Books received, review imminent! (None at the moment, if you would like your book reviewed here send us a copy.)
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You don't have to be a treehugger to be a veganby Dan Vishny |
Even a long term vegan should find something of interest in this unusual little book!
I found the style rather strange, whereby the arguments both for and against veganism were put forward, but this could be useful when challenged on the benefits of an animal food diet as the "against" facts are clearly detailed.
The Americanisms, both in unknown product listings and recipe ingredients and measures are a little irritating but offset by the quirky writing and fun style of the book.
For instance, I did not know that "mono and di-glycerides of fatty acids" are always animal derived and I notice that they appear with regularity on manufactured foods ingredients listings. I wonder how many other vegetarians and vegans are unaware of this?
Not an animal derived product but I found myself making further enquiries about "sulphites" as, being an asthma sufferer, I had no prior knowledge of the irritating effect of these. I notice that on practically every bottle of wine, both vegan and organic ones, it says "contains sulphites" but prior to reading this little book I was completely ignorant of the facts.
Altogether a recommended read, even for the established vegan, and with lots of good information for would-be vegans too!
Jane Johnson, February 2007
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Spade, Skirret and ParsnipThe Curious History of Vegetablesby Bill LawsSutton, 2004 |
Firstly, humble apologies for taking so long to write this review, it took me so long to devour the book as it is just stuffed with fascinating and often little-known facts!
I would advise anyone embarking on this book to read it in bite sized chunks as there is just so much information to absorb, but for anyone interested in vegetables and the origins of our present day food, then this is a fascinating read.
The black and white photos add interest and a sense of history and although there is a little repetition, overall, I would say a very good book and a wonderful gift for any keen vegetable grower or would-be gardener.
This book could certainly be used as a point of reference for any gardening history quiz and I feel confident that even the most experienced gardener could be outwitted by the incredible and unusual information contained within!
Jane Johnson, February 2007
The Norfolk libraries have a large selection of vegetarian books, especially cookery books. For a full list of all the books available do a keyword search for vegetarian or vegan at the Norfolk Library web site.