Vegans everywhere are banding together in their efforts to be healthy, cruelty free, and environmentally responsible—this is their handbook.
Learn the basics of veganism with The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life . Discover the best cruelty-free crafts, beauty secrets, plus an assortment of vegan recipes including jackfruit “carnitas” tacos, twice baked chipotle sweet potatoes, curried red lentil veggie burgers, chipotle hominy stew, and double chocolate cookies. Reading like a who’s who of vegan women, tips and tricks are provided by some of the most respected vegan chefs and bloggers in the Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Hannah Kaminsky, Celine Steen, Julie Hasson, Kittee Berns, Kelly Peloza, and so many more.
If you're interested in a cruelty-free lifestyle, The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life is the book for you.
This book hit right in the middle at 3 stars. While the author had great intentions and ideas, it is not very easily attainable unless you live in a big city. I've been vegetarian for almost 14 years, so I disliked how the book, at times; demonized vegetarians. I may enjoy my (real) cheese and milk, but by refraining from eating meat, I save on average 3-5 thousand animals per year! I'm pretty darn proud of that. While I applaud vegans, I feel like vegans and vegetarians should mutually support each other. Many parts of this books were overly preachy instead of providing the information in a non-biased way.
A really nice intro to veganism for young women who want to stay cool while being un-cruel. Elliott speaks like she's your fun young aunt, the one who won't comment on your stupid haircut and lets you watch movies your mom doesn't want you to see.
In addition to guidance on being an ethical consumer, I appreciated that Elliott is willing to take on some tougher subjects in this book like eating disorders and contraceptives. Many introductory pages are devoted to animal rights issues, something some lifestyle books wouldn't touch. In some cases, however, her advice amounts to "use your best judgment" or "decide for yourself," which isn't as helpful as telling us what the best possible ethical choice is.
The inclusion of crafts, gardening, recipes for homemade cleaners, and other diversions round out the expected topics like nutrition, clothing and beauty sections.
The book is also a sweet treat for the eyes, like an Etsy shop exploded on paper. Some will find the inserted profiles of fabulous vegan women to be distracting, and it might have made sense to use a different page design/format for the essays supplied by other experts. An index would have been a good addition too for quick look-ups. However these are minor complaints in what is otherwise an excellent read.
May we have more books, please? Vegan home decor? Vegan etiquette?
Melisser's book, while fairly thorough, was a little disappointing. I appreciate her efforts, however minimal, to remain somewhat neutral on topics which are controversial within vegan culture. It would have felt more honest and earnest if she'd just stayed true to herself and presented it as her views.
I was also disappointed in her portrayal of some vitamins as "hard to get." Following that with lists of food rich in said nutrients is contradictory and for someone just scanning the book, can leave them with the wrong impression. She also states that one can not get B12 from non-animal sources, goes on to encourage taking a supplement and then mentions tempeh as a source! This is both poor researching and poor presentation. Marmite, vegemite and nutritional yeast all contain usable forms of B12 and are all completely vegan with the first two being especially environmentally friendly as they are byproducts of making beer. Tempeh, on the other hand, contains a "dead" version of B12 which the body can't use effectively and which can even go so far as to prevent efficient absorption of of quality nutrient.
Suggesting that it can only come from animals and then recommending a supplement makes it sound like we have no choice but to harm animals to get our vitamins.
Fact checking is so important. With something I know to be false included as true, I don't know what else she may not have checked on. How then can I use this information to try to persuade others?
This is a great start for women and girls who are interested in veganism or are new vegans. It's packed with useful information that's presented in a fun format and is never pushy. I really like that Melisser takes such a positive attitude toward her veganism. She clearly feels passionately about the issues that caused her to go vegan, but she doesn't berate non-vegans or become overly defensive. She comes from a family of "meat and potatoes" dinners and even gives suggestions on popular meals to feed non-vegans. The section on shopping like a vegan for non-food items is particularly useful because it lists all the non-vegan ingredients typically found in items like soap, razor blades and clothing, but also suggests many vegan-friendly brands to check out so you don't have to go to the store with your book in hand and meticulously read every label. She includes profiles of tons of vegan bloggers throughout the book who share little tidbits about their lives as well. The cruelty-free crafts section seems a little out of place, but I'm sure it will be appreciated by girls who like crafting (I don't). Definitely a good place to start if you're interested in veganism.
I'm not vegan, but I am trying to eat less meat and use less animal-based products. This guide is helpful in this goal because it covers concerns beyond just food, like clothing and beauty products. The tone isn't too strident either, which I appreciated; I want information, but not a guilt trip. The recipes look great and I plan to try a few soon.
This is a great book for women just starting out in veganism. It covers literally everything you've ever wanted to know about the lifestyle, from diet and nutrition to crafts and vegan tattoos. It's very extensive. Although I'm already vegan I thought I'd snatch this book up anyway because I think Melisser is just so adorable, and the recipes in her book looked pretty good. Not a whole lot of new info here for the seasoned vegan, but a great primer for those who are dipping their toes in.
This would be a great book for a brand new vegan, or someone interested in or contemplating the lifestyle. It is a very basic primer, though it does offer a lot of great web-based resources. If you are looking for a general overview of the issues one faces as a vegan, this is a good place to start. Once you've read this though, there are a lot of other more in-depth tomes that you will want to consult!
As an initial introduction to veganism, I think this does an okay job. It to me forever to go back and finish this and I was trying to figure out why. The subject matter is near and dear to my heart, but I just wasn't connecting with this book.
What did this book do well? The author covers a wide range of topics, suggesting companies that offer vegan products. This could be very helpful to a new vegan. She also discussed various animal-derived ingredients in foods and other products to watch for which, again, would be very helpful.
Where did it fall short for me? It seemed very choppy. I think maybe she was trying to cover too many bases? It just didn't really flow for me. In the ebook version, the highlights in various vegans (designers, chefs, etc) made things out even more choppy and I started to think she was trying to sell me shoes for a minute there. Most of the interviews came with a photo or two, but the shoe designer? There were a lot. haha
So, as a reference, I think this does a decent job but if you're trying to help along a new or potential vegan, I wouldn't go with this book.
An informative book that tries to cover a wide range of issues and aspects of vegan living, with profiles of vegan businesses, and bloggers. The author manages to avoid 'preaching' to people. Instead, she shows both sides of some grey areas and allows the reader to make their own decisions. One place where she failed to this, however, was the lack of mentioning that although "Pureology" hair products may be vegan, they are also manufactured by L'Oreal - one the worst offenders in regards to animal testing. It is fair enough to allow readers to make up their own minds about purchasing these products, but to not alert them of the full picture to start with, is a pretty big omission. My other criticism is that the book is very much US-centric, which limits its appeal and usefulness to the many vegans living outside of the U.S.A.
What an awesome little guidebook to veganism! I think this would be an excellent starter book -- it gives reasoning behind why a person should consider veganism, from environmental, ethical, and personal health perspectives. Always encouraging without being overly snippy, The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life is packed full of tidbits that aide vegans, newbie and seasoned alike, on making good lifestyle choices -- complete with loads of resources and profiles of noteable vegan figures and companies. And, as if that wasn't enough, there's even a recipe section with a selection of delicious options that sound pretty easy to make.
If you've ever toyed with the idea of cutting down your environmental foot print, or if you have soft spot in your heart for animals and/or health awareness, definitely give this one a shot -- and you won't be disappointed!
This wasn't a bad book, it was very informative about the vegan lifestyle, which involves more than food choices. I picked it up, however, based on the cover; which I thought meant it was a cookbook.
Highly recommened. In addition to being highly infomative to vegans and vegan-wannabes, this is a link to numerous vegan-bloggers and vegan-entrepreneurs. It's vegariffic!
This book offers other bloggers, vegan testimonies, websites of small businesses of those who are selling items that are cruelty-free. It also gives brief definitions on veganism, vegetarian, etc. as well as myths vs. truths of the vegan lifestyle. Most of the vegan-ers have not grown up being such, but they share their stories when they began their lifestyles and why; many of them started out as meat eaters, then vegetarians for years, and lastly vegan lifestyle.
One was a pescetarian, and later decided to be a vegan. Overall, I wanted to try the vegetarian or pescetarian lifestyle first, but moving more towards vegan for a period of time to see these health issues resolved. I read one remarkable story how a woman had diabetes, high blood pressure, weighed over 400 lbs, and near death (given a timeline of 10 years in her thirties); once she tried the vegan lifestyle (diet mainly), she not only lost 160 lbs but stopped taking pills for her health conditions, no longer life-threatening. This is quite encouraging!
Sadly a few sites no longer are working, and had to find some of them on Facebook but not active since 2016.
Overall, I am not interested in the recipes towards the end of the book. It was an okay read, but enjoyed the short stories with pics.
I’m always hesitant to read a book like this because I expect a militant, holier-than-thou attitude that will send me on a guilt trip for the 2% of my vegetarian-mostly-vegan diet that includes dairy and/or eggs and typically occurs while eating out. I’m used to encountering this online and in the real-world vegan community, as I’m not “vegan enough” to be “one of them.” (For the record, I never claim to be vegan.) So I opened this book with the expectation that I would be gleaning it mostly for recipes and website tips and ready to slam it shut if I felt my guilt-trip radar going off.
Fortunately, it didn’t come to that. The author is upfront about the need to make choices and outlines clearly what is involved in making those choices. I didn’t feel preached at or unaccepted because of the way I handle the numerous gray areas involved in navigating the real world as a vegan.
This is a good beginning-to-intermediate guide to adopting a vegan lifestyle. I’m pretty familiar with it, as I subscribe to the major vegan magazines, have read some books, and cook have been cooking vegan for several years now. It’s geared toward individuals who have already adopted this lifestyle, and presents good tips for avoiding products that support the exploitation and abuse of animals, including products that are not widely known to use animal products, such as certain types of sugar. I found some new blogs to read, some beauty products to try, and some new recipes to add to my collection. In all, it’s a quick, helpful guide to living vegan, or in my case, vegan-er.
I am a brand new Vegan, so I was looking for a book that gave me a really good overview on a broad range of topics, and "The Vegan Girl's Guide To Life" is just that book. It covers everything from living a compassionate lifestyle, food, nutrition, clothing, cosmetics, a vegan home, cooking, and getting active in the vegan movement (if you choose to).
The part I liked best about this book is that it really allows you a broad spectrum of things to consider as you define your own Veganism. You may choose to rid your life of all former animal products, or you may not. You may choose to become active in the political scene, or choose to live a more quietly and with purpose. You may choose to change everything all at once, or make small changes over time.
This book brings out all sorts of examples of areas of living that you never considered as having vegan alternatives, such as with feminine care products, tattoos, and many more. If you are looking for a lifestyle book that gives you a broad range of areas of life where vegan options exist, this may be the perfect book for you. It includes a lot of mini-interviews with Vegan entrepreneurs, and many links to websites, and even internationally local sources for vegan goods.
There is no judgement here, no chastising, no ALL or NOTHING attitude. It is a great starting point for us girls gone vegan, and likely for guys gone vegan too. I definitely recommend this one for your Kindle, the price is so reasonable for the amount of information presented. Loved it!
I have been reading vegans books for a while out of interest more for vegan friends and as I slowly decrease my animal consumption (both food and product). This, by far, is the best beginner's book!
I really appreciate how non-judgemental, "live and let live" she is in her attitude. This is to her credit with converts. She talks a fair amount about making it work for you, which is the only way people will truly take it on. She writes all the information in truly digestible bits with added items of interest interspersed (I was not interested in the profiles, but I can see why they appealed to many).
The best part on why I think it makes for the best beginner book was the breadth of information available. Yes, other books give more information as they go more in depth, but this one covered a lot of issues that I had not encountered in other books (even Veganism for Dummies!). While it did not go as in depth about food, and other books too have more on beauty products, it was the first time that I really saw the topics of vegan crafts, gardening and tattoos (despite other comments, I think tattoos are not cruel because the humans consent/desire it, whereas animals do not understand nor ask for the cruelty they endure). I even copied a few recipes.
While I am not going to be running out to get it now, I am keeping note of it for if I decide to convert. Yes, it is good enough to purchase.
I’m always trying to get as much information as I can on the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle as I become more interested in joining it. I will admit also that after reading about how all types of meet including veal is processed in great detail, I was rather put off meat for a couple weeks. The book features useful information for those new to the idea of going completely vegan, which aside from eating a plant-based diet with no dairy or meat, also entails not wearing it in any form for clothing and shoes. For example, in addition to leather, you can’t wear wool from any animal, no fur naturally and silk. The author includes becoming involved with activism, profiles of vegans who have various food and apparel businesses and/or websites centered around the fact that they are vegans. I particularly liked the profiles as they not only had some good websites for references, but also seemed to profile real people and ask them why they went vegan, their favorite dish, favorite “accidently vegan” treat, item they can’t live without and more. She also discusses vegan companies that provide skincare products. The back section of the book is all about food and recipes, and I’d like the try the Tangy Cabbage Beet Slaw, Brussel Sprouts with Crispy Tempeh Over Soft Polenta, and Moroccan Chickpea and Kale Tangine with Quinoa. 3 stars.
I read the ebook and would recommend it for anyone considering going vegan or vegetarian or just trying to be more aware of animal welfare issues. Lots of the book was exactly what I tell people about a lot of the important questions regarding animal products, the meat and dairy industry, nutrition, etc. She clarifies misconceptions which I always think is important like going vegan isn't going to make you scrawny and sickly or on the other side a beautiful supermodel with perfect skin. However, there were some areas where I thought she could clarify a topic better and do more education. Even as a 6-yr vegan, I learned a couple new things like that the strips on razors aren't vegan or Planters peanuts!! You can feel easily overwhelmed by her pointing out how many day to day products have hidden animal parts in them.
I am really surprised this book does not have more reviews.This is a great little beginner or intro to Vegan life for people who are curious. I am vegetarian who doesn't eat dairy but once in a while I do eat cheese and I think there is a leather handbag in my closet somewhere. So yeah. I am not militant or preachy at all. Everyone to his or her own. I picked this up for the receipes since I pretty much was familiar with the info. The bakery that Melisser Elliott had in Chino(?) was closed before I had a chance to go to it. What a shame. This books has all the facts of why people go vegan, companies that are vegan, from food to make up to tattoos. A very hispter targeted book and good starting point if you don't mind all the pictures of grungy girls.
The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life is a fantastic resource for pretty much every facet of vegan life. The book contains information, history, tips and tricks, and advice for anything a new (or old) vegan girl could need to know in a way that is easy to read and understand. And even better, it's a fun read that brings in a community connection thanks to numerous personal and business bios.
I've been vegan for over a year, but I found this book fascinating and incredibly helpful. I know I'll be referencing it a lot in the future and I can't wait to try out some of the books, recipes, and products that were recommended. Absolutely indispensable if you're just starting your vegan journey, thinking about going vegan, or just need a little pick-me-up in your vegan lifestyle.
This is a great resource for someone switching to veganism but it does have some flaws. It is very soy-centric and does not provide alternatives to the soy products used in recipes so you have to look elsewhere for those. Also, some of the "cruelty-free" alternatives she provides are still promoting overconsumption of the earth's resources. Examples are acrylic yarns and polyester. These things just don't contribute to a healthier planet.
I would recommend this as a book to read not on its own but in addition to other books on vegaism in order to get a more comprehensive insight into this movement.
This book hit right in the middle at 3 stars. While the author had great intentions and ideas, it is not very easily attainable unless you live in a big city. I've been vegetarian for almost 14 years, so I disliked how the book, at times; demonized vegetarians. I may enjoy my (real) cheese and milk, but by refraining from eating meat, I save on average 3-5 thousand animals per year! I'm pretty darn proud of that. While I applaud vegans, I feel like vegans and vegetarians should mutually support each other. Many parts of this books were overly preachy instead of providing the information in a non-biased way.
This book was a fun read, and an eye-opener. It really is a "guide to life," with tips on food, crafts, shopping... Even instructions on how to make your own reusable shopping bag. Some of the guest contributors are names I already recognized from the community, and I was familiar with Melisser herself because I already followed her on Twitter.
The one sentence that has stuck with me since I started the book was the bit about how honey is, essentially, bee puke. Yeah. No thanks. None for me. haha
I continue to read books on the vegan experience and always seem to either learn something new or re-iterate facts already discovered. This was a nice simple read on veganism and would reccomend as a starter book to someone looking for direction when becoming vegan. I did like all the mini interviews with different founders of vegan companies/activities. Great for expanding my list of vegan websites.
Great overview and introduction to veganism - her writing style is light and cheery, and very open to the reader making their own decisions and drawing their own lines. This book doesn't have the in depth research that some do, but it references the same findings. What I really liked about this book were the testimonies and resources offered. Tons of websites and businesses that support a vegan lifestyle, which is great when your feeling alone.
This was a pretty informative book. I eat a 90% plant-based diet, and don't eat flesh at all, but I can't say I'm vegan (I wear wool and leather, for example). But this gave me some things to thinks about.
I bought this mostly because (1) it was the Kindle deal of the day, (2) it cost 99 cents, and (3) the book description mentioned a recipe for Jackfruit Carnitas. (!!) That recipe turned out great. It alone was worth the price of the book!