Kindle Edition Amazon Amazon Category:  Health/Wellness Type: Non-Fiction Price: $3.86 (eBook) This book is about how and why I became vegetarian. It has important information for those who want to give up meat and fish, Thinking of adopting the vegetarian lifestyle? Get some tips from someone who made the switch 14 years ago. Find answers to questions about weight loss, looking younger, eating enough protein, the strength of vegetarians, the effect on the environment, health benefits, the ethics of vegetarianism, effects on the psyche and get practical tips on making the switch.

When An Animal Lover Speaks, Everyone Ought to Listen


Different people take different paths to vegetarianism. For me, amazingly, it was reading a few paragraphs in one of Lewis Carroll's least popular books. No way Carroll could have predicted that decades after publication of his book Sylvie and Bruno, this scene would stir up an instantaneous and powerful desire in a young girl's heart to become vegetarian. But yep, that was what happened. Just as reading How God Changes the Brain led me to meditation, the story of which is told in the Connected Minds post on my blog, these words from Carroll converted me to a fierce vegetarianism that lasted, if not long enough, for several years of my life:

"No; I saw that, said Sylvie. He's always afraid of being praised. But he made me eat it, really! I would much rather he--oh, what's that? And she clung to my hand, half-frightened, as we came in sight of a hare, lying on its side with legs stretched out just in the entrance to the wood.
It's a hare, my child. Perhaps it's asleep.
No, it isn't asleep, Sylvie said, timidly going nearer to look at it: its eyes are open. Is it--is it--her voice dropped to an awestruck whisper, is it dead, do you think?"
"Yes, it's quite dead," I said, after stooping to examine it. "Poor thing! I think it's been hunted to death. I know the harriers were out yesterday. But they haven't touched it. Perhaps they caught sight of another, and left it to die of fright and exhaustion."
"Hunted to death?" Sylvie repeated to herself, very slowly and sadly. "I thought hunting was a thing they played at like a game. Bruno and I hunt snails: but we never hurt them when we catch them!"
"Sweet angel!" I thought. "How am I to get the idea of Sport into your innocent mind?" And as we stood, hand-in-hand, looking down at the dead hare, I tried to put the thing into such words as she could understand. "You know what fierce wild-beasts lions and tigers are?" Sylvie nodded. "Well, in some countries men have to kill them, to save their own lives, you know."
"Yes," said Sylvie: "if one tried to kill me, Bruno would kill it if he could."
"Well, and so the men--the hunters--get to enjoy it, you know: the running, and the fighting, and the shouting, and the danger."
"Yes," said Sylvie. "Bruno likes danger."
"Well, but, in this country, there aren't any lions and tigers, loose: so they hunt other creatures, you see." I hoped, but in vain, that this would satisfy her, and that she would ask no more questions.
"They hunt foxes," Sylvie said, thoughtfully. "And I think they kill them, too. Foxes are very fierce. I daresay men don't love them. Are hares fierce?"
"No," I said. "A hare is a sweet, gentle, timid animal--almost as gentle as a lamb."
"But, if men love hares, why--why--" her voice quivered, and her sweet eyes were brimming over with tears.
"I'm afraid they don't love them, dear child."
"All children love them," Sylvie said. "All ladies love them."
"I'm afraid even ladies go to hunt them, sometimes."
Sylvie shuddered. `"Oh, no, not ladies!' she earnestly pleaded. "Not Lady Muriel!"
"No, she never does, I'm sure--but this is too sad a sight for you, dear. Let's try and find some--"
But Sylvie was not satisfied yet. In a hushed, solemn tone, with bowed head and clasped hands, she put her final question. "Does GOD love hares?"
"Yes!" I said. "I'm sure He does! He loves every living thing. Even sinful men. How much more the animals, that cannot sin!"
"I don't know what `sin' means," said Sylvie. And I didn't try to explain it.
"Come, my child," I said, trying to lead her away. "Wish good-bye to the poor hare, and come and look for blackberries."
"Good-bye, poor hare!" Sylvie obediently repeated, looking over her shoulder at it as we turned away. And then, all in a moment, her self-command gave way. Pulling her hand out of mine, she ran back to where the dead hare was lying, and flung herself down at its side in such an agony of grief as I could hardly have believed possible in so young a child.
"Oh, my darling, my darling!" she moaned, over and over again. "And God meant your life to be so beautiful!"
Sometimes, but always keeping her face hidden on the ground, she would reach out one little hand, to stroke the poor dead thing, and then once more bury her face in her hands, and sob as if her heart would break.
I was afraid she would really make herself ill: still I thought it best to let her weep away the first sharp agony of grief: and, after a few minutes, the sobbing gradually ceased, and Sylvie rose to her feet, and looked calmly at me, though tears were still streaming down her cheeks.
I did not dare to speak again, just yet; but simply held out my hand to her, that we might quit the melancholy spot.
Yes, I'll come now, she said. Very reverently she kneeled down, and kissed the dead hare; then rose and gave me her hand, and we moved on in silence".

Now comes a new book directly aimed at promoting vegetarianism.

Becoming A Vegetarian - One Woman's Experience by Anita Saran.

Could reading Becoming a Vegetarian - One Woman's Experience be the book that turns you away from the killing of animals for sport or for food?

I hope so.

The book contains, besides the principal argument of vegetarianism for compassion's sake, every other argument that can be made for vegetarianism - be it religious, historical, social or medical.

However, my reason for recommending you buy and read Becoming Vegetarian - One Woman's Experience goes beyond the artistic, literary or expository merits of the book.

I believe that when an animal lover speaks, everyone ought to listen.

I have known Saran for decades.

Before Saran was vegetarian, she was an animal lover who could not and would not turn away from the plight of a starving, injured or homeless animal.

We would be walking on the road and talking, when she would squeal because she had noticed some stray dogs on the side of the road. Next minute, I would see her emptying her handbag of any available food she had; and if she didn't have any, run to the nearest bakery or grocery store to buy some food; in all the time I knew her, she could never ignore a helpless animal.

This was Saran.

Saran's home was also a shelter to many unloved dogs. Even when she had too many to care for, her heart was always big enough to take in one more.

So a year ago, when I requested Saran to guest post on my blog, we both knew the ideal subject would be her pets.

Becoming Vegetarian - One Woman's Experience is a quick read written by someone who enjoyed eating meat until her early 40s, when she participated in a study session on ahimsa and converted to vegetarianism overnight.

In her book, Saran presents the Buddhist and Jain viewpoints on consuming the flesh of animals, viewpoints she has come to believe.

Sensitive to other viewpoints, Saran presents the moral arguments for vegetarianism and also stresses the ecological, health and survival benefits.

Counter arguments and doubts about becoming protein deficient or weak are quickly dispelled by citing facts and providing a list of several bodybuilders who are vegetarian.

Being in great shape herself, and looking far younger than her years, Saran's health and youthfulness eloquently testify to the cosmetic benefits of vegetarianism.

Finally, if you are unclear about what it means to be vegetarian and how to go about becoming one, Becoming Vegetarian - One Woman's Experience, provides you with all the instructions and necessary cautions to ensure you will succeed.

I am glad Saran wrote this book and I hope many will buy it, read it and be encouraged by it to become vegetarian.