Book Review

Living Among Meat Eaters
by Carol J. Adams
Review by Bonnie Barker

"How do you get enough protein/calcium/iron?" "What do you eat?" "Eeeeewww, how can you eat tofu?" The truth is that most meat eaters still see us as freaks. This book attempts to explain why and what we can do about this and other difficult issues we face for the sake of a meatless diet.

The principal theme of the book is that we as veg*ans must learn to be 'at peace' with our diets and ourselves. If we can express that sense of peace and abundance, meat eaters may stop seeing us as threatening and confrontational. Adams does a marvelous job of delving into the psyche of both meat eaters and non-meat eaters. She considers those meat eaters who are the most defensive and confrontational about our meatless diets as being 'blocked vegetarians.' They respond with the most energy and show the most interest, so they may be the most likely converts.

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The author gives many examples of ways we can respond to annoying questions and to folks who are just plain rude. She also includes strategies for handling potentially awkward situations such as barbeques, Thanksgiving dinner, or business lunches. There is also a section on living with meat eaters, including children. About a quarter of the book contains a selection of the author's favorite comfort-food recipes, all of which are vegan.

Living Among Meat Eaters is currently my favorite selection from by personal bookshelf. I highly recommend it to everyone, from those just considering a meatless diet to lifelong vegans. It is a great reference tool for survival in the meat-eating world, and Adams' sense of peace is truly contagious.

Order Living Among Meat Eaters Now!

Bonnie is a stay-at-home-mom, who also consults part-time as an environmental engineer. She enjoys experimenting with new vegan recipes and organic gardening. She lives in scenic St. Clair, Michigan with daughters, Abigail and Grace, and husband, Earl.

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