Comments: We don't think this way, but sometimes when people hear the word "vegan," they unconsciously make associations with other words, such as "militant," "fussy," "preachy," "boring," and "bland." This vegan book is none of those things.

The book, a revision of Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons, has gone all vegan, and includes 20 new recipes over the old book. The 120 soup recipes are grouped by season, and while almost all of them start with olive oil, 1 onion, and a specified quantity of garlic, there is surprising diversity among the soups. Some have an Asian twist, some Creole, French, Spanish, Italian, etc. There are chilis, gumbos, gazpachos, stews, cold fruit soups (which do not start with the olive oil, onion, and garlic), and many other soups, especially suited to a particular season or to any season. Each recipe includes a nutritional analysis.

At the end of the book is a selection of recipes for breads, muffins, scones, and biscuits to accompany the soups.

The recipes are totally not fussy. The author points you toward organic vegetable bouillon cubes and salt-free spice mixtures that can be found in grocery and natural-food stores, rather than cajoling you to make your own. And not once did we find a holier-than-thou preachiness, which so often infects books of this sort.

Beyond a likely switch back to cow's cheese, sour cream, milk, and cream, we bet most of our omnivorous friends and readers would be 100% happy making most of these soups.

Our biggest complaint is that the occasional use of orange type in the book is a little hard to read.