I don't know how to feel about this book. It certainly made me think more of what I eat everyday. I do stop to think before I put something in my mouth and I do feel this book helped me on my way of eating healthier.
Then again, I have been a vegetarian for over 11 years now and I really don't need to read all the preachy stuff about it anymore. And also, I just can't believe everything they say about how becoming a vegan is so much more healthy: even though they say it isn't true, you do miss a lot of essentials. I know that when I turned a vegetarian a few years ago I had a vitamin B shortage within a year. I know they mention that you should be careful with that, but it isn't as easy as it seems.
I also don't like the very American-ness about this book. I just don't feel all the strong language helps and it surely feels like it's a bit short on explaining some things sometimes, with the exception of the explanation on meat, because that made me feel like: "Okay, okay, I GET IT!". The preaching contained in this book about animal rights etc is something that made me suspicious about how right they really are. Usually those who scream hardest and point to a few 'scientific researches' here and there are well aware that they should shout so loud because there is a lot of research out there that might just contradict them.
I won't turn vegan, although I have not dared to touch any milk product the last few days. In the end I won't, I guess. I do want to try their meal plans sometime soon though, I'm curious how they'd work out. Except that they haven't really thought the fact that you can't prepare all those lunches they mention when you're in school or at work. They should've given more suggestions for situations like that, or what to do when eating with friends, or what to do when you have a meat-eating partner. They'd probably mention you should convert him to veganism or dump him, but that'd just not how it works.
Overall: A fairly interesting read, but too preachy for my taste. I can't help but shake the feeling they have somehow made an impact and that I will think more about what I eat. Hence, I will give the book the benefit of the doubt and give it a 2.5 star rating for now. ( )

I was stranded at an airport during a three hour layover with nothing to read when I found this book. I admit, I only checked it out because of the name. I tend to avoid self-help books of any kind for the most part, especially diet books, but the name just made me laugh. After flipping through a few chapters and noticing the book is focused primarily on the health benefits of veganism and eating organic, I found myself very interested in the book as that is my lifestyle.

The book is a quick read and it's written in a sarcastic manner that just had me laughing out loud quite a bit. However, the book was a bit more biased than I would have liked. Freedman and Barnounin are supporters of PETA, an organization that, despite my stance on animal rights, I really dislike. They quote PETA a lot so maybe I'm biased in that respect. They also play on the emotional aspects of slaughterhouses and factory farms. Yes, they're horrible. I won't argue that. But that's not what the title of the book led me to believe I'd be reading about.

After reading several chapters on the crimes committed against animals, Freedman and Barnounin then went on a rant about the government and how they're lying about everything we're eating. I don't understand how they could even know this since they have no way of actually monitering what the government does or does not do and then comparing it to what they're telling us. I'm sure there are companies who are less than honest, but there's no way for an average person to get proof of that (is there?) and the blatant accusations made me a little uncomfortable.

So in short, the book is one giant rant against the government and one giant promo towards animal rights. There are a few interesting facts in the book but I would only recommend reading this if you're really interested in animal rights and support PETA (and remember, this is coming from a vegan). ( )

I am not a vegan, but recently have been intrigued by it. I picked up this book and LOVED IT. People who are negatively reviewing it are those who aren't going to reconsider healthier options for living. The whole concept is to EAT LOWER ON THE FOOD CHAIN. Not only are fruits and veggies OBVIOUSLY better for you, it's easier to get organic versions - thus knowing your food is safe from hormones, pesticides, GMO's, etc. I think there's some REALLY sound advice in this book. Even if you don't become a vegan from it, I think you'll think twice about the things going into your body. WELL WORTH IT. ( )

This book was a bunch of crap bias. it started off all cute and good and then all of a sudden tells you that you must become a vegan and eat only organic. It also throws in some chapters about how the government is horrible and awful and we can't trust the USDA or EPA. (the chapter is literally called, "Trust No One") Oh and a whole chapter on how they slaughter cows, pigs and chickens in very graphic detail. Common. This is so not realistic for most people. I get the whole vegetarianism thing. I really do. That is one thing... vegan is whole other thing. This book was not at all what I expected. I felt like the authors were just out to push their own personal agenda against the government. ( )

This book would be a lot better if it wasn't doing such things as using PETA for a citation in its research. I'm all about eating vegan, but this book adds such a negative vibe to something that people should want to do on their own, for their own health and/or conscience, that I wouldn't recommend it to people simply based on its lack of sensitivity to the reality of what it is like to exist in the world of highly processed, highly marketed chemical-laced food. I'd say that this book is more of a catalyst for one to become an orthorexic or lead to some other disordered eating/thinking problem than it will lead people on the path to eating and living well. ( )