Vegan Freak: Being Vegan in a Non-Vegan World [Paperback]

Bob Torres (Author), Jenna Torres (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2005

Curious about veganism? Want to be a vegan? Already a vegan? Just wondering how to be vegan without going insane? In this informative and practical guide on veganism, team Torres helps you love your inner vegan freak. Loaded with tips, advice, stories, and comprehensive lists of resources that no vegan should live without, this book is key to helping you thrive as a happy, healthy, and sane vegan in a decidedly non-vegan world. Witty, opinionated, and eminently useful.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In this down-to-earth and entertaining guide, Bob and Jenna Torres not only convince you that you have to go vegan today, they also give you what you need to live as a healthy and happy vegan for the rest of your life."  —Gary L. Francione, distinguished professor of law, Rutgers University

"Wherever one falls on the meat-eater to vegan continuum, you need to make the Torres duo your truth-speaking, profanity-spewing, tough-loving pals. They will move you closer to ethical veganism."  —Feminist Review

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Tattooed vegan freaks themselves, Bob and Jenna Torres both hold PhDs from Cornell University. The authors maintain a vegan blog (veganfreaks.org) where they refined the ideas that grew into this book. Bob and Jenna teach at a small liberal arts college in far upstate New York, where Bob has taught classes on animal rights and vegetarianism.

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Tofu Hound Press; First Printing edition (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977080412
• ISBN-13: 978-0977080410
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (91 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #958,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

149 of 158 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm OK (Vegan) and You're OK - And this book Rocks October 13, 2005

By Geoffrey Kleinman VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

If you're vegan or even considering it you'll want to pick up this book. Vegan Freak is like having a good friend cheering you on, reminding you that it is possible to be Vegan in a world that often labels vegans as freaks. Call it Vegan Freak pride, call it mentoring, or just call it fantastic support, this book is chock full of advice and information that's essential for anyone even investigating veganism. Bob and Jenna Torres bring together a ton of information from a wide array of sources into an extremely quick and easy read. Their conversational style is refreshing, warm and friendly. The book is much more about supporting a vegan lifestyle than slamming non-vegans, so if you're not yet vegan you won't feel like you're under attack. The subtitle for this book could be I'm an OK Vegan and You're OK, it's incredibly supportive and inspirational and I highly recommend it.

102 of 108 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for anyone interested in veganism August 2, 2005

By Lindsay M. Timmerman

Format:Paperback

Vegan Freak is a great resource for new vegans, longtime vegans, people who are toying with the idea of veganism, or people who know vegans. Bob and Jenna Torres do a great job of explaining the feelings of "freakdom" that often accompany the shift to veganism, but offer comfort in the idea that being freaky really isn't such a bad thing.

There is a lot of great information here, written in a very accessible style, including a fair bit of wry humor. The book focuses not only on the ethical basis of veganism, but also includes suggestions for how to get along as a vegan in a largely meat-eating world. The appendix is chock-full of resources (including reading lists, helpful websites, online stores, veg-themed blogs, and so forth), which is incredibly helpful especially for new vegans and/or people who don't have a big ol' in-person vegan support system at the ready.

Vegan Freak does a great job of filling a gap in the vegan booklist: it's perfect for people who just want the straight story about living as a vegan. As a relatively new vegan myself, I've done a lot of reading in the past year, and I found Vegan Freak to be on par with Obligate Carnivore in the "tell it like it is" arena. This is a good thing--you won't be disappointed!

62 of 67 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Veganism for beginners June 24, 2006

By Jaratura G.

Format:Paperback

"Vegan Freak" is unlike any vegan book on the market because it is a survival guide to living vegan in a non-vegan world. According to the authors, "All of us who are vegan have at some point felt like absolute outsiders..." These authors embrace they're vegan freakdom and combine knowlege, wit, and personal experience into book that is both survival guide and handbook to living vegan.

"Vegan Freak" begins with the 'whys' of veganism. The authors give some basic definitions of veganism, how to go vegan in three weeks, how the authors went vegan, and possible pathways to veganism. The book continues with an indepth discussion of Animal Rights, specieism, and factory farming. The authors strongly suggest that the most horrific treatment of animals will only end if conserned persons chose a vegan lifestlye. This idea is furthur echoed in thier discussion of vegan health and nutrition.

The following section explains the 'hows' of veganism. The authors give a through discussion of dealing with others such as friends, family members, and co-workers. The authors even discuss dealing with vegetarians and how deal with those who believe veganism is "taking it too far". Bob and Jenna also give food advice in the chapter titled "What do vegans eat anyway?", giving tips on survival the grocery store, resturants, how to travel vegan, and even vegan pet food.

The final section gives a basic overview on the non-food elements of veganism. The authors cover alternatives to fur, leather, and wool and how to dispose of them once you become vegan. They also give advice of finding cruelty-free alternatives to most soaps, tooth pastes, shampoos, and other tolietries that are usually made with animal products. The book ends with two appendixes full of ways to get involved an extensive list of books about Animal Rights, veganism, health, and cooking.