March
2002
“ Veganism
101”
Book Review by Catherine Clyne
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The Vegan Sourcebook (2nd edition) by Joanne Stepaniak (Los Angeles:
Lowell House, 1998). $21.95 paperback. 352 pages. Being Vegan: Living
with Conscience, Conviction, and Compassion by Joanne Stepaniak
(Los Angeles: Lowell House, 2000). $16.95 paperback. 214 pages.
The Vegan Sourcebook is perhaps an inverse of The Vegetarian
Way (see next page). Meaning, it’s an excellent handbook
for long-time vegans and aspiring novices alike, but it focuses more
on
ethics than on nutrition. Incidentally, Vegetarian Way co-author
Virginia Messina authors the section devoted to vegan nutrition.
The Vegan Sourcebook coupled with Being Vegan create a
comprehensive roadmap for vegan living. The Sourcebook covers
a great deal of territory, ranging from the historical roots of ethical
veganism to a discussion of why factory farming is so abhorrent,
presenting
the personal stories of veteran vegans, and moving on to more practical
stuff, like putting together a “vegan kitchen,” debunking
the old “food pyramid” (and offering a new one), and suggested
weekly meal plans. What’s particularly useful are the charts portraying
the nutritional content of different foods. Want to find out the best
foods for iron? Want to know what plant sources have B 12? It’s
all here.
And what’s a book on veganism without recipes? Stepaniak has
some great ones. They are all quite simple to prepare, each fitting
nicely
onto one page.
The Vegan Sourcebook could serve as a textbook for Veganism
101, while Being Vegan serves as a reference guide for more advanced
students—those
graduates who have already made the commitment and transition to
a vegan life. Stepaniak has been gathering information and writing
about all
things vegan for years. She has fielded hundreds of questions via
her Web site (www.vegsource.com/joanne)
from vegans all over the world asking all kinds of questions, including
those about the more technical details, and in doing so, has accomplished
a Herculean task. In Being Vegan, she has collated a great deal of information
into a thoughtful and thought-provoking book. She narrows the scope
of the discussion into four categories: philosophy, relationships, ethical
practice and food issues. I appreciate her straightforward juridical
approach: posing questions and statements, then offering answers from
a number of angles.
This is a useful book because it is so exhaustive. Wondering whether
or not it’s “okay” to wear shoes that look like real
leather? Want to know why honey’s such a big deal? Should vegans
have kids? Want some food for thought to help you reflect on how to
deal with hostile family members and friends? Stepaniak’s got
it covered.
Perhaps one of the few flaws of Being Vegan is in its very exhaustiveness.
While different angles to the subtleties of being vegan are thoroughly
explored, Stepaniak usually settles upon a single answer. However, the
unequivocal nature of her answers can, at times, oversimplify the issue.
Being vegan is a process of widening your capacity to care in every
way, constantly challenging yourself to open further, reach out and
become more and more connected to the big picture, each hour of every
day. It is often a very contemplative process. So, confining ethical
conundrums in a rigid box is inherently problematic. There are folks
who have been vegan for many years, yet occasionally consume honey,
wear articles made of wool, have their nails done, or have a leather
jacket hanging in the closet for sentimental reasons. These are all
violations of the “official” definition, and those folks would
technically not be vegan because, as Stepaniak observes, these are all
things that are either unnecessary or have vegan alternatives. Is such
exclusivity useful? Stepaniak boils veganism down to a simple tenet:
“Do the least harm and the most good.” If people strive for
this on a daily basis and staunchly reject animal cruelty, the more
the merrier. Wherever they may be along that path deserves to be recognized
and applauded. The thoughtful discussions in Being Vegan are most definitely
a good navigational tool. If those reading Stepaniak’s book
can meditate on their own reflections and look beyond some of the
limits
of what she perceives veganism to be, they will find her books to
be useful, and welcome, additions to their book collections.
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