The World Peace Diet: Eating for Spiritual Health and Social Harmony » (New Edition)

Will Tuttle has a master's degree in humanities from San Francisco State University and a Ph.D. in the philosophy of education from the University of California. A professional pianist and teacher, he has for the last thirteen years toured progressive churches, vegetarian and macrobiotic conferences, and intentional communities throughout the country. He trained in Korea as a Zen Buddhist monk and has worked extensively in Tai Chi, yoga, massage, and dance and movement. He lives in Healdsburg, California.

Food is our most intimate and telling connection both with the living natural order and with our living cultural heritage. By eating the plants and animals of our earth, we literally incorporate them. It is also through this act of eating that we partake of our culture's values and paradigms at the most primal levels. It is becoming increasingly obvious, however, that the choices we make about our food are leading to environmental degradation, enormous human health problems, and unimaginable cruelty toward our fellow creatures.

Incorporating systems theory, teachings from mythology and religions, and the human sciences, The World Peace Diet presents the outlines of a more empowering understanding of our world, based on a comprehension of the far-reaching implications of our food choices and the worldview those choices reflect and mandate. The author offers a set of universal principles for all people of conscience, from any religious tradition, that they can follow to reconnect with what we are eating, what was required to get it on our plate, and what happens after it leaves our plates.

The World Peace Diet suggests how we as a species might move our consciousness forward so that we can be more free, more intelligent, more loving, and happier in the choices we make.

Library Journal

Not a diet book in the usual sense of the term, this is "an exploration into the profound cultural and spiritual ramifications of our food choices." Tuttle, who trained with a Zen Buddhist monk and speaks widely on spiritual healing, posits that our ancient herding cultures and the resultant inclusion of animals and animal products into our modern diets have desensitized us to the suffering of our fellow creatures; this, in turn, allows us to accept violence against other humans. At his most logical, Tuttle backs up his claims with examples of mainstream spiritual traditions and philosophers' arguments. He is less persuasive when he descends into horrific sensationalism-less talk of the rape of cows via artificial insemination and more illustrations of how soy products can be substituted into our daily menus would have made this a better book. While not always levelheaded, this book is certainly thought-provoking. Given the increasing popularity of vegetarianism and veganism, this is recommended for most collections.-Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.