Customer Reviews

The Vegan Monologues

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.)

As a twenty plus year vegan, I purchased this book expecting stereotypical mocking of my lifestyle choice resulting in a chuckle or two. Instead, I discovered a great little book with heart where veganism is both celebrated and mocked for quite a few good laughs.

This book is highly enjoyable with plenty of essays for herbivores and carnivores alike. My favorite essay of part one is "Forty-six Years, Forty-seven Questions." Part two has so many great essays including "Hardcore Entomology" (you gotta love a guy who writes about insect porn), "A Lesson in What We Don't Know" (with an amazing quote from Einstein) and the touching "A Long Lost Life Slips into Focus."

This book is worth every single penny. Order it now. You won't be sorry!

Loved this book... really! Bought four extra copies for Christmas presents for non-vegan friends. The book is funny at times, serious at others, and the stories will make you smile. It's a short, easy read (and a great gift for those you are trying to gently nudge into a kinder lifestyle).

Wonderful snippets about life as a vegan, but I was pleasantly surprised that the book covers much more ground, including touching essays about friends and family. Would make a great gift.

This is a fun and entertaining read. Ben's writing style is captivating. I'm a writer and found myself taking notes throughout the book. I will be using some of Ben's strategies in my own articles.

The Vegan Essays (part one) are especially funny.

The good thing about this particular collection, is that it is a quick and easy read. The bad thing follows, it's such a quick easy read, you're already halfway through the book before you realize you don't actually like it.

As some of the other reviewers have mentioned, the title of this book is misleading. The author is vegan, yes, but the first section of essays seems to merely mention the word vegan, while actually talking about something else. The second set makes no mention of it at all.

As a vegetarian myself, I was hoping to bond with the author, to have my strength renewed, or have been provided insight or a new perspective. None of this was offered. Perhaps that was my fault, maybe I shouldn't have had any expectations at all. Although, I think that even if I had gone in without any expectations, the over-simplified prose, and the puzzlement over why this book is billed as 'humorous', would still have lost me.

This was a fast read for sure. The lettering is very large and skips every other line it amounts to about 40 pages of actual text. Definately not worth the money. It probably should have been a short story in redbook not a book. The stories were mildly amusing but nothing special. The book is not about the author's venture into veganism as I thought it would be. I wouldn't recommend it for the price.

As much as I appreciate the awareness being raised about animal cruelty, I find myself going into overwhelm at times. Whether you're a vegan or not, The Vegan Monologues is a great comic relief. The first half consists of short essays of a cool guy who happens to be vegan, the second half are other essays about life in general on planet earth. I found myself laughing out loud at Ben's self-deprecating humor and creative writing style.

I love the variety and short chapters. It's a book you can pick up when you have an extra five minutes and amuse yourself in between meetings or while waiting for your lunch date to show up. It's a good balance of poking fun (in an intelligent way) at himself as well as society in general.