The Heretic's Feast by Colin Spencer, Updated and published as "Vegetarianism: A History" in March 2001 Published by Grubstreet Books. Price: £16.99 Paperback Vegetarianism has always existed and always will. As the narrow-minded and the cynical are increasingly marginalised, trying to depict us as 'food-faddists' or 'trendy eaters', a glance back through history reveals the power and insistence of an argument against the slaughter of our fellow creatures. From Pythagoras and Plutarch to Shelley and George Bernard Shaw, the heretics have existed and have proudly and loudly proclaimed their vegetarianism. The publication of Colin Spencer's impressively comprehensive history of vegetarianism proves once and for all that the vegetarian movement has, over the last decade, established itself as a major force not just in the UK, but in Europe the US and the rest of the world. Tom Regan in The Case for Animal Rights suggests that all great movements go through three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption. That vgetarianism is being; discusscd is beyond question, and in the face of BSE, heart disease and increased public awareness of animal suffering, those who seek to ridicule our diet look foolish indeed. When a movement such as ours can trace its origins back to prehistory, its struggle cannot help but take on a dignity and legitimacy which others could only envy. As a historical tract The Heretic's Feast is full of surprises and is entertaining, as a contribution to the spread of vegetarianism it is unparalleled, even by the likes of Peter Cox's Why You Don't Need Meat and Jon Wynne-Tyson's Food for a Future. Throughout The Heretic's Feast, Colin Spencer explodes myths and misunderstandings in a thorough, well-researched, yet enthusiastic way. Hitler's vegetarianism, for example, is finally examined in detail. The diminutive Austrian first tried a vegetarian diet in 1911, a belief he adopted, like his anti-semitism, from the composer, Wagner. It is important to note that much of his vegetarianism was influenced by a desire for cleansing the body, he was definitely a health-oriented vegetarian. There is no evidence to suggest that Hitler's diet had anything to do with a love of animals. Hitler is undoubtably an exception to the rule (but one which journalists never tire of highlighting), Colin Spencer's book moves from one compassionate, enlightened historical figure to another. The depth of Spencer's study is shown in the space he gives over to the historical context of these figures and their vegetarianism. Da Vinci's role as Renaissance Veggie is explored, as is Tolstoy's conversion to both pacifism and vegetarianism. Vegetarianism, in the twentieth century alone, has a rich and fascinating history. Through painstaking research brought to life by his accessible writing style, Spencer has drawn together all the threads; he has crafted a picture of the past which gives the reader and impetus to address the needs of the future.

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The Vegetarian is published by The Vegetarian Society and is sent free of charge to all members.