Vegetarianism Books

I just finished reading "Wurst Case Scenario" but made the mistake of reading it before reading the prequel "Truth or Dairy". At first I was a bit confused by the characters and events/places she mentioned in passing, but, I did get to understand what/whom she was talking about by the end of the book. This book is written in diary form and it provides a complete "what not to do in a long distance relationship manual" "Wurst Case Scenario" is a hilarious book with a new crisis every page. Even though Courtney is quite a bit older than I am, I was still able to relate to her problems. I think it will appeal to all teenagers, both big and small. This book is funny and a page turner... it is by no means the best book around, but it's not the wurst either...

After reading Truth or Diary I was expecting Wurst Case Scenario to be a lot better than it actually was. Although the ending was disappointing, anyone looking for an ok read with find this enjoyable.

Once again we meet Courtney Von Dragen Smith, who's all grown up and entering college...in Wisconsin?! Courtney is a likable character, and is shows in this diary of her first semester. However, I read Truth or Dairy (the prequel) earlier this year, and even I couldn't remember who some of the characters were she constantly mentions. It would have been nice if the author had woven in a quick explanation of who Jane and Beth were just to refresh our memories. I felt like this book could have been MUCH better, but instead, the characters are so thinly drawn that you never care much about them.

Last year, Courtney Von Dragen Smith dealt with her boyfriend breaking up with her, her brother dating her best friend, and her dog running away repeatedly. Now she's in college, and she's going to leave all of that melodrama behind her.

Or . . . not. College presents her with a new set of problems: a roommate that loves cheese; tough classes and tests; and a new job with a mean boss. On top of all of this, she's homesick. Far, far away from home, keeping a long-distance relationship with her new boyfriend is proving to be hard, and she misses her family too.

Wurst Case Scenario is written in diary format - and Courtney writes down absolutely everything right as she thinks it, so reading this book is like listening to her internal monologue. This funny college story is just as good if not better than its predecessor Truth or Dairy. From participating in protests to freaking out about mid-terms, from selling bagels to struggling to stay vegan, Courtney thinks her life is woeful - but readers will find it joyful.

A sequel to "Truth or Dairy," "Wurst Case Scenario" is engaging, but a little bit depressing. Terribly unrealistic (something catastrophic just HAS to happen on every page?) and full of things people just shouldn't do (they wonder why they end up doing stupid things after having several beers... hmmm). A page-turner, and definitely a want-to-read after Clark's previous novel. I wouldn't buy it, which is why I borrowed it from the library, and I'm glad I did.

There's a wealth of fabulous information in this book, on subjects such as factory farming, how to maintain a vegetarian diet while traveling, how to raise vegetarian kids and have a healthy vegetarian pregnancy, all of the different types of vitamins, minerals, and other things that make up our food, sample international vegetarian menus (such as African [as unspecific as that category is, since there are lots of cuisines in the continent], Italian, and Greek), how to handle your new diet at work, and rebuttals of myths about vegetarianism. Since everyone becomes vegetarian (at whichever level) for different reasons, obviously different sections of the book will be more compelling and relevant to different people. For example, one who was told by one's doctor to stop eating meat will likely be more interested in the chapters on the health benefits, and one who is an animal-lover will more appreciate the chapters on just what really goes on inside the modern farming industry and in other facets of animal exploitation. All in all, there's a lot to soak up here.

However, I would have to agree that there are a fair amount of mixed messages and borderline preachiness too. I also ascribe to a number of New Age views, but even I found some of them irrelevant in a book about vegetarianism (such as the chapters on holistic health and alternate dieting and cleansing methods) and somewhat hard to swallow. While it might be true that not eating meat or other animal products slows down puberty, am I really supposed to believe that it can be put off till as late as age 21 and that it's better and more natural to go through one's entire teenage years without menstruating, starting to develop an adult body, and devoid of hormones? At times it seems like she's unsure of her audience; is it for health nuts, those into New Age and holistic dietary practices, regular vegetarians who still eat dairy and eggs, strict vegetarians and vegans who are cutting out all animal products, or those who eat fish or some meat yet still consider themselves vegetarians of a sort? A lot of the stuff she says about developing a new diet, going shopping, dining out, etc., seems really geared towards those who are giving up just about all animal products, the way she talks to the reader as though s/he'll need to be things like buying egg replacements and soy milk. I myself am experimenting with and slowly transitioning towards veganism, or at least strict vegetarianism, but if I were only interested in the more common lacto ovo vegetarianism, I wouldn't have appreciated a lot of this book as much. There's even a chapter on fish-eating, half of which covers the benefits of eating fish; there are also sections on how to choose one's meat if one still eats it, as well as earlier claiming that some types of vegetarians still eat meat. That's like saying you're a little pregnant! (She also actually tells the reader about making up a shopping list, as though you were so stupid that you didn't know about such a concept, particularly when it comes to starting a new diet.)

And while I'll give her the benefit of the doubt that her heart was in the right place, Ms. Wolfe does come across as borderline preachy in a number of spots, like claiming that all of your health woes will be solved the moment you stop eating meat and all major animal products, that the reason you have bad body odor, stomach aches, headaches, dry skin, and low energy is all because you're eating animal products. And even though she does stress that these changes don't happen overnight but gradually, she does seem to have a lot of scare tactics, as though one's gradual pacing of a change in diet won't be good or healthy enough until one is a strict vegetarian, and not only that, but eating 99% whole organic uncooked unprocessed foods. Somehow I don't think I'm going to be on the road to a heart attack or stroke because I'm not about to give up bread and crackers made from white flour and anything that's not in its pure organic state. I'm also not that interested in brushing my skin every day. Again, these things seem geared more towards the health nut and not for the average run of the mill lacto ovo vegetarian.

In spite of the flaws, though, the book's in-depth and thought-provoking information does override the negative attributes. When the core material is strong enough, the less than great attributes can usually be overlooked or excused to a point. It seems to me more like Ms. Wolfe is so passionate about and carried away by her version of the vegetarian lifestyle than being deliberately holier than thou.

I fully support my daughter's becoming a vegetarian because there are a lot of good reasons for doing so. You don't have to make up reasons like this author has. I was a fan of this book series until I read parts of this book. Apparently the publishers will publish anything that will make money, and they don't bother to check the facts. This book is riddled with distortions and untruths. The author seems to think that enzymes are living organisms. She compares the human skull with that of a lion to argue her point that humans aren't suited to eating meat. She says that our molars that are meant for grinding plant tissue but fails to mention that we have incisors for tearing into meat. Students learn around 3rd grade that while a lion's teeth are suited for a carnivore and a cow's for a herbivore, humans have teeth for both plants and meat and that makes us a versatile omnivore. The author seems to think that the reader is truly an idiot: "Gee, I've been able to chew meat all of my life, but this author says I shouldn't be able to, so I'll stop eating meat." Much of this book is just new-age propaganda designed to convince readers at the expense of the truth that they should become vegetarians. Shame on the Idiot's Guide series for publishing such crap!

Or maybe you just need a little back-up material for all those questions you get when friends and family find out you've gone.

THIS is the book for you! The answers are here. Find out great facts like - just how long does it take the human body to digest meat? (too long...it actually starts to rot in your gut) Why should you be concerned with how cows are treated on a dairy farm? (because the hormones they pump into the cows to keep them lactating could be effecting your own hormones! And that's just one reason!)

This book solidified my choice and has got me thinking of going Vegan. Don't know the difference? This book will explain that and SO MUCH MORE!

Definitely one of the best Vegetarian information books I've read so far. A MUST for every Vegetarian and anyone considering going vegetarian.

I saw this book in Boarders Express. I went to a vegan cooking class this summer. It was all good but I wanted to know more info on reasons to go vegan. I read this book and it gave me good reasons. There is enviromental, health and humane reasons. I mostly went for health becuase I can't belive meat producers would put hormones in their animals. Maybe thats why many women this day I suffering from PMS! And I don't like the fact that its takes a long time to digest meat. And drinking cows milk IS for baby cows only! Our bodies are only desiged to drink human milk. And the way the environment is being polluted from factory farming. They give all the water and food to make meat when we could be using all the grain and water to feed for starving children! Plus since the U.S. eats alot of meat and not alot of veggies, we are walking fatties! Only 2% of vegetarians are overweight while meat eaters are 60% over weight. And all those hormones they put in milk and meat. Maybe thats why girls as young as eight are starting puberty! I pledge to go vegan from this day.

I bought this book after deciding to become a lacto-ovo, and figured I could use a book on how to do it properly. I found this book at my local Borders, and bought it. It was a big waste of my money.

First off, she comes of as "Holier Than Thou," in a sense labeling you as ignorant until now. But you've finally seen the light, you poor little child. She seems to belittle anyone short of staunch vegans.

Next, she throws in a lot of herbal 'remedies' and claims that a vegetarian diet will eliminate your acne, PMS, and other health problems, because everything definately stems from eating meat. It sounds like snake oil.

She vehemently pushes the vegetarian diet/lifestyle as the only way to be healthy, and that if you switch to the vegetarian diet, all your troubles will be gone the moment you put that broccoli into your mouth. I got better information in the vegetarian section of the Complete Idiot's Guide to Total Nutrition.

Feminism AND veganism? This would seem like the book of my dreams. But it wasn't.

I was looking for some really strong arguments backed with opinions and modern issues, but there wasn't anything like that in this book. In fact I'm sure that I could come up with better points in comparing animal exploitation to women's exploitation.

Though I do feel happy that this book was written and I respect Carol J. Adams for writing it.

An obvious connection overlooked before Carol Adams came along to illuminate it for us.

I first read THE SEXUAL POLITICS OF MEAT in 1990. I had just become a vegetarian. This book connected my feminist politics with my vegetarian politics. This book was a groundbreaking work in ecofeminist theory. Ms. Adams shows how a patriarchal society oppresses animals, women and the very planet Earth itself. She shows us how our dietary choices can be a resistance to the oppressive patriarchal status quo. This book continues to empower me. In 2004 this book is more relevant than ever.

Many feminists do not like to be treated like meat or like animals. I think this is because we all know, consciously or not, the extent and nature of animal oppression. Why have feminists for so long co-opted these animal metaphors to explain their own oppression, yet failed to see that these metaphors only work BECAUSE animals themselves are so oppressed?

Carol Adams is among the first to step forward and call for feminist attention to animal rights and meat eating. She makes points in this book which are revolutionary and, I believe, will be the future of feminism. The questions she raises about species are no less reasonable than questions other feminists have raised about race, class, gender, and any other facet of identity. Yet most feminists have refused to analyze human identity, and look at animals with the same eyes that many men look at women.

Though at times Adams writes very academically and heavily, this book should be required reading for all feminists-- and for all people who believe that both women and animals in this culture are literally and figuratively fragmented, consumed, and turned into meat, the ultimate objectification. A book whose importance I cannot stress enough.

This is the kind of book scientists researching the history of gender studies in a few centuries will go wild about. It captures in a nutshell all that is wrong and illogical in modern feminism, and contains the reason why feminism will soon die a natural death like all the other illiberal 'isms' of the past. The author is clearly a vegetarian and by definition pro-abortion, but does she realise that before the influence of feminism started twisting human morality, it was unthinkable for vegetarians to support abortion! No rational human being could honestly put the value of animal life above that of human life, unless their morality and ethics have been twisted by one or another 'ism'. We know this only too well from the horrible effects which Marxism and Communism had on otherwise good people. The end justifies the means for staunch believers in any 'ism'. Using the author's reasoning, one could just as easily claim that the widespread, unconditional granting of abortion is the reason behind the steady increase in woman child-murderers, abortion having given modern women a feeling that their lives and conveniences come before human life. I am a meat-eating supporter of abortion who knows that the killing of animals for food could not possibly be ethically worse than the killing of humans for convenience.

A wonderful book. This is not a toddlers story book, with 3 letter words that rhyme and bright colored pictures to make up what the story lacks. This is a childrens book (8,9,10,11) to help them understand why they may choose to be vegetarian.
Like many wonderful classic books it is full of charming, black and white art. The book touches on animals feelings and enviromental issues on why someone may choose to be vegetarian. Good not only for vegetarian kids but also for other kids to get an understanding/acceptance of others.

You notice how this book does not have the "look inside the book" like most books on Amazon.com? Yet it's been out for years? This is intentional folks! If you look inside this book you will not want to buy it.

I was SO disapointed when I got this book. I loved the title, cover picture and it sounded like a great idea. Yet when I got it and opened it up it was the most boring and worst kids book I think I have ever come across. And most of the stuff in there is more related to the environment, not to vegetarianism.

I'm still smarting over losing my money on this one!

I returned it even though i had to pay to ship it back! Should not be a kids book, it had very few pictures and no color!

This has to be the worst book for vegetarian kids that I've come across. It doesn't get any more bland and unexciting than this. Save your money.

Wow! I really loved this book. I am 11 years and I am vegetarian. Alot of kids at school have made fun of me because I am vegetarian. I asked my mom why they make fun of me because I dont eat meat and she told me it was because there arent many vegetarians out there. A few weeks later she gave me this book. I read it over the weekend and I really loved this book. Thank you Ann Bradley for writing such a neat book.

I bought this book in hopes of weight training and still be a vegetarian. To find the information you have to browse through the pages back and forth. The recipes are thrown in between other information, they are hard to find and keep them organized. It seems as though the information is just thrown all together randomly without any kind of specific structure or plan. Everything is all over the place combined with a bunch of complicated words and unnecessary information. Also information on certain supplements and plans are "Out on the jury" meaning the author has no idea, proof, or real recommendation of wether it works or not. In my opinion if you don't know if something works for sure... don't write about it in a 'guide'. It's silly. I wouldn't buy this book and I do not recommend it. In fact if I could return it, I would. Right now it's just going to the trash can.

If you consider yourself to be an endurance athlete (of any type) and you are (or aspire to be) a vegan, then this book is definitely for you. I have seen many other books that say the word "Vegetarian" on the cover, when they really mean ovo-lacto-pesco-vegetarian (eggs, milk, and fish). This book lives up to it's title by featuring lots of recipes, example diets (from professional vegan athletes), and nutrition information for vegans (persons who eat absolutely NO animal products)!

I read in one review posted above "and you are (or aspire to be) a vegan, then this book is definitely for you." is this a JOKE? THIS reader obviously did not open this book at all! the term "vegetarian" in used so freely that people that eat a burger a week are considered "semi-vegetarians". What is that supposed to mean? And what about "pesco-vegetarians"? This guide is a joke. If you take veganism or vegetarianism seriously, don't waste your money on this title. However, I give it 2 stars because it has some information on vitamins and other supplements. Yet, I can get the same advice from any other "omni/carnivore" regular nutrition book.

This book uses many examples of athletes who call themselves "semi" vegetarian. Meaning they still consume meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, consuming any amount of animal flesh is not vegetarianism.

She also references the lacto-vegetarian diet as consuming poultry, eggs, and dairy. Poultry is meat and does not constitute vegetarianism. Lacto means consuming dairy.

She is a strong voice for the supplement industry suggesting large amounts of creatine supplements as well as protein supplements. It is well known that the body cannot store protein and any excess is excreted in the urine along with calcium used in the process of alkalinizing and excreting the protein which can put you at risk for osteoporosis, not a good idea.

Much of the information in the book is highly outdated, focused on supplements and does not offer any sound advice for a true vegetarian who avoids all animal flesh.

The book has a slight undertone of trying to persuade you away from vegetarianism which I found odd for a book that claims to be for vegetarians.

I would not recommend this book, I should have read the other reviews before buying it. There are numerous truly vegetarian and vegan olympic or world class athletes, this book gives terrible examples of "semi" vegetarians or what should be termed non-vegetarians.
If you are a true vegetarian, I wouldn't buy this book as it really isn't for vegetarians.

If you are looking for a book with ammo to attack the non-vegans in your life, this is not it. As several of the previous reviews have stated, this book provides numerous alternative nutrition plans. Some of the references made in the book measure the effectiveness of vegetarian diets to non-vegetarian diets when addressing some specific nutritional deficiencies associated with intensive training programs. I suggest that this information is presented as comparative and not as encouragement to become omnivorous as has been implied. As a committed vegetarian I took no offense to any of the suspect references.

Read with the absence of political bias this book is extremely informative to the serious athlete. Actual nutrition plans and specific rationale are included from vegetarian athletes with unequivocal credibility. The book is also extremely readable with bios and recipes inserted appropriately to support the nutritional strategies.

My reason for buying this book was to get an edge on my long run times and learn how to recover faster after races and heavy workouts. This book delivered on both accounts.
If you're a weekend mall walker looking for a recipe book, there are several out there that will teach you how to make foo-foo dishes until your eyes bleed. If you are serious about athletic training and understanding vegetarian sports nutrition, you are in the right place.

An impressive culinary compendium of more than 200 meat-free, gourmet quality dishes, the "Vegetarian Cookbook For Cheese Lovers" by vegetarian and free lance author Tonya Buell is packed cover to cover with flavorful, nutritious, 'kitchen cook friendly' vegetarian recipes that have ample protein and calcium. From Calico Cheese Fingers; Golden Mandarin Salad; Pasta and Broccoli with Gorgonzola Sauce; and Easy Cheesy Asparagus; to Mediterranean Potatoes and Artichokes; Stacked Enchiladas Verde; Apple Butter Cookies; Chocolate Cheesecake; and Cherry Cheese Triangles, this is a collection of quality recipes that is a simply wonderful addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections in general, and the vegetarian reference shelf in particular.

The Vegetarian Cookbook for Cheese Lovers fails to go much beyond a standard church cookbook or a publication by Kraft Foods. If you are cooking with ingredients like canned cherry and raspberry pie filling, canned cheese soup, marshmallow creme, frozen corn, lots of white bread, crushed crackers and refrigerated biscuit dough, why bother to be a vegetarian? Okay, there's no meat, but this is not exactly healthy eating. There are many, many other cheese and vegetarian cookbooks with much more creative and appealing recipes using farm-fresh ingredients that make vegetarian cooking a joy. Incidentally, for the person who claims that cheese is not vegetarian because of the rennet -- you should know that so-called "vegetarian" rennet is usually a genetically modified product.

I LOVE this book! Excellent, fun, easy, and delicious recipes abound. I use it all the time. It's awesome!

I am a vegetarian who loves cheese and was very excited about this book. I was sorely disappointed when it arrived. The recipes look like they came from a frozen TV dinner collection, and are remarkably bland and repetitive. Unless you want a cookbook with a multitude of minor variations on the same cheese casserole, avoid at all costs.

I'm not a vegetarian, but isn't it healthier for us to eat meat sparingly? These recipes are flavorful and fun. Why not have some nonmeat meals for a change? A great recipe book to add to a collection of cookbooks that will see use.

Readers, take note of a few things -
Though the author comes up eventually in favor of cutting back on meat products for ecological reasons, it is my impression is not generally sympathetic to vegetarians. The book largely focuses on the hacks and crazies that adopted vegetarianism between 1600-1800. Gandhi gets a scarce few pages.
Second, this is A cultural history of vegetarianism, specifically the relationship between western europe and India. His thesis is that India was largely responsible for transplanting many strands of vegetarianism into Europe, specifically England and a few French philosophers. This very well may be true, but a more expansive survey would have made for a more interesting book. I got very bogged down in the first few chapters.
All these negatives included, it is a well researched, reasonably well written book on a narrow topic.

There is no doubt that Tristram Stuart has conducted a great deal of research in order to write The Bloodless Revolution. He has a astute eye for minute details unique personalities. Doctors, cranks, religious fanatics, scientists, and others, some famous and some obscure, are rendered with thorough and loving detail. If nothing else, the sheer scope of Stuart's work is illustrative of how broad and diverse a movement vegetarianism is.

Yet sometimes I feel that Stuart was in some ways blinded by his own hypotheses and unwilling to look at alternative views. Stuart believes that European vegetarianism is rooted in Indian culture. This is not an indefensible view, but his case for it would have been stronger if he had answered some potential objections to such assertions, rather than ignoring them. Furthermore, literally all of European history between Pythagoras and English Revolution is simply missing. It is perfectly reasonable for Mr. Stuart to focus on a particular era, but readers with some preestablished famniliarity with vegetarian history -- a group likely to comprise a significant portion of The Bloodless Revolution's readers -- are likely to ask questions. For instance, why does St. Francis of Assisi not appear once in the entire book? Why is Leonardo da Vinci only mentioned in a quote comparing him to the Indians? Should the Cathars be ignored? It is one thing to focus on a specific era of history -- the English Revolution to the Second World War -- but it is another to leap straight from Pythagoras to Francis Bacon while ignoring virtually all of the intervening millenia. In short, if Stuart wants to emphasis the critical role of Indian influence on European vegetarianism, he should have investigated earlier indigenous European vegetarian movements or ideas and, if the evidence showed them not to be influential, shown us such evidence, rather than ignoring the whole question.

Second, Stuart often magnifies a dichotomy between animal welfare activists who called for less brutal treatment of domesticated animals and vegetarians who opposed meat consumption. While it is certainly true that there were and are numerous animal welfare activists who sought the reform, rather than abolition, of meat consumption (and vegetarians indifferent to animal welfare), Stuart seems to imply that these were each others' chief opponents. There is little mention of the arguments of those who opposed both animal welfarists and vegetarians. From my impression, it seems that Stuart himself happens to be an animal welfarist who has no problems with meat consumption so long as the animals involved are treated humanely. There is nothing wrong with this viewpoint, but sometimes I wonder whether Stuart's emphasis on welfarists as opponents, rather than allies, of vegetarians, is an attempt to defend his own position against worries about the persuasiveness of ethical vegetarian arguments, and whether Stuart ignores most views less sympathetic to animals than welfarism or vegetarianism because he personally finds them so unpersuasive that he feels they needn't be covered.

Lastly, while Stuart has a brilliant eye for detail and color, he has little time for facts or demographics. Such information may be hard to come by, but could there have been more information? For example, could there be some way of estimating the fraction of vegetarians in the British population from 1600 to modern times? Could we find out the average meat consumption per capita over time? I did not pick this up expecting a book heavy on statistics or demographics, but I nonetheless found the absence of even minimal attention to such matters disappointing.

Nonetheless, The Bloodless Revolution is a thoroughly researched, well-written, and original work. It provides a valuable resource to anyone interested in the history of vegetarianism in the modern era. I found it quite an enjoyable read, and the detailed portraits of the individuals, from meticulous scientists to enthusiastic religious cranks, were all a pleasure to read. I took great pleasure in reading it over several weeks.

I've been a vegetarian for 25 years and was excited to get this book, which would give me insight into the history of 'my people'. Unfortunately, it's a snooze - dry, with references to all kinds of historical figures that I know nothing about, jumping from here to there, with nothing compelling to keep me adrift on a sea of historical mumbo-jumbo. I gave up after less than 100 pages. Sorry - it's obviously well-intentioned, but just not compelling or gripping reading - even for someone who is the core target audience!

C.S. Lewis once delightedly insisted that he couldn't be offered "a mug of tea that was too big or a book that was too long." Being less stalwart than he, my heart sank when I saw the size of the wonderfully named Tristram Stuart's The Bloodless Revolution. But I was quickly captivated by Stuart's enjoyable style, his astounding erudition, the sheer interest of his subject matter, and the exquisite illustrations, in both color and black-and-white.

Stuart writes intellectual history in the old-fashioned graceful way of a Basil Wiley, Keith Thomas, or Carolyn Merchant. He excels at showing the cultural, economic, moral, and religious influences from Francis Bacon through the nineteenth century romantic period on attitudes towards a meatless diet. I was especially intrigued to discover that some of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century utilitarians and economists regarded vegetarianism as a means of overcoming the Malthusian disparity between population and resources--a very forward-looking strategy indeed. Stuart's epilogue, in which he discusses the early twentieth-century's "post-Rousseauist" back-to-nature movement that inspired folks as diverse as Gandhi and Hitler, is fascinating. I hope that it serves as the seed for Stuart's next book.

All in all, highly recommended for those interested in the history and culture of vegetarianism as well as those interested in modern British intellectual history. For collections of some of the primary sources referred to by Stuart, the reader may wish to consult Ethical Vegetarianism from Pythagoras to Peter Singer and Religious Vegetarianism from Hesiod to the Dalai Lama.

This is one of the most informative and important books that I have ever read. I have worked for a half century in the diet and health research and policy arena and have reluctantly but most assuredly because convinced of the health superiority of a diet comprised of plant-based foods. Along the way I also have become very much aware of the difficulty of communicating this message to the professional and public communities. Although serious interest in this topic is emerging in the last few years, even last few months, I am also aware of a visceral sometimes very hostile reaction against this view from a relatively small but sometimes influential group of people. The gap between the believers and non-believers in this way of eating could hardly be more contentious. Thus I have frequently wondered about the question of whatever happened to rational, civil discourse on a topic such as this, especially at a time when we are getting so much empirical data to support the use of a plant-based diet and so much demand for health care solutions.

This book comes as close as any to providing the explanation that I have sought. Although I am not a professional historian or philosopher, I have long had an avid interest in these disciplines. I strongly believe in that age-old adage that those who ignore history are bound to repeat it. However limited my perspective may be, I nonetheless find this book by Tristram Stuart to be an incredible presentation of some events and ideas that really go a long way to help provide an answer to my question.

I am still awed by the depth and sophistication of knowledge that existed among leading scholars and medical people in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries concerning the use of a plant-based diet. I am sure that it is possible to quibble about Stuart's selection and interpretation of references, as is true of almost any historical account. Nonetheless, I am impressed with these references, not only because of their number, but also because of Stuart's liberal use of direct quotations--these can be easily confirmed, if necessary. But, more to the point, I found that so many of the views of these early writers, who had limited access to empirical data, to be remarkably well confirmed with the highly technical findings gathered in recent years. With my son, Tom, we write about these findings in our own book, "The China Study. Startling Implications of Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health".

There are many other impressive and largely unknown findings told in this book. I especially enjoyed the views on diet and health of these writers that were at the core of philosophical discussions that were to shape Renaissance thinking, especially on matters that led to political reform.

I highly recommend this book--it is full of enormously impressive content that says so much about what we are now experiencing in this field. Tristram Stuart is a remarkably capable young writer and I very much hope that he will continue writing more such material!

In the meanwhile, we now desperately need some of the courage and creativity of these early writers--a revolution in health could hardly be more needed. Thank you, Tristram Stuart, for sharing your thoughts.

The author put this book in an easy-to-read question and answer format. It covers all ages and a wide variety of subjects, from how to deal with unsupportive families to nutrition for the young bodybuilder. There is an excellent recipe section at the end. It's a fun read that offers sound advice and support for the parents of vegetarian children.

I was looking for more information on healthy nutrition for vegetatarian children. This book offers information on attitudes toward vegetairan families and a few nice recipes, but no basic nutrition information. If you're looking for a book to comiserate with your woes of people misunderstanding your wish to raise your child as a vegetarian, then this is the book for you. If you wish to learn about vegetarian nutrition for children, then try Sharon Yntema's books - they are great !

I expected more information on vegetarian nutrition & recipes. Though this book presents some of the social obstacles of a living as a vegetarian with children, it offers little in the way of solutions to obstacles - just "arguments" for "defending" vegetarianism. If you wish to argue & defend, you should read this book. Education & information about sound vegetarian nutrition and reasons for living a peaceful vegetarian lifestyle are much better to help justify choices than the information that this book offers.

I really enjoyed this book. I've tried 5 or 6 of the recipes in the back and they are fantastic. It really helped get us out of the mealtime rut we were in. I recommend this book to any parent of vegetarian children.

I've been looking at cookbooks for people with allergies to dairy, soy, eggs and nuts. I was excited by the title of this book, but after looking at many of the recipes (especially in the dessert section) I was disappointed. The author calls for margarine in many of the soy-free recipes--but as far as I know a soy-free margarine does not exist.

I recommend the cookbook "150 Vegan Favorites." Solomon has many soy-free, healthy and exciting recipes.

I was so relieved to find this allergy free vegetarian recipe book after being diagnosed with mulitple food allergies. The recipes are user-friendly and unlike other allergy cookbooks I didn't have to make a special trip to the health food store to purchase special food substitutes and expensive ingredients in order to start cooking. My husband and I take turns preparing dinner and he enjoys the simplicity of the recipes and actually looks forward to serving up a new meal that is both "safe " for me to eat and delicious for the rest of the family to enjoy. I am interested in learning more about Dr. Rettner's chiropractic treatment for curing food allergies and I plan to look for someone in my area who is familiar with this technique. I highly reccomend this uncomplicated cookbook for allergy sufferers who would prefer not to have to take formal cooking classes before preparing delicious meals while they adjust to a new way of eating. The book has been a lifesaver for me!

I did not care much for this book. The recipes provided can be found in any cookbook dealing with allergies, and there was only a limited number of allergenic foods for which recipes were given. However, there is some useful information given in the book that would be helpful to a person just beginning to manage food allergies. Also, there is a little information on how to manage allergies naturally, through chiropractic manipulation. The reason I only gave this book a 2-star rating is that the average chiropractor will not know the techniques used, but of course one can always purchase the videos advertised in the book explaining to one's chiropractor how to do these tests and manipulations. I feel that if an author is going to present information in a book, one should not have to pay extra (by buying videos) to get the information needed.

To fill a book with 365 unique tidbits of why someone should be a vegetarian is a difficult task to undertake. The author does their best to make the reasons interesting, however, it becomes apparent that there is little substance to this book. There are numerous quotes from "famous" persons which were quite interesting.

Overall, this book is an easy read, but I found it to be quite repetitive. It makes a quirky gift for a vegetarian, but no serious information about the vegetarian lifestyle can be gained from reading it.

This book is full of reasons to make you want to become a vegetarian. And if you already are one, then it will renew your faith in the lifestyle you have chosen and know is right for the world.