Book Review & Giveaway: The Happy Vegan by Russell Simmons

I went vegetarian in 1992, and then transitioned to veganism 9 years later. Both changes were tough. I didn’t know anyone else who didn’t eat meat when in the early 90s, and veganism was pretty much unheard of in Northern New Jersey in 2001. There were no Facebook groups for support and no Pinterest boards to help me find recipes. I wish that Russell Simmons, who went vegan in 1997 had written The Happy Vegan: A Guide to Living a Long, Healthy and Successful Life way back then, because it definitely would have helped me. Fortunately, those making the switch now have it to support them.

Vegans used to be stereotyped as angry activists, but Mr. Simmons squashes that believe in this book. In The Happy Vegan, he shares the story of his own path to veganism, and how he and almost immediately began to experience the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of a vegan diet.

The book breaks down the reasons why you should go vegan. The science and research on the health benefits of conscious eating and veganism is presented, along with information on what animal agriculture is doing to the planet, and factory farming facts.

Since this is a book about going vegan, there’s also a chapter explaining just how to do it, along with lists of foods to look for at the grocery store and websites and cookbooks that will help with the transition.

The section of the book that I found to be the most interesting is The Misconceptions chapter. In it, Mr. Simmons goes over the excuses people give for not going vegan, and he has a perfect rebuttal for each one. I especially found the information on the food our ancestors ate to be really interesting. Did you know that the Irish didn’t eat corned beef until the came to America? And that African-Americans ate foods like okra and sweet potatoes in their homeland, but were forced to eat things like ham hocks and chitlins by their owners when they were brought to the U.S. as slaves? I also love his response to the excuse that vegan food is too expensive, where he states that his favorite lasagna at a vegan restaurant where the rich and famous eat is just slightly more expensive than lasagna at the Olive Garden.

The Happy Vegan is an easy-to-read inspiring guide to going vegan. It’s written in friendly tone, and it makes veganism fun and accessible to everyone.

We have a copy of The Happy Vegan for one lucky winner. Follow the instructions below to enter. Contest ends at midnight EST on November 24^th. U.S. residents only, please. Good luck!

 

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