The Vegetarian Crusade - by Adam D Shprintzen (Paperback)

About the Book

Vegetarian Crusade: The Rise of an American Reform Movement, 1817-1921

Book Synopsis

Vegetarianism has been practiced in the United States since the country's founding, yet the early years of the movement have been woefully misunderstood and understudied. Through the Civil War, the vegetarian movement focused on social and political reform, but by the late nineteenth century, the movement became a path for personal strength and success in a newly individualistic, consumption-driven economy. This development led to greater expansion and acceptance of vegetarianism in mainstream society. So argues Adam D. Shprintzen in his lively history of early American vegetarianism and social reform. From Bible Christians to Grahamites, the American Vegetarian Society to the Battle Creek Sanitarium, Shprintzen explores the diverse proponents of reform-motivated vegetarianism and explains how each of these groups used diet as a response to changing social and political conditions.
By examining the advocates of vegetarianism, including institutions, organizations, activists, and publications, Shprintzen explores how an idea grew into a nationwide community united not only by diet but also by broader goals of social reform.

Review Quotes

"A valuable contribution to studies of American reforms."--Journal of Southern History

"An excellent overview of the US vegetarian movement. . . [with] lucid, lively prose . . . . Highly recommended."--CHOICE

"History comes back to life in [The Vegetarian Crusade]."--Chicago Reader

"In this lively study Adam D. Shprintzen sidesteps the anecdotal and partisan viewpoints of the popular literature on vegetarian eating to write a focused history of the vegetarian movement in the United States . . . [Shprintzen] brings to life a riveting collection of notable figures in the meatless subculture."--Journal of American History

"Provides a compelling account of vegetarianism's links to ideological reforms in health, fitness, and social justice."--Journal of American Culture

"Shprintzen's original and probing book offers many ideas for researchers and writers to explore."--History News Network

"The book's historical details both resemble and depart from our own vegan movement in surprising and meaningful ways."--Public Books

"This carefully crafted study will have broad appeal, reaching not only readers interested in American food culture but also those invested in understanding the nature of US social reform movements, ranging from abolitionism to Progressivism."--The Historian

"This unique, readable history of the vegetarian movement in America reveals its deep roots . . . [and] will make fascinating reading for proponents of a healthy lifestyle and students of Americana alike."--ForeWord Reviews

"This well-researched and accessible work is recommended for readers of US social history and for vegetarians interested in knowing that the roots of their movement . . . Fans of culinary history books . . . will also find much to love here."--Library Journal