Famous Vegetarians And Their Favorite Recipes

Rynn Berry is the Boswell of vegetarianism. And in his new book he becomes its Julia Child as well, combining a diverting survey of notable vegetarians with a savory sampling of their favorite recipes. Vegetarians hardly seem eccentric these days, thanks to recent developments in nutri-tion, and Berry makes them seem like the most civilized people in history. Wearing his learning lightly, Berry cites the Dead Sea Scrolls to establish a strong case for Jesus Christ as a vegetarian who probably partook of the Essene Sprouted Bread whose ancient (and modern-sounding) recipe is in-cluded here. With ecumenical thoroughness Pythagoras and the Buddha are placed in the vegetarian ranks, and so is Leonardo da Vinci, whose favorite dishes (Chick-pea Soup, Almond Pudding, Fried Figs and Beans) Berry has tracked down with admirable enterprise. Ranging through his-tory, Berry shows that veggie-addicts had many motivations, from Shel-ley's desire to be totally unlike his hated father to Tolstoy's belated reformation from debauchery to virtue. The book's cast of fascinating characters includes Sylvester Graham (father of the graham cracker) whose followers fought a pitched battle in Boston with the butchers and bakers whom he denounced; John Harvey Kellogg, who not only invented cornflakes but peanut butter; and Killer Kowalski, the legendary wrest-ler who thrived on such non-violent fare as peas and sauerkraut. From Gandhi's Chapatis to George Harrison's Dark Horse Lentil Soup, this is a book that stimulates your brain and your digestion.