forest deconstruction, ocean decimation,and climate change. We're the ones suffering from addiction to alcohol, food, drugs, tobacco, work, TV, sex, pornography, cellphones; we're the ones depressed, anxious, angry and lethargic; we're the ones who seems to have it all, yet can't make our lives work" - Rory Freedman
I Loved this quote! It's sooo true! Us humans are the ones contributing to all these things-not the animals we choose to make suffer so we can eat/ware/enjoy them.
After reading this---I can say I def. on my way to a more Veg friendly lifestyle. My husband and I do not eat a lot of meat, but I do plan on cutting more and more out....I know it's a transition and a lifestyle change, and I am ready to make it! I can't wait to see the tasty dishes I come up with; knowing I have not harmed 1 single animal doing it!
Everyone should read this book-or Skinny Bitch to really open your eyes up about the foods so many of us eat daily!
Great read---hard at some points but everything just made sense...
I Loved this quote! It's sooo true! Us humans are the ones contributing to all these things-not the animals we choose to make suffer so we can eat/ware/enjoy them.
After reading this---I can say I def. on my way to a more Veg friendly lifestyle. My husband and I do not eat a lot of meat, but I do plan on cutting more and more out....I know it's a transition and a lifestyle change, and I am ready to make it! I can't wait to see the tasty dishes I come up with; knowing I have not harmed 1 single animal doing it!
Everyone should read this book-or Skinny Bitch to really open your eyes up about the foods so many of us eat daily!
Great read---hard at some points but everything just made sense...
August 22, 2013
Beg is an overview of veganism geared to those who are on the proverbial fence and need some convincing; importantly, Rory Freedman (the author) keeps it under 200 pages.
I admit I didn't really learn anything from this book, but I found it encompassed a lot of concepts and factoids I'd heard before—some several times. I'm giving it four stars because she does pack a lot in, she researched it well, and kept it light and engaging. The book covers food animals, eggs and dairy, animals in entertainment, and animals bred for pets. She also includes a bibliography and resource section at the end.
I never read Skinny Bitch, but I picked this up as an uncorrected proof for a dollar, and the name recognition made me get it. I'm glad I did because I will recommend it to people who want information on vegetarianism before they commit; I agree with another reviewer that the title doesn't make the book's content too clear.
I admit I didn't really learn anything from this book, but I found it encompassed a lot of concepts and factoids I'd heard before—some several times. I'm giving it four stars because she does pack a lot in, she researched it well, and kept it light and engaging. The book covers food animals, eggs and dairy, animals in entertainment, and animals bred for pets. She also includes a bibliography and resource section at the end.
I never read Skinny Bitch, but I picked this up as an uncorrected proof for a dollar, and the name recognition made me get it. I'm glad I did because I will recommend it to people who want information on vegetarianism before they commit; I agree with another reviewer that the title doesn't make the book's content too clear.
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