Should We All Be Vegan?: A Primer for the 21st Century

The Big Idea

by Molly Watson

An insightful look at the arguments for and against universal adoption of a vegan diet and lifestyle.

As concern grows over the environmental costs and ethical implications of intensive factory farming, an increasing number of people are embracing diets and lifestyles free from animal products. Should We All Be Vegan? gives a fluid and engaging account of the evolution of veganism.

Over the course of four easily digestible chapters, food writer Molly Watson reveals the truth about veganism’s impact on our health, the planet, and the global economy. Chapters like “The Evolution of Veganism” and “Why Go Vegan Today?” examine the development of veganism from the earliest meat-free human diets to the rise in mainstream adoption of a plant-based diet and lifestyle today; “The Challenges of Veganism” surveys the nutritional and societal pitfalls of a vegan lifestyle; and, lastly “A Vegan Planet” envisions possible futures for veganism and their impact on the earth.

Watson evaluates every angle of the debate on veganism in this primer, reviewing the evidence for its effects on health and assessing the ethics, environmental impact, and feasibility of adopting a vegan lifestyle worldwide.

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2019

Reviews

[Victoria]

De todos los (pocos) libros que leí y que podría recomendar como introducción al veganismo, este me parece el más sólido. Es corto, con una estructura relativamente organizada, la lectura es clara y accesible, e incluso cuenta con imágenes (a veces fuertes, a veces curiosas) para explorar más a fondo el tema. Me gustó especialmente que la comida no solo se aborda como un componente de la dieta, sino como un elemento intrínseco de la cultura y la socialización humana. En general, creo que este libro es muy bueno para aquellos que estén interesados en el veganismo por razones de salud, o el medio ambiente, pero no tanto por los animales.
La conclusión me molestó. Creo que es el último libro de veganismo que leeré en un tiempo. El hecho de que al final se mencione el argumento de un mundo donde, hipotéticamente, la mayoría es vegana y la minoría que consumiría carne se beneficiaría al tener una mejor calidad y ser producida de manera más humana, me tiene completamente agotada. Supongo que, una vez más, no entiendo la necesidad de exponer la crueldad de una industria que explota y asesina a seres vivos para concluir que podemos hacerlo de otra manera en vez de simplemente detenernos.
Muy contradictorio, lo sé. Pero así de difícil está la cuestión de mi suerte en libros de veganismo (?)

[Albina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Оч простым языком и с картинками описано почему люди на протяжении истории предпочитали отказаться от мяса, почему они это делают сейчас, почему это не просто и почему это утопия, что человечество может отказаться от мяса. Книга не сделала из меня вегана, но заставила задуматься над тем как обращались с животными и птицами до того как они попали ко мне на стол.

[Sam Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty excellent primer to the core tenants of Veganism and offers a fair-headed, objective stance that's difficult to argue with (albeit not impossible!). It's not brimming with new philosophical incites into the animal rights movement but that's not the intent of the book. Basically, it's for newbies. This, alongside Animal Liberation by Peter Singer and The Meat Paradox by Rob Percival, are three very good introductory guides.

The fact that Molly Watson deals with the question of vegan nutrient deficiency without falling into either extreme (veganism is inherently better nutritionally / veganism is inherently worse nutritionally) is commendable and, sadly, rare. She possesses enough intellectual elasticity to accept the premise that vegan diets have nutritional advantages without reaching the false conclusion that this means a vegan diet in inherently better. Nonetheless, I wish the writer clarified in more stated terms that a "vegan" diet and a "plant-based" diet are NOT the same thing. It is mentioned briefly when discussing the definition of veganism but, by the final page, this book, like pretty much all literary works of philosophical veganism produced since the 2010s, falsely collapses both definitions into each other. Alas, no animal-rights writer ever seems to clarify this so it's hardly a unique deficit with the work in question. I also hate the "4 out of 5 vegans" statistic, which appears to come from an outdated study that doesn't really reflect the durability of a vegan lifestyle since the advent of plant-based alternatives, and I also don't find it strictly relevant to the morality of eating animals.

[ashtyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars, I'm really not a big fan of non-fiction even when it's about veganism but this book was enjoyable for sure! I loved how we got a discussion and not a persuasive text so you can see the benefits and the cons to both veganism and meat eating. It was also super informative for me, I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about how to start out with the lifestyle, how to prepare for meals, what it takes and just vegan culture as a whole.

[ina_loves_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.5. It's a bit unfortunate that the main issue - the answer to the question that is the title - is answered only in the very last chapter. That chapter was great and contained very interesting points to think about, but it should have made up a greater part of the book.

[Syria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro molto interessante che riesce a fornire un quadro ampio sul tema del veganesimo e prendere in considerazione diverse realtà e possibilità. Rimane un libro introduttivo, ma ciò lo rende una buona opzione da consigliare a chi voglia avvicinarsi al tema o è scettico. Purtroppo non presenta le fonti dei dati citati, che a mio parere è fondamentale per la credibilità del libro.

[Pepi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The answer to the title is YES. However, this is in the best case scenario, and as the author says: “Luckily, as with so many things, engaging with the benefits of a vegan lifestyle can take place on a continuum. It need not be all or nothing.”
This was a very factually-dense book and it really exceeded my expectations. It had everything that you need to know, not only about veganism, but also regarding food supply chains and basic nutrition in general. Packed with information!
Really impressive!
Thank you!

[Francesca Coghlan · Rating 3 out of 5]

El libro contiene una introducción histórica, social y Ética del veganismo. Reflexiona sobre su impacto medio ambiental y cultural, con datos, ubicándose en escenarios en los que el mundo es vegano. Lo recomiendo

[marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me lo empecé por curiosidad y me ha parecido interesantísimo. Para lo corto que es es súper completo, te plantea el veganismo desde todas las posibles ramas y siendo claro en todo momento, sin querer romantizar ni embellecer nada. Hay cosas que ya sabía y otras que se me hicieron muy duras de leer (encima hay imágenes y aunque no va a querer impresionar poniendo cosas gráficas todo el tiempo sí que a veces hay alguna más explícita de lo que me gustaría), pero la verdad que me alegro mucho de haberlo cogido. Si por lo que sea te interesa saber más sobre el veganismo este es un muy buen libro.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quick read did an excellent job of discussing the benefits and difficulties of going vegan, and the virtual impossibility of evolving into a vegan society. The book included an excellent discussion of how some cultures depend almost entirely (and successfully) on animal products for their diet, and the importance of food rituals for humans. I liked how well-rounded the analysis was.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good overview of the effects vegan diets could have on the planet. Explores pros and some cons, cultural roadblocks, etc. Gave me a lot to think about. Interesting structure for a book, visually appealing.

[circe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questa collana è veramente bella, informativa, scorrevole, illuminante.
Un libro del genere veramente illumina la percezione del mondo e ti fa realizzare molte cose, anche quelle che non vuoi vedere.
Una lettura per vivere nel 21 secolo e per chi vuole continuare a viverci ancora per un po.

[Qi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book worth reading. It concludes with 3 perspective: animal welfare, environment and personal health. Of course it encounters with culture and social traditions. But if we should? It's only started with yourself.

[Deborah Sowery-Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure why I read this. I've been vegetarian for several decades & definitely leaning towards vegan but not quite there yet. It would be a good book for someone considering changing their eating habits I guess with information presented simply & with lots of pictures.

[Katya Chinarova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting fact based argument considering all the challenges.

[Martin Mühl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally made me switch to stop eating meat.

[Felisimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Veľmi dobrá na úvod do problematiky vegánskeho stravovania. Jeho dopadu na planétu a etickosti správania ku zvieratám. Chýbajú mi ale odkazy na zdroje.

[Melis Seray Kocaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

yes

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super little book stating all the issues with and about Vegans or Vegetarians including some historical background.

[Cris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is full of facts and statistics showing whether or not the world should turn into veganism. It digs into ethical reasons, health reasons and environmental reasons and it concludes in a way with which I completely agree, which is: 'Let us not make the perfect the enemy of the good. Any steps we take towards healthier diets and a more sustainable food system with fewer environmental impacts are going in the right direction'.

I especially liked that the author did not position herself in any way, she exposes the facts in a very neutral way, which I really appreciate, even though the book is clearly fantasising about the world to go vegan. But what I mean is that it is not trying to convince you either way, it is simply giving you the reasons so you can actually discern and conclude as you wish to do so.

Lastly, I would like to highlight that the conclusion is a sincere call to action. Every little helps, and the goal is not to become vegan from one day to another and in a big scale. We can actually win a lot by just reducing our meat and animal products intake and making better decisions when purchasing our foods (prioritising organic food, grass-fed animals or wild fish). I really liked a lot that the all or nothing approach is not defended, on the contrary, the author preferred to make an impact in a positive way, calling the readers to action from the first moment but without imposing anything.
Very recommended to open your eyes and start making your own conclusions towards the direction that the world and our food system is turning to.

[Roan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an informational book on veganism that discusses its history, challenges and the reasons we should be vegan. It contains many facts and images related to the topics that give useful context. I enjoyed reading this book and I learned quite a lot from it, especially in the history and nutrition parts. The only issue is that there are no sources to back up the statements. The book mostly focuses on veganism as a diet, although there are many other aspects to it such as animal materials and animal tested products. Overall, it is a book with a wide range of topics that is good for learning about veganism.

[Aura López · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una gran opción para los que sentimos curiosidad por este mundo (vegetariano, vegano, sustentabilidad) y queremos hacer algo pero no sabemos ni por donde empezar si pareciera que todo lleva al mismo final caótico. Ofrece contexto histórico, argumentos, varias respuestas y te da luz/esperanza a mejores escenarios -a pesar de las circunstancias- Tiene mucha información actualizada (es de 2019) y es bastante objetivo. Vale la pena para cualquier persona, no solo veganos.

[Charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good introduction to veganism and its principles with an engaging page format. However, the chains of reasoning were incomplete, the paragraphs often did not follow a logical sequence and, critically, there were no sources for their information, which are key in a non fiction work. Had the potential to be good, but failed.

[Davide Olcese · Rating 2 out of 5]

Carina l'impaginazione con le foto, per il resto: boh