The Summary: Good afternoon VegNews Book Clubbers! We have now come to the end of our discussion of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott, which was a really fun read, and it sounds like all of you really enjoyed it.

Last Monday, I laid out two discussion questions. First, I asked if any of you have ever had your own garden. From the few comments, it seems like most of us would love to have one, but haven't had the opportunity yet. I think a lot of us live in the middle of a city, which complicates things, but community gardens, as mentioned by Sweet Swallows, are definitely good options. Good luck with trying your hand at that this year, Sweet Swallows!

I also asked what your favorite DIY project is, and what project you aspire to do in the future, and the dessert stands in the book were a major hit! I'm sure they would be of great use in the vegan bake sales, if you have one in your area.

Next week, we will begin our discussion of Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. Be sure to read the first three sections of the book to be ready for our conversation. Also, if you still need a copy, you can pick one up at the VN Store. Happy weekend!

~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig

The Gist: Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to the final week of our discussion of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott. We've had some great conversation this month, and I hope that we can have even more in Feburary when we begin Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. Purchase your copy now from the VN Store, to be ready for our discussion!

I asked you to read the rest of the book for this week, which was only one chapter. In this final chapter Elliott talks about a bunch of DIY projects, including gardening, dessert stands, how to frost a cupcake (the fancy way), and plenty of arts and crafts. Want to make your own clothing? Well, Elliott has you covered in this chapter. This is the chapter that I think makes this book unique to other vegan lifestyle books. Being terrible at DIY projects myself, I found this chapter to be a handy guide.

The Discussion: Here are two discussion points to help get the conversation started. I look forward to hearing from you!

1. Have you ever had your own garden—be it a backyard, community, or urban garden? What was your experience like?

2. What's your favorite DIY project? Also, what project do you aspire to do, but haven't done yet?

The Assignment: Please read the first three sections of Eating Animals for our discussion on January 31.

~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig

The Summary: Good afternoon VegNews Book Clubbers! We are at the end of the third week of our discussion of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott, and we've had some great conversation all month. Thanks so much for all of the great comments!

I brought up two discussion points last Monday. First, I asked you guys to share your favorite brands of clothing and makeup. All of the comments and tips were really helpful! Personally, I've been looking for a good brand of dry shampoo, so thank you, hands2health, for mentioning Hairfix. I might just give it a try!

I also asked if you guys have tried any of the recipes in the book as of yet, and a lot of you have, with positive reviews. I'm still jonsing for the Portobello Banh Mi, but they all look super good.

There is one more week of discussion of this fun book—please read the rest of the book to be ready for our conversation beginning Monday. Also, don't forget to pick up a copy of Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, which we will be discussing in February. Have a great weekend!

~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig

The Gist: Happy MLK Day VegNews Book Clubbers! We are now in the third week of our discussion of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott. I'm personally very excited about the holiday, because it gives me time to catch up on my reading. Don't forget that we will be reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safron Foer in February, so get a copy! We're actually selling the book over at the VN Store, so you don't even have to make a trip to the bookstore.

We read chapters four to six for our conversation this week. Chapter four covers non-food shopping, such as clothing, makeup, feminine hygiene, natural cleaning supplies, and even sex products. Elliott lists an array of brands for each area, giving a great guide for your cruelty-free purchases!

Chapter five talks food, and Elliott gives a detailed guide on how to stock your vegan kitchen. She includes canned food, dried food, baking ingredients, frozen foods, spices, tools, and other various staples. She also provides a sample menu, a list of non-vegan ingredients to look out for, and talks about what and what not to feed a non-vegan. If you are new to veganism, this is definitely the chapter for you.

Finally, chapter six contains recipes, and a lot of them! From breakfast to dessert, these recipes look to be a good start to help your vegan cooking take off. I personally want to make the Portobello Banh Mi Sandwiches, because I love everything sandwich.

The Discussion: Here are two discussion points to help get the conversation started. I look forward to hearing from you!

1. What are your favorite cruelty-free clothing and makeup brands?

2. Have you tried any of the recipes listed in chapter six? If so, which one, and how was it?

The Assignment: Please read the rest of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life for our discussion on January 24.

~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig

The Summary: Good afternoon VegNews Book Clubbers! We are now halfway done with our discussion of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott, and I'm looking forward to the final two weeks. We've had some great conversation so far!

I brought up two discussion points last Monday, asking what type of restaurant is your favorite, and what is your favorite veg-friendly city, and why. After reading the wonderful comments, I've realized that you guys are a lot like me in being unable to choose one favorite food. I know, they're all so good! How on earth can you pick just one? Although, the top choices did seem to be Mexican and Asian food.

There were also a variety of answers for my second question, which totally makes sense. There are a ton of great veg-friendly cities. Some of you also said that you haven't traveled much, but it seems that you have found some vegan treasures right in your neighborhood. You guys live in some really cool cities!

It sounds like all of you are really enjoying the book so far, and I welcome all of the newcomers! Next week, we will be discussing chapters four to six of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life, which I'm really looking forward to talking about. If you haven't been able to pick up a copy yet, you can do so on the VN Store. Happy weekend!

~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig

The Gist: Good afternoon VegNews Book Clubbers! I hope everyone had a superb weekend, and ready to discuss more of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott. We are now in our second week of reading this book, so let's get to it!

We will be talking about the third chapter, entitled "Vegan Living," in which Elliott brings up almost every aspect of life, and how to veganize it. Such topics include dining out, explaining how to order, and she also lays out some of the hidden, non-vegan ingredients found in some dishes, such as ghee in Indian cuisine. She also gives tips on how to handle special events, such as birthdays and holidays.

Next, she talks about getting involved in your vegan community, by participating with animal organizations, reading local vegan blogs, and taking part in vegan potlucks. Other topics mentioned in this chapter include vegan tattoos, raising vegan companion animals, and vegan travel. Elliott is an avid traveler herself, and she mentions her favorite veg-friendly cities and their best restaurants, such as The Chicago Diner, which is also one of my personal favorites!

The Discussion: Here are two discussion points to help get the conversation started. I look forward to hearing from you!

1. What type of restaurant is your favorite—Thai, Indian, Mexican, etc.? Why?

2. What is your favorite veg-friendly city, and why?

The Assignment: Please read chapters four to six of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life for our discussion on January 17. And be sure to pick up a copy from the VN Store if you haven't already!

~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig

The Summary: Good afternoon VegNews Book Clubbers, and Happy Friday! It was wonderful to see so much participation this week in our discussion of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott. It sounds like a lot of you are really enjoying the book so far!

Last Monday, I brought up two discussion points in order to get the conversation going. First, I asked if you have participated in any animal activism other than being a vegan or vegetarian. Many of you have, doing such things as attending or helping with Vegan Bake Sales, sending letters or emails for various animal-advocacy groups, handing out leaflets, adopting companion animals, giving donations, or even just eating a vegan meal in the lunch room. I think these are all great ways to get our message out there, and I am also a firm believer that any action, no matter how small, helps this movement along.

My second question asked what your basic day's menu looked like, and I have to say, you guys are way more healthy than I am! Although, I am striving to eat a more balanced, whole-foods diet. Your sample menus really gave me some good ideas, and I hope they helped some of you out as well. Much appreciated!

Next week, we will be discussing chapter three of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life, which I'm looking forward to talking about. If you haven't been able to pick up a copy yet, you can do so on the VN Store. See you guys Monday!

~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig

The Gist: Happy New Year VegNews Book Clubbers! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday, and is ready to get back to reading. This month, we will be discussing The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott. Gentlemen, we would love to hear your side of of the discussion as well, so please don't hesitate to join in!

We read from the introduction to chapter two for today's discussion. In the introduction, Elliott introduces herself and shares her path towards veganism. She then delves into chapter one entitled "Understanding What Vegan Is (and Isn't)." This chapter explains the history of veganism, and also talks about the different reasons to go vegetarian/vegan, such as ethics, health, and environmentalism. Throughout the chapters, she features various vegan women from all parts of the world, giving them a chance to share their views. In this chapter, she also talks about how to get involved in animal activism, including leafleting, and mentions many animals advocacy organizations. If you're a new vegan, this chapter gives you the basic essentials.

Chapter two covers nutrition, and VN columnist Gena Hamshaw takes over. Hamshaw discusses how to maintain a healthy vegan lifestyle, and gives helpful advice on how to get enough protein, calcium, iron, and B12 in your vegan diet. She also talks about getting your Omega-3s, and discusses the debate on whether or not soy is safe. Other topics included in this chapter are being pregnant while vegan, raising vegan children, vegan athletes, and the connection between eating disorders and veganism.

The Discussion: Here are two discussion points to help get the conversation started. I look forward to hearing from you!

1. Elliott mentions various methods of animal activism other than veganism. Have you participated in any animal advocacy? If so, what have you done, and what was your experience like?

2. Hamshaw gives several different healthy, vegan menus throughout the second chapter. What does a basic day's menu look like for you?

The Assignment: Please read chapter three of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life for our discussion on January 10.

~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig

PS - If you don't have a copy of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life yet, be sure to pick yours up at the VN Store, so you can join in on the conversation!

The Summary: Good morning VegNews Book Clubbers, and Happy Christmas Eve! We are now finished with our discussion of Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston, and we will be taking a break all next week until the New Year, when we will begin our discussion of The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott. Looking forward to it!

Earlier this week, I asked you to share any major obstacles you may have had in your life, and how you dealt with them. I also asked you to share your worldly aim. A few of you commented, and I enjoyed reading what you had to say! Some people definitely deal with obstacles better than others, so I think it's important to listen and learn from others in order to deal with these types of situations.

I just want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday and a joyous New Year. See you in 2011!

~VN Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig

Reading List

Happy Wednesday VegNews Book Clubbers, and I hope you're enjoying Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston. This is a special post to bring you some very exciting news: the next three books that we will be reading! Without further ado, here are our first three titles for 2011:

January: The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life by Melisser Elliott
February: Eating Animals by Jonathan Safron Foer
March: Veganist by Kathy Freston

Veganist is not yet out, but it will be hitting bookshelves early February, so just hold tight! I look forward to discussing these titles with you!

~VegNews Book Club Hostess Lyndsay Orwig