260: Vegetarian America: A History by Karen & Michael Iacobbo

Vegetarian America: A History

Vegetarianism in the United States didn't start with the hippies. Benjamin Franklin kept to a vegetarian diet in his youth, eventually adding fish and some meat to his diet in middle age. In 1838 the American Health Convention recommended vegetarianism as a healthful diet. The American Vegetarian Society was formed in the middle of the 19th century. This history reveals the widespread appeal of vegetarianism throughout the existence of the United States. The authors actually start their history well before the USA came into existence. There have always been vegetarians in the US, and this book helps flesh out their history.

Why this is progressive/liberal: Despite being practiced by people of many different faiths and many different political persuasions, vegetarianism is closely associated with liberals and progressives. This book explains why there's a lot more to the vegetable diet than than the desire to treat animals ethically.



You might also want to check out Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.

261: Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Maybe the only vegan cookbook you'll ever need. But, if you're a vegan, probably not the only vegan cookbook you'll ever want. If you're thinking about veganism, but don't know where to start, this is the place. While vegetarians don't eat meat, vegans don't use any animal products. Jell-O brand gelatin, for example, obviously isn't meat, but is composed partially of animal products (gelatin is derived from the collagen in an animal's skin and bones). So, while a vegetarian might eat some Jell-O brand gelatin, or drink a glass of milk, or have a slice of cheese, a vegan removes theses items from her or his diet. Vegans also generally avoid wearing leather, fur, or wool. The rule of thumb for vegans is to live without exploiting animals.

The Veganomicon packs a few hundred recipes into a little less than 300 pages. In addition to the recipes the authors help guide the newbie cook through such basics as cooking beans, cooking grains, and cooking vegetables. One especially nice attribute of this collection is that the authors never call for fake meat or egg substitutes. Even if you're not a vegan or vegetarian this is a terrific cookbook to add to your collection.

Why this is progressive/liberal: The overwhelming majority of US progressives and liberals are meat-eaters. And yet vegetarianism is part of the liberal stereotype. This is because if you meet (or are) a vegetarian you are almost certainly tilt to the left side of the political spectrum. And vegans? Forget about it. They're so progressive they make Noam Chomsky look like Rick Perry.