Of Victorians and Vegetarians - The Vegetarian Movement in Nineteenth-century Britain
Nineteenth-century Britain was one of the birthplaces of modern vegetarianism in the West. In 'Of Victorians and Vegetarians' James Gregory explores the relationship between this newly organized movement and wider culture and society. It evolved with a myriad of meanings and voices: partly for propagandist reasons, but also because of the varied motivations and characteristcs of vegetarians. Teetotallers, animal lovers, mystics, spiritualists and theosophists, as well as those who saw the diet as an effective and democratic medical treatment, all provided the constituents for a movement whose critics associated it with radicalism and faddism.
Vegetarianism is not a diet trend, or the flavor of the month. Instead, it is a philosophy and practice with roots in antiquity. Vegetarianism has existed for centuries in much of the world as a social movement and subculture. In the United States, this subculture has existed for more than 200 years. In this book, the Iacobbos bring this thriving subculture to life.
