Book Review

Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating
by Erik Marcus
Review by Erin Pavlina

I hadn't originally intended to read Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating. I figured it was just like Diet For A New America and reading that book left me sad and unsettled. I didn't need to read about animal cruelty anymore, I already knew all about it. And I didn't like the way I felt when I finished Diet For A New America.

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But I requested a copy of Vegan from Erik Marcus because something compelled me to read it. When I received the book I found a quiet spot on the couch and opened the book to the Table of Contents. Yep, it was going to tell me all about animal cruelty, our damaged environment, world hunger, etc. I wasn't looking forward to it. With a sigh I opened the book and began reading.

An hour later I was in tears, frustrated once again from reading about animal cruelty and the horrors inflicted on food animals. I literally threw the book down in disgust and despair. Steve asked me what was wrong and I said, "I don't want to read this. I don't want to know. I can't stand it." He said, "Then you have to read it. You've got to remember why you're doing what you're doing."

I finished reading the book in one sitting, an extremely rare occurence with an 8 month old in the house. I cried during most of it. But I also once again felt the stirrings of hope. Hope because there are people out there doing something about this problem. People like Gene and Lorri Bauston who opened the Farm Sanctuary, providing safety and life itself to countless animals destined for slaughter. People like Lynn Jacobs who fights against ranchers using government land to feed their cattle. And people like Erik Marcus who spent time and energy learning and revealing the truth about the life and horrid living conditions of food animals.

I don't like to think about the suffering. I focus my energy on celebrating the lives of those who are vegan and raising the next generation to be vegan. But when you read a book like this you are poignantly reminded that we can't rest. There's still a lot of work to do. The fight for freedom continues. I thank Erik Marcus for writing this book, for sending it to me, for fighting the good fight, for his informative website, and for bringing the suffering of animals back to my awareness. For though I try not to think about it, I can never really forget. Nor should I...

Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating is a must read for every vegan. It should be sent out as gifts to every friend and family member you have, without apology and without shame.

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