2020 is poised to be the biggest year yet for veganism, with projected product launches, fast-food partnerships, and more. And the cookbooks and literature coming out this year reflect that mainstream shift. People are more interested in plant-based living than ever before, and these 10 books are the perfect way to get your foot in the door or expand your knowledge of all-things vegan. 

1. Living Lively
The incredible nineteen-year-old activist and motivational speaker Haile Thomas is releasing her debut cookbook, packed with 80 vibrant recipes and a manifesto to inspire the next generation of leaders to take care of their health. Her inspiring work and voice is why we interviewed her in our 2019 Wellness Issue, and why we can’t wait to read her book in 2020!  

2. BOSH! Healthy Vegan
The superstar team at BOSH!—the largest and fastest-growing plant-based food channel on the web—has revolutionized plant-based cooking on the web. And with videos racking up millions of views, you can bet the recipes in their fourth book will be more stellar than ever. Plus, this book goes beyond the recipes—boasting meal plans, nutrition hacks, and lifestyle tips that are perfect for both plant-based beginners and seasoned vegans. 

3. Voices for Animal Liberation
This book is filled with the words and stories of longtime animal activists from Gene Baur (founder of Farm Sanctuary) to Jo-Anne McArthur (photographer and founder of We Animals Media), all with the intention of inspiring and educating readers to pursue a more ethical world. We can’t wait to be empowered by the hard work and compassionate hearts of the activists in this book. 

4. Vegetable Kingdom
Food justice activist, author, and James Beard Award-winning chef Bryant Terry’s fourth book is full of stunning imagery and incredible Afro-Asian inspired recipes. Plus, each recipe comes with a suggested song pairing to listen to while you cook, so you can jam out in the kitchen. The book is organized by ingredients, encouraging readers to eat with the seasons and utilize what’s fresh on the market. 

5. More Plants Less Waste
Max La Manna, a zero-waste chef and sustainability advocate, is soon dropping a book we all need to read this year. He ties together plant-based eating with a no-waste approach that helps vegans transform their eating habits into sustainable routines and practices. With a simple 21-day, zero-waste challenge—not to mention easy eco-hacks that readers can do at home—this book is helping us further green up our eating routines. 

6. In Search of the Wild Tofurky
This book tells the amazing story of Seth Tibbott, a self-described hippie with no business training—and founder of vegan brand Tofurky—who grew a $2,500 startup into a global brand that transformed plant-based eating forever. This book proves that a good idea and a hard work ethic can change the world for the better. 

7. Love is Served
Long-time plant-based eatery Café Gratitude’s new cookbook by Seizan Dreux Ellis, executive chef at the restaurant chain, brings its most popular recipes into the comfort of readers’ homes with un-fussy methods and accessible ingredients. We can’t wait to whip up the “I Am Passionate” (Black Lava Cake) for a special Valentine’s Day treat!

8. Your Body in Balance
Written by acclaimed vegan doctor Neal Barnard, MD, this book provides step-by-step guidance for understanding the root of your health problems and what you can do to feel better fast (hint: it has to do with your diet). Barnard ties together the connection between food and our hormones and offers menus and recipes to help readers take control of their health via nutrition. 

9. Plants Only Kitchen
Gaz Oakley (aka @avantgardevegan) has amassed over a million followers on social media with his impressive-looking vegan dishes. And now, in his third cookbook, he’s bringing the focus back to plant-forward dishes that celebrate the versatility and taste of plants. Plus, with symbols flagging whether recipes are high-protein, take less than 15 minutes, or are suitable for meal prep, this cookbook makes plant-based cooking easier than ever. 

10. The VegNews Guide to Being a Fabulous Vegan 
Last but not least, in December we will all be treated to the much-anticipated debut of VegNews’ first book! Authored by VegNews editor Jasmin Singer (author of the memoir Always Too Much and Never Enough), this pocket-sized guide promises new and practiced vegans alike to do good, be good, and feel good in 30 days or less. This dynamic, accessible, and witty book covers everything from the protein question, to whether or not it’s true that vegans have better sex (spoiler alert: we do!), to whether or not veganism is a moral imperative when it comes to taking action for the planet (spoiler alert: it is, and this book helps you get started). Each chapter ends with a delectable recipe, which will make this all-in-one manifesto easy to digest. Stay tuned at VegNews.com for much more about this incredibly exciting addition to the VegNews platform!

Sarah McLaughlin is the New Products Editor at VegNews and is excited to continue expanding her knowledge of veganism through all of these books in 2020. 

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