Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Let's say someone you know really wants to learn more about reasons for being vegan--including animal rights issues and environmental issues. Probably labor issues as well. And this person is really committed to social justice in general and has never thought about food issues being related to social justice before. And she's asked for a book to read about it. And obviously you want her to be vegan but it shouldn't really be a how-to-go-vegan guidebook, because I can be her how-to-go-vegan guidebook if she decides to it.

I don't think I've read any books like that, but I know there are lots of them out there. I would read it first before passing it on, of course. It should ideally be kind of a short read. I was going to pick up Eating Animals and check it out first, maybe? Advice?

I think Eating Animals is best, too. Sistah Vegan covers some of these issues as well.

skinny bisque...meh

Yeah, definitely not one of the books I'm considering.

Eating Animals is what pushed me over the edge when I turned veg again (and, after reading it, for the last time). I recommend that book to everyone I know who thinks my food choices are "weird."

Eating Animals would definitely be a good choice. I will always have a soft spot for The Food Revolution because I went vegan after I read it. I don't t think there is anything about labor issues though.

Def. Eating Animals.

Fast Food Nation is pretty good on the labor conditions stuff, but not necessarily on the "...and therefore, you should go vegan." I'd think Eating Animals is probably your best bet because it's pretty relatable.

I really loved the Ethics of What We Eat. I really admire JSF but I'm probably the only person who wasn't blown away by Eating Animals. Maybe I need to read it again.

I just finished Eating Animals a few days ago, and I LOVED it. It was fantastic. My (omni) mom is like 1/2way through and so ready to change her ways already.

Totally. I was going to say a combo of Eating Animals, Fast Food Nation, and Food Inc. should cover all of your bases.

Diet for a Small Planet and Fast Food Nation are both good entry points for the social issues involving animal agriculture. Neither one is really a veg book and neither requires the reader to feel compassion towards animals.

I HIGHLY recommend Farm Sanctuary by Gene Baur. It covers the evils of big agribusiness, the environmental impact, the conditions on factory farms, stories about the rescued animals and a story about the development of the author and the organization.

Come to think of it, that's probably one of the best "food" books I've read. It really makes you recognize the animal as individuals while hitting all the key vegan selling points.

Making A Killing: The Political Economy of Animal Rights by Bob Torres

It's an excellent book. It doesn't really "guilt trip" the reader. Rather, presents the facts about the situation how animals are abused and the basics of speciesism without telling meat eaters they are "bad" but enforcing the idea that if you are really for freedom from oppression - that viewpoint should be extended to animal liberation too. He makes a good argument why fighting speciesism is easier than fighting racism, classism, homophobia, sexism, etc - by just going vegan and not being involved in that system. It stresses how a "feminist" doesn't go back home after working on sexism and makes racist jokes - how animals don't have to be your focus issue but you can still make a difference by taking accountability for your actions.

It's an awesome book. I wrote a speciesism workshop based off of it. I'll post it online soon.

The Sexual Politics of Meat!

I think Eating Animals may be a good start but books like Carol Adam's "The Sexual Politics of Meat," Charles Patterson's "Eternal Treblinka" and Marjorie Spiegel's "The Dreaded Comparison" are all ground breaking works that will definitely develop an understanding of the intersectionalities of oppression and social justice.

Gail Eisnitz' Slaughterhouse might be good, as it deals with the confluence between labor rights and animal protection.

The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life covers all the issues briefly and in a friendly and fun way giving information where you can find out more about each of them. I've been pretty impressed with it so far (I'm about halfway through) as normally I feel that books about veganism can be a bit blah blah blah all the same thing over and over again but this one I've not been skipping huge chunks!

Anna

Another vote for Eating Animals. I love JSF's writing style, and the book feels very conversational and not at all pushy or preachy. It doesn't set out to convince you of anything, it just kind of says 'I wanted to know the facts about where my food comes from, and here they are- do what you want with them'. It also covers a few of his own ethical dilemmas regarding family with differing attitudes towards food, which I think would be somehow comforting for someone looking to step into that territory and preparing to face the same personal issues.

It's also the kind of book that motivates you to find out more. I think that's a better way to adopt a more ethical approach to your habits as a consumer than having a book demand that you do this or that, and tell you how awful you are if you don't comply.

I like Six Arguments for a Greener Diet if you're dealing with a science-y person. Lots and lots of references to studies.

They have a neat animated summary here: http://www.cspinet.org/EatingGreen/tour.html

I'm almost done with Eating Animals, and I really like it! Will pass it on soon.