The Kind Life

 

Check out this clip of Ellen DeGeneres interviewing Jonathan Safran Foer, the man who wrote Eating Animals.

Jonathan Safran Foer is a really respected and successful author.  Before Eating Animals, he wrote Everything Is Illuminated in 2002, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close in 2005, and has won lots of awards for both of those books.



After he and his wife had their first child, Jonathan went vegetarian, and decided he was going to raise his kids vegetarian too.  That’s where the inspiration for Eating Animals came from.

Look how good Ellen looks since going vegan!  She looks really great.
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Another fantastic read is "The Omnivore's Dilemma", by Michael Pollan. 
I need to finish this book (I read it whenever I go to the book store). He's an amazing role model and I've seen him on a few talk shows now. I love that he's trying to make the future better for his children. What an interesting fact about how if everyone gave up meat for 1 meal a week, it's the equivalent of 5 MILLION cars being taken off the roads. People in Michigan (this whole Meat-Out debate) should take note... (I'm from Michigan and it's infuriating me).

He is the reason I became vegetarian!  I saw his appearance on Ellen back in November and I couldn't believe what he was saying about how things are processed!!  I had already cut back on meat intake for several reasons but he really pushed me over the edge!  I wouldn't say I'm 100% vegan yet.  Eating out is my biggest problem...but since I don't really eat out all that much, I'd say I'm about 95% vegan!  Never in a million years thought I'd be where I am.  I did in fact tell my friend when she went vegetarian that I could never give up meat.  I'm happy to report that I was totally wrong!!!  And I'm very glad to be wrong in this situation!  Keep up the good work Jonathan!!  You're making a difference!

The thing that really stuck with me in this book was the discussion about eating dogs.  He includes a recipe on how to cook a dog, and the killing process.  It's pretty brutal, and every time I'm tempted to eat a piece of bacon, I think of my dog and how awful that would be to suffer that fate.  Pigs are just as smart, playful and cute as dogs, yet we eat them without giving it a second thought.  He really wrote a smart book, and pushed me over the edge to being a vegan flirt.  I'm sure I'll have to reread the book in a few years, but it's so powerful and true.  Thanks for the Ellen clip!
Seeing Jonathan Safran Foer on Ellen today reminded me of why I began my vegetarian path in the first place. I don't think anyone who has had a birthday or a meal cooked by their mum can dispute food has meaning. He is such a warm, sharing person and so articulate! I have his book and will read it again this weekend! Thankyou so much Alicia!
I was really moved by his book when I read it after he appeared on Ellen the first time.  Very eye opening info in it and I liked it that he presented it in a very non-judgmental way including the pros and cons of the different sides of the argument.

It's been on my husband's nightstand for several months... Hoping he'll decide to read it and join me more whole-heartedly in the Vegan lifestyle. ;)
Everything is Illuminated is one of my favorite movies. I will have to check out his books.
Me too Laura!  Everything is Illuminated is also one of my very favorite movies.  I've tried to check Eating Animals out of the library and, though they have 50 copies, there is still a very long waiting list.  If you ask me that's a great sign!!  Also, just for the record I heart Ellen. :)
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