When I picked up the Vegan Way I didn't know what to expect. From the cover I thought it would just be a really cool vegan guide for newbies to help you go on your vegan journey. After reading the first few chapters I knew that it was more than that. Some vegan books are good but they aren't personal, they don't all speak to your heart. Jackie opens up in the beginning in such a way that you feel like you are speaking to your friend. She even has some recipes tucked in there that you can make. The voice of the author is gentle and non judgmental. She doesn't yell at you she speaks to you and has a wonderful conversation. She also explains the reasons why wearing wool or leather is cruel. She has not only compassion but conviction. She does not compromise but she isn't pushy or obnoxious. Don't get me wrong I don't personally have a problem with the vegan police but I do feel at times that not all personalities are going to be persuaded to go vegan with aggressive wording. The Vegan Way is something that new vegans, long time vegans and people who are interested in veganism can get quite a lot out of. I love the aesthetics of the book. It is has bright pictures and it keeps me interested with all the fun chapters.
It is not a book that will be shoved at the back of your shelf collecting dust. It is a handy manual, a journal, a guide that one can pick up again and again. I have already read several chapters a few times. One of my favorite parts of the book is how Jackie talks about her transition from younger meat eater to vegetarian to later on a vegan. She is not afraid to be personable and it feels really nice. She has been vegan for over 28 years. She is educated and informed but does not dumb down her audience. Another favorite part in the book was Planting Seeds of Compassion where she talks about steps you can actually take to make a difference in the world from emailing coffee shops and asking for vegan snacks to writing your elected officials. New vegans and some old don't always have a guide to help them out and remember things or do things that can be proactive so this helped me and other young and old budding vegan activists. I also really liked her tips and trips to stay vegan, her guide on cruelty free products and little helpful checklists and thoughts for the day. If you want to live a healthy compassionate, cruelty free life this book is definitely for you!
