Vegetarian America: A History (Hardcover)

by Karen Iacobbo (Author), Michael Iacobbo (Author) "Vegetarian America has existed since at least the 1700s..." (more)
Key Phrases: vegetarian advocacy, vegetarian advocates, drugless medicine, New York, United States, Sylvester Graham (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“Vegetarian America is a history of the movement in the US from the 18th century to today. The book goes thoroughly and compellingly into a history about which most vegetarians themselves are unaware. The Iacobbos provide fascinating stories and details about the key people, organizations, and events in vegetarianism....Recommended. All levels.”–Choice

“[T]his extremely well researched book is a worthwhile purchase for both large public and academic libraries.”–Library Journal

“Vegetarian America is a truly amazing, deftly researched and succinctly presented tour of the side of America that is not so commonly seen amid the thousands of turkey, beef, and ham commercials.”–The Bookwatch

“Vegetarian America: A History is an affordable and highly recommended acquisition for the circulating collections of all academic, health sciences, and public libraries. It deserves a place in the culinary collections of all hospital and other special libraries, cooking schools, and the personal collections of everyone with an interest in the history of food.”–E-Streams

“Vegetarian America: A History should be placed in every library in this country.”–MBR Internet Bookwatch

“[A] most entertaining history of the practice of vegetarianism in the United States from the late 1700s to the present....Vegetarian America is a truly amazing, deftly researched and succinctly presented tour of the side of America that is not so commonly seen amid the thousands of turkey, beef, and ham commercials.”–Vegetarian Journal

“[A] compelling, readable account of an unfamiliar history.”–Boston Herald

“Karen and Michael Iacobbo have done a stellar job at digging down to the roots of our vegetarian heritage. Their new book is a bountiful harvest of fascinating information, and should be required reading for anyone walking the veg way.”–Jeff Nelson, President, VegSource.com

“Every once in a while someone comes along and sees the need for explaining, or defining, and clarifying a basic reality. The Iacobbos have certainly done this with their book. It is a major breakthrough, both journalistically and inspirationally.”–Colman McCarthy, Columnist, The Washington Post

“Vegetarian America is an entertaining and informative read that puts into perspective the rich history of the U.S. vegetarian movement.”–Suzanne Havala Hobbs, Director, Carolina Health Summit University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

“Vegetarian America is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. It shows clearly where the path is leading and I hope enough of us get on it before it's too late for our children and grandchildren.”–Howard F. Lyman LL.D., author of Mad Cowboy

Review
"Karen and Michael Iacobbo have done a stellar job at digging down to the roots of our vegetarian heritage. Their new book is a bountiful harvest of fascinating information, and should be required reading for anyone walking the veg way." - Jeff Nelson, President, VegSource.com --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Publishers (April 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275975193
• ISBN-13: 978-0275975197
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,231,840 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure for both vegetarians and lovers of history., May 28, 2004

By	Elizabeth A Aloisio (Warwick, R.I. United States) - See all my reviews

This book is facinating. What a treasure!
If you are a vegetarian you will love this book.You will be surprised and in awe of those who have ventured the path before you.
Not a vegetarian but have a love for history especially presented in an entertaing and informative manner? If so, you will find this book rich with facinating information that can not be found anywhere in one volume. The first chapter for example, grabs the reader by describing the vegetarian path of our dear and beloved Ben Franklin.
This book is a must for both vegetarians and lovers of history.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasure Trove of Vegetarian History, August 16, 2004

By	R. Gaither (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Iacobbos' book is an excellent introduction to the vegetarian movement in the United States. The authors adroitly blend a sociological approach to vegetarianism with colorful, informative sketches of the lives of major historical figures in the movement from William Alcott, Sylvester Graham and John Harvey Kellogg to contemporary advocates of vegan and raw food dietetic practices and animal rights crusaders. The authors weave together various threads of health-related social reformism of the 19th Century such as natural hygiene, anti-tobacco and temperance movements along side vegetarianism in an intriguing and well-researched book. Students, culinary historians, and general readers alike will be well served by this source.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful History Resurrected By Writer Power, June 25, 2005

By	plantslovefruitarians (Ohio) - See all my reviews

Karen and Michael Iacobbo are brilliant writers, tenacious
researchers, scribes of compassion whose pens are magic wands
touching all hearts by enlivening the vegetarian past of America. They describe the Bible Christian Church whose pastors Metcalfe and Cowherd had names which perhaps sparked their consciousness, the poetry of John Harvey Kellogg, MD, the dedicated life of Sylvester
Graham (after whom Graham crackers are named), the feminist
activism of Connie Salamone for female chickens and cows
who are in prison, the passion of Ellen G White and other
Seventh Day Adventists, the power of Srila Prabhupad whose
Hare Krishna movement has given out trillions of free vegetarian
meals around the world.

They delineate ethical, health, energy, environment, esthetic
and other reasons to take the plunge into a nonviolent diet.
Vegetarians now receive life insurance discounts as the average
abstainer from flesh lives 7 years longer.

The Iacobbo's cover Alex Hershaft, founder of the Great American Meatout,
PETA activists, Dudley Giehl, author and founder of Animal
Liberation in NYC, raw vegetarian meals for Congress, and
thousands more activists.

This poster has one point of separation, believing that
vegetarian diet began not with Pythagoras and the Greeks
but with Rama, considered by a billion Hindus to be the
first Avatar, about whose Spirit of which vegetarianism
was a part, the Ramayana was written 20,000 years ago.

Famous vegetarians include Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Susan B
Anthony, Van Gogh, Da Vinci (a fruitarian), Tolstoy,
Einstein, Ramanujan. The vegetarian community, some estimate,
is now a billion souls in the world.

This poster put 2 books in her vacation satchel. This was one
of them.