The New Ethics of Eating. - book reviews

This question might be top of mind for those looking in on a vegan lifestyle or contemplating one. But life is worth living without cheese pizza writes Erik Marcus in his new book Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating (McBooks Press, 1997). Granted, Marcus had misgivings when he first considered changing his diet. "I didn't want to become a vegetarian--whatever that was," he writes. "All I wanted to do was stop eating animals. And what exactly was I going to eat, I wondered? Iceberg lettuce and tofu?"

Now a long way from this apprehensive place, Marcus presents a thorough and engaging guide to the benefits and the difficulties of going vegan. He covers the many problems underlying the standard American diet, including chilling slaughterhouse practices and provides economic analysis of natural resource depletion in this country.

Marcus also does an excellent job of presenting the overwhelming medical evidence that supports the virtues of a plant-based diet, including the conclusions of Dean Ornish, M.D., best-selling author of Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease (Ballantine, 1992), and those of T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., whose own research for the livestock industry compelled him to redirect his career and become a leading voice for vegetarianism. This is a must-read for everyone from the part-time vegetarian in need of inspiration to the vegan interested in affirmation.

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A STICK to Doug MacEachern, staff columnist for the Scottsdale Tribune, for his bitter diatribe against vegetarianism. In his article "Veggie Propagandists Preying on Kids Should Find Another Turf," MacEachern refers to those who disseminate veg-friendly nutrition information to children as a "merry band of granola-heads." And as for vegetarianism itself, he says. "Vegetarianism is not a simple credo. [It incorporates] everything from animal-rights activism and hard-core environmentalism to all sorts of New Age mysticisms and leftie-oriented notions of social reorganization. Wake up, MacEachern. Pigeonholing vegetarians is a thing of the past. Today they include CEOs in suits and even--hate to scare you--political conservatives like yourself.

A CARROT to Mary Tyler Moore for her article "All Creatures Great and Small," in the August Family Circle. Moore's prose lends a powerful voice to vegetarianism. "As people of conscience, we have to ask ourselves why we remain in this course," Moore writes. "Especially when we know there are nutritious alternatives to eating meat. Population experts say we are going to have to feed ourselves differently at some point. Why wait until it becomes an economic requirement? Some things have to change simply because it's right." Exactly.