101 Reasons Why I'm A Vegetarian

Book by Rice Pamela

Arguments supporting a meatless diet, addressing ethical, health-related, social, and economic concerns with research from government documents, mainstream media, and trade periodicals.-- (01/30/2006)

Less an introduction to vegetarianism than a list of reasons not to eat meat, this expansion of a self-published pamphlet Rice hands out on New York streets (she claims to have distributed nearly 200,000 copies since 1991) offers already committed vegetarians back-up for their decision and gives diehard carnivores a surprising look at some of the problems associated with meat eating. Rice's "attempt to investigate every good reason to become a vegetarian" can feel unnervingly strident, even for those inclined to agree with her, but her sources are primarily mainstream newspaper and magazine articles-not small, fiery anti-carnivore websites. Some of Rice's reasons we should all go veggie include: vegetables' high concentrations of beneficial phytochemicals and antioxidants; the stomach-turning odor of pork "mega-farms"; costly government subsidies for livestock producers; and studies that show animal protein is linked to heart disease, hormonal cancers and diabetes. This isn't a book to read cover-to-cover, but it will provide interested parties with a wealth of information about health and social issues connected to meat consumption.-- (01/30/2006)

Reviewed by Louis Gedo

I just finished reading Pamela Rice's 101 Reasons Why I'm a Vegetarian, and I simply have been bowled over. Reason after reason, the information the author brings forth is unrelenting and, no less devastating. This is up there as one the most far-reaching indictments of the meat-eating lifestyle to date. So much of this material was absolutely new to me, and I pride myself on being an informed vegan. It would be pretty tough for any meat eater to remain so after reading this book. If you read it, you will be transformed. Despite the obvious fact that Ms. Rice shares the philosophy of your most ardent vegan advocate, the writing style is understated, which is perhaps what gives the information its power. In the majority of cases Ms. Rice's facts come from conventional sources (the USDA, the EPA, The New York Times, The Economist, agricultural colleges, etc.), which, by the way, are copiously referenced. I figure there are perhaps 1,500 citations in the book. I could not, of course, look at every one, but it was nice to know they were always there to back up the facts. I did look up a few with Google searches. In those cases I was at once brought into a world of key experts at the forefronts of their fields. Furthermore, the 13-page index appears to allow readers a good chance at cross referencing at any point. Both the index and the reference pages were interesting browse-reads in themselves. Here is a book that should probably be on the shelf of every vegan or vegetarian alive. This book offers the meat-free the constant assurance that each had made the best decision of his or her life. My only complaint with the book was that the author did not let loose more often. I got the feeling Ms. Rice's editors reined in a more flamboyant style, a style that seeps through the cracks all too infrequently. In the end, at risk of repeating myself, if you're a vegetarian or vegan, here is your ultimate vindication. If you're a meat eater, you may want to consider yourself duly put on the hot seat.-- (01/30/2006)

Reviewed by Robert Flatley, Kutztown University, PennsylvaniaExpanding on her popular pamphlet of the same title, vegetarian writer/activist Rice thoroughly covers all the practical reasons to go vegetarian, including (in addition to the welfare of animals) social, medical, economic, and--especially--environmental concerns while avoiding spiritual or religious reasons. Examples of her reasons include "The Cancer connection: The 'Big C' and meat" and "Fossil fuel alchemy: The oil in your meat." Rice aims to let the facts speak for themselves and not to attack anyone's eating habits or beliefs. She accomplishes this by thoroughly documenting all her 101 reasons, using respected mainstream sources, such as U.S. government reports, major newspapers, peer-reviewed journal articles, and other citations from scientists, doctors, and government officials. Although Rice jumps from topic to topic, intending to give readers the big picture, she includes a page that lists "reasons by category" as well as a comprehensive index for those interested in a specific aspect of vegetarianism. A well-written and -documented indictment of the meat industry and its impact on the world, this is an excellent source for students writing papers on or debating this topic. Recommended for all libraries.-- (01/30/2006)

Reviewed by Eve Spencer

However informed on the topic we may consider ourselves to be, Pamela Rice demonstrates that her research is impeccable, as the author goes through her 101 reasons, sometimes with a few lines, and sometimes covering several pages. As the author points out, most people have heard of at least one--perhaps several--reasons why somebody has adopted a vegetarian diet. But this 101 Reasons . . . covers, in a relentless manner, the ethical, ecological, health-related, social and economical arguments, and more, in order to challenge the conventional views on what humans should eat.

The author is founder of the VivaVegie Society and Vegetarian Center, as well as editor of The VivaVine: The Vegetarian-Issues Magazine.

This book is undoubtedly a complete indictment of the widespread meat-eating lifestyle. In fact, how could anyone choose to eat meat, or dairy, after reading this book? However, the author's writing style is modest, and not in any way ranting, but what she points out in reason after reason is powerful over the 239 pages. . . .

This book covers a vast area, including cruelty to specific species, dead animals and where they go, animal drugs and disease, hazards for fish in the wild or in aquaculture farms, human health and nutrition, the excrement files, hunger in the world and the meat connection, animal mutilation, mad cow disease, hormones in meat and milk, chemical castration, incarceration of innocent veal calves, cyanide and coral reefs, water pollution, scientific thinking on cancer, heart failure and stroke, and milk and osteoporosis. It is a valuable repository of all the information you will ever need to close an argument, although Pamela Rice modestly writes that there is still plenty to explore.

All the facts presented are well referenced, the index allows readers to cross-reference easily, and there are reasons by category. This is the book that every vegan and vegetarian would find invaluable, and although the meat and dairy industries can't be prettied up for a happy presentation, yet the author manages to use her wit, or irony, in paragraph headings such as "White wine with your mercury?" "Genetic integrity: the animals' ultimate sacrifice", "Numbers up: cholesterol readings", "Listeria: the pathogen that came in from the cold", "Pick your poisson: dioxin, mercury, or PCBs".

There's excellent advice here on what we should be eating to maximise our health, as well as the health and scientific reasons why. The author gives good background on what has led to this horrific situation, with the whole planet being poisoned just so that unthinking people can eat meat. And this book vindicates the choices made by vegetarians and vegans every day. However, the author has kept it simple by concentrating on the term "vegetarian", as it is a diet that eschews any form of meat, whereas "vegan" is not a diet but a lifestyle.

This book comes highly recommended--if only I could give a copy to each of my omnivore friends!-- (01/30/2006)