Reviewed by Laurel Long, age 22


The cover of Herbivore Magazine poses the question, "Sarah Kramer: The World's Coolest Vegan?" Well, after reading the magazine, I would have to say not only is Sarah Kramer one of the coolest vegans around, Herbivore Magazine is most definitely the coolest magazine around.

In the premier issue alone, Herbivore sports a wide array of articles, including reviews of cruelty-free goodies, interviews with vegan web entrepreneurs, and a look at a vegetarian's funky tattoo parlor. My favorite article was the quiz, "Are You A White Trash Vegetarian?" (And yes, for those who just have to know, I am indeed a white trash vegetarian).

Herbivore is a welcome and refreshing change of pace from all the other magazines out there. It has its own sort of beat and, while each article is on a totally different subject, virtually all the articles are connected by one common thread: humor. At some points, I found myself literally laughing out loud, and trust me - it's not every day that my friends, let alone a magazine, can make me laugh that hard!

One word of caution: for the veggies out there that are offended by cussing, Herbivore may not be for you. Otherwise, I wholeheartedly recommend checking out this "vegetarian culture" magazine. I know they now have at least one faithful reader-me!

And the Vegetarianteen.com Editor review by Lucy Watkins:

A couple months ago, I was lamenting my life situation. In previous years, while working as a social worker with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, I was deluged with the effects of victimization in intimate relationships and in bureaucracy. I got out and began working as a writer focusing on vegetarian issues. Again, I was deluged by victimization. This time it was being perpetrated by the slaughtering industries. My heart has felt so heavy because I know I must spread the word, but I am tired of the sorrow and pain in those words. Then, I recieved a copy of the premiere issue of Herbivore Magazine.

Josh Hooten and Michelle Schwegmann have hit on something big here. The owners of Herbivore Clothing have created a stylish, irreverent, entertaining, magazine that shows readers how cool veganism really is. They’ve stripped bare the notion that veganism is exclusively the domain of the long-haired, peace sign tattooed hippy and reveal the life of modern vegans who are of above average intelligence, wit, and style.

Among the items in Herbivore are interviews with author Sarah Kramer (How It All Vegan), cartoonist Dan Piraro, tattoo artist Jennifer Billig, and the owners of San Francisco fashion house, OTSU Vegan Style. Instead of asking the kinds of question Barbara Walters and I do, Michelle and Josh have conversations you’d expect to have at a casual party with like-minded people while sitting on a comfortable couch with your feet on the coffee table. One of the greatest reads in the ‘zine is the account of a group road trip to California. I laughed out loud and, in giggling prayer, promised to follow through on all of my commitments if I could only be part of the next ride. It is full of cursing, laughter, silliness, music, dark humor, bad food, bad puns, weak bladders, snoring, and a brief encounter with blind fruit pigs - and that’s only the first 40 pages.

Currently, the plans at Herbivore are to have a quarterly magazine. Subscriptions and single issues are available online at Herbivore Clothing . I highly recommend this magazine if you are looking for something different from the usual vegan media fare, if you have a friend who is a member of the vegan police force and needs to lighten up, if you have a body, or if your heart and lungs are working. Just buy it. Be warned though. This is not a ‘zine for the younger crowd.