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Five Books for Your Vegan Book Club, by Kimberly Harper-Colucci, VLCE

posted December 20, 2022

My New Year’s resolution is always, “read more books.” Last year I did just that! I gathered a group of friends and dragged them along on a journey of getting off the rollercoaster of social media and into great books.

Last year’s favorites ranged from beginner-friendly to veteran animal warrior. From recipes to lifestyle, family life to animal ethics, we each found a book that spoke to us.

There are so many amazing books on Veganism available today. Here are just a few group favorites from last year.

Main Street Vegan, by Victoria Moran

Photo credit: Kimberly Harper-Colucci

I first read this book when attending the Main Street Vegan Academy to become a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator. It’s full of helpful information on nutrition, lifestyle, and family life. This book is like sitting with a hot cup of tea and getting life advice from a dear friend. It is written in such a way that makes you feel as if the author is not speaking at you but with you.

Main Street Vegan has practical advice and inspiration no matter where you are on your Vegan journey. While the recipes are wonderful, it’s not just about food; there’s so much more. It’s truly about being a more compassionate, healthy, and tolerant person.

If you don’t know where to start—start HERE!

Eating Animals, by Johnathan Safran Foer

Photo credit: Kimberly Harper-Colucci

Foer empathetically faces a moral dilemma throughout this book. He’d tried many times to switch to a vegetarian diet and failed. And he struggled with whether to raise his unborn son vegetarian.

This book holds nothing back. It takes you through every dimension of factory farming, from slaughterhouse to his own family’s stores. He gives in-depth information so you can begin to frame your own informed choices.

It is uncomfortable. It’s shocking. It makes you think. He questions morality with every bite of food.

Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, by Melanie Joy, PhD

Photo credit: Kimberly Harper-Colucci

This book is so much more than animal rights—it’s about HUMAN rights. It starts with the ethical and environmental effects of eating animals but turns the conversation to the industry and its workers. From physical hazards to health implications, this book takes an eye-opening look at the true price people pay for that steak.

Dr. Joy dives into the psychological aspects of “carnism” and how we view and treat animals. This is a deep look into how we have been conditioned from birth to think and act and treat animals a certain way. It focuses on the disconnection between food and life.

Change of Heart, by Nick Cooney

What is social change? And how do we really make people care? Nick Cooney goes in depth about the psychology of spreading social change through research of social marketing, communication, and social psychology studies.

Our goal in reading this book was to gain better insight into how to make people WANT to get involved in our local Vegan group. We were all frustrated by the lack of participation. This book was both fascinating and actionable—it helped us understand how to better reach people in our community every day.

I admit this book can be a little wordy and intellectual digging through the research. But it is worth it!

Happily Ever Esther: Two Men, a Wonder Pig, and Their Life-Changing Mission to Give Animals a Home, by Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter

Photo credit: Kimberly Harper-Colucci

What happens when you adopt a “micro-pig” that turns out to be not so micro? This cute, sweet, funny memoir of life on an animal sanctuary farm is a follow up to Esther the Wonder Pig, but there is a great synopsis at the beginning that brings you up to speed.

Jenkins and Walter share the realities of being farmers and running an animal sanctuary. While the writing itself seems a little scattered, it relates to the feeling of being on the sanctuary and having no idea what you are doing.

Not all Vegan/animal rights books have to be heavy. This was a fun read to break from the heaviness of some of our deeper choices.

 

What books have you read that you couldn’t put down? What books inspired you? Have you read any of the above? Let us know your thoughts!

 

Photo credit: Kimberly Harper-Colucci

Kimberly Harper-Colucci, a Main Street Vegan Academy Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator, specializes in modern food with an emphasis on local, lighter, plant-based fare. Her passion revolves around celebrating comfort food with a nutritious, elegant twist. She is devoted to helping others understand that healthy and delicious foods can be synonymous.

Kimberly provides personalized lifestyle coaching for anyone wanting to transition to veganism or a whole food, plant-based diet. One-on-one time and tailored information shed light onto how easy veganism can be. She seeks to help make the world a better place, one meal at a time.

You don’t need fancy gadgets or deep wallets. With the right instruction, plant-based cuisine can be simple and elegant with minimal work.

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