The Vegan Monologues [Paperback]

Ben Shaberman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2009

There's nothing funny about being a vegan, unless you're humorist Ben Shaberman. Shaberman explores the lighter side of one of the world's fastest growing life choices: living meat-free. From social absurdities to his own foibles, Shaberman's reflections will put a smile on the lips of vegans and omnivores alike. Ben Shaberman's essays have appeared in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Vegetarian Times, VegNews, and a variety of other publications. His commentaries have also been carried by NPR's Morning Edition, as well as NPR in Baltimore and Des Moines. He earned a master's degree in poetry from Johns Hopkins University, and is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: Apprentice House (July 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934074365
• ISBN-13: 978-1934074367
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #731,182 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delectable Essays!, May 3, 2009

By 

Katherine Cottle (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Vegan Monologues (Paperback)

Once I started reading The Vegan Monologues, I couldn't put it down. Shaberman's voice, a combination of wit and uncompromising honesty, kept me captivated throughout the delightful (and often delectable) journey of essays related to his uncompromising stance as a vegan and human observer. The theme of veganism in the first section, "Is that a Carrot in your Pocket?," pulls the essays together, yet still allows for the thought provoking diversions that color Shaberman's memories and further develop the poignancy of his experiences in the second section, "Twigs and Seeds."

Lines like "Tofu is to a vegetarian like duct tape is to a handyman" highlight the mass appeal of Shaberman's book, as his words connect his vegan lifestyle to the practices of "carnivores" with humorous and surprising accuracy. Readers of all dietary lifestyles are able to fully appreciate Shaberman's approach, finding a comfort level that is appropriate, yet still tantalizing.

Shaberman's ability to find accessible language that pushes past the conventional experience is original and refreshing. In a manner that reflects his own self described subtle method of proselytizing, the reader learns about the nuances of vegetarianism "through their own actions" of reading and consuming Shaberman's carefully prepared and textured words.

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Essays on Livin' La Vida Boca., March 31, 2009

By 

Dustin G. Rhodes (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Vegan Monologues (Paperback)

I accidentally bought this book. Or, rather, it was an impulse buy. Or both. I was Google-ing something else (I can't remember what), and somehow this book showed up in a Google search. And then I bought it. I couldn't resist. But the point of this meandering story is that: this very short collection of essays is brilliant and highly entertaining!

I loved every single essay. They are hilarious and poignant, educational and, well, completely the opposite of that. The very first essay actually made me tear up (for a few seconds) reading about the author's partner's dying cat (I had to have a dramatic vegan moment, mais oui!), and then I laughed again two sentences later when Shaberman reaches for his inhaler (I don't want to give away too much).

This book took me less than two hours to read from cover to cover. I didn't want it to end, of course; but I also felt more than a little bit appreciative of the fact that the author didn't stick any fluff in this collection--choosing quality over quantity (I didn't just think this quality was simply rare, I thought it was extinct!). To borrow an ad jingle, The Vegan Monologues is good to the last drop. Plus, it's cheaper than the vegan Chinese take-out the author is apparently obsessed with---with less fat. I recommend that you, too, commit an impulse buy, right away.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vegan Monologues is like brain candy, August 6, 2009

By 

Aurora Cooney "aurora" (Akron, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Vegan Monologues (Paperback)

I, too, bought this book on impulse. Amazon has this little trick - when you're about to purchase a book, a message pops up that says "Spend a little more and get free shipping." Who could resist...so I purchased this book. What a pleasant surprise and what a treat to read! I say it's like mind candy because I just finished studying for a designation that took me 4 years to get. This was the first book I picked up after passing my last exam. It was like getting that dessert your mother dangled over your head until you finished your meal....(with a little soy whipped cream.)