Skinny Bitch

I've had Skinny Bitch on my Amazon wish list for a little while now. I knew that this was a "diet" book that ultimately argued the value of the vegan lifestyle. I knew that the authors wrote the book in a very harsh, "stop eating shit, fat-ass" type of tone... but I was looking for some solid philosophical reasons to give up all animal products. I didn't buy the book but I did spend a very enjoyable afternoon at Border's as I was playing hooky this week. I picked a sunny seat by the window, got some tea and read a big chunk of Skinny Bitch. I have to say, I'm glad I didn't spend the $13 to actually own a copy of this book.

I have read a number of blog entries that address the way vegetarianism and veganism are perceived among the omnivores of the world. These slightly extreme subsets of the population can be stereotyped as radical, throw red paint on fur coats, scoff at diners who partake in meat, type of people. Obviously, this is not the case and can lead to the general population to having a negative impression of a healthy, conscientious lifestyle. I felt like the book, Skinny Bitch, through exaggerations, a very harsh tone, and detailed descriptions of animal cruelty, contributed to the negative image of vegetarianism and veganism instead of aiding the cause. Does it really serve a purpose to tell people they're stupid for eating cheese? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to discuss the issues?

I'm sure a number of people are reading this and thinking, "You just don't get it," so lets look at the other side. This is a book about veganism that is hugely popular. Awesome. That's definitely something. Additionally, how many picked up this witty, comedic book and read it because of the entertaining tone... even though they might have been scared by the content had it been presented in a different manner? I'm sure there are A LOT of readers who fall into this category, meaning the tone of the book reached more people than my boring philosophical discussion ever would. I suppose we could refer to this as the Michael Moore presentation advantage, yes? Obviously this book has some positive things to offer the food/health community... I'm just not totally convinced that the net effect is a positive one.