The Vagina Monologues

shows just how far the intellect of our college students has deteriorated. it's certainly right and good to be against violence against women. but this ridiculous ranting about their vaginas is not helping the just cause in any way. how do they expect to gain respect for women and support against violence by their vulgar rantings.. the one star is only because it's required..

But several things struck me: we're not better off since this came out almost twenty years ago. In fact some women would still faint at the very word. It makes me wonder, because we're in a time, right now, when men are beginning to be held culpable (well some men) for their actions. But what will this look like in twenty years? Will this be the turning point? Or will we again look back at these monologues and realize we stopped doing the work? Again.

Book: The Vagina Monologues
Author: Eve Ensler
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

Another Our Shared Shelf read. It’s been awhile since I’ve done one. I’ve been having a lot of trouble getting the books to come in on time.

I was a very little unsure about this one. This is one of those books that when you are reading it and people find out you are reading it, it is bound to make a statement. I mean, look at the title and think about it. Does it make you a little uncomfortable? Does it maybe make you feel a little bit like a rebel?

So, this is a play and it is written in play format. With it being in play format, it is not a very long book nor it is a hard read. In fact, I would venture to say that this is probably the easiest book, in terms of readability, that Our Shared Shelf has read. One thing that really like of bothered me was the fact that it didn’t flow the greatest. A few of the stories just kind of felt out of place. I don’t....I guess I would just maybe move stuff around a bit.

Now, again, this is a very simple read and there a lot of good stuff in this. It is Our Shared Shelf’s most important book? No! Is it worth the time to read? Yes!

This is one of those books that may get you think a little bit and it may make you just a little bit uncomfortable, but that’s okay. I don’t think you are supposed to read this book without feeling a little uncomfortable. This is not something that is talked about openly in the world and what Eve is trying to do is make it more open, more expecting to people.

I have not seen a live play version of this book, but I am kind of interested in watching it.

Again, a rather quick read. It’s not as in depth as some of the other Our Shared Shelf books, but still a very important read.

Doubtless, even nearly twenty years after Eve Ensler's first performance of her one-woman show, The Vagina Monologues still possesses the power to awaken awareness and stir controversy. Because of this duality, some may attempt defending portions that many will find offensive, while others will reject the whole piece out of hand based on a few of its parts.

All to the good, for when art arouses the emotions of those on the receiving end, it's doing its job. And Ensler's performance piece continues to be hard at work helping women discover their sexuality and strength, and men to appreciate better how sex functions in defining self; that it is not merely a mechanical exercise.

The piece explores various aspects of the feminine experience, among them menses, masturbation, rape, and the like. In celebrating the vagina, it enables women, and men, to appreciate the shared experiences of female individuality through sexuality.

Controversies have arisen over the treatment of rape and what some feel is an anti-male vibe. However, most men should find it revealing. And controversy should not stop anybody from experiencing The Vagina Monologues.

This book was a game changer for me. I laughed. I cried. I heard and saw Eve there on that high up stool with her Betty Page bangs and black outfit in San Francisco at the ACT doing these monologues for the last time. I was there with a date, a delightful therapist I was getting to know. We both loved art. We both loved the thought of love, the prospect of love and sex and connecting. And vulvas. And all things feminine, Divine Feminine even.

I was such a student of What Women Want back then, that's why I devoured this book and the drama around when it came out and all the major papers in NYC wouldn't print the V word. As I read I remember being mesmerized that one woman could produce such a masterful one act play, bringing to life the scripts taken from over 200 interviews of women talking about their Down There. Talking wonderful things and awful things; fearful things and joyful things.

I was touched by the deep soul work that presented itself to any man who would be a student of the Golden Gate, which is what this book is about--Vaginas, vulvas. All the architecture of the bodily feminine. O the shock when I read one of those monologues to my own men's support group--men's team we call it--at the time on how we men have harmed one in four women Down There. By not listening better. By not being better students of the Vagina. Of course she meant Vulva but Vagina has a better political ring to it. Yes, why were we men not better pupils; more eager learn all the details and stories and point of this place we thought about so much and often.

Any man who loves women and life should read this book. Oh, and I loved the confession of Eve in a later edition, that she had interviewed over 200 woman who told her every conceivable story and experience around their vaginas; and yet Eve had forgotten to to ask and then include an interview and then a monologue on giving birth. What a statement there.

Hey guys, want more frequent lady action? More meaningful woman time? Do some penance, slow down and read this book. Give it to your sons to read. And take it in that in a single decade Eve has raised through this simple one act play and book and Foundation over $50,000,000 for women's center's around the globe making the planet a better place; making the world a safer place in which to be the owner of a vagina.

Eve, you are a saint to me.

This has become a movement, so it would be difficult or incomplete to suppose that this review has any bearing on the force of the broader moment (which I find to be very effective, thoughtful and generally life-affirming). In any case, the audiobook production was on par. My understanding from the well-written historical introduction is that any performance of the Vagina Monologues nowadays is somewhat personalized, and the monologues are more or less a large bag from which the performer(s) selects a few favorite pieces. To that end, this is a great selection, apart from the one which attempted to persuade me that c**t is a beautiful world. I'm afraid it's still a very unattractive word/sound. I nit-pick, though. This is an important keystone to a national movement, and it deserves two hours of your attention.

With The Vagina Monologues Eve Ensler attempts to start a dialogue about women and their vaginas, in hopes to break the barrier of silence and shame surrounding the word: vagina. If women feel more comfortable in talking about sex then it will help them voice their concerns about sexual abuse, genital mutilation, and female rights. From the earliest age people raise their daughters to call their vagina some other word than vagina; this shrouds the word vagina in mystery and shame, making it into something dirty not to be talked about. In these monologues Ensler shares the heart breaking and touching thoughts of a variety of women from all walks of life. She shows women experiencing sexual awakenings for the first time and women suffering from the aftermath of rape and abuse. She presents facts about the discrepancies about "treatment" for masturbation among boys and girls; for girls it's considered societally unacceptable, while with boys it's just a part of growing up. While this is no longer a problem in our society, there still are huge discrepancies as to what is societally acceptable regarding sexuality among men and women. Men are praised for having multiple partners, while women who choose to engage in the same kind of behavior are labeled as sluts and worse.

In these monologues we glimpse some of the pain and anguish women feel, in what is usually a hushed subject. These monologues feel real and the emotion they provoke in the reader/viewer is full of hope and sorrow. Some of the sections have more meaning and power than others. The sections on what your vagina would wear and say, I found silly and distracting from the real voices of the women. I understand the theory that people are responding symbolically, but it just didn't do it for me. One thing I found interesting was that in the forward Steinem wrote that "the shape we call a heart--whose symmetry resembles the vulva far more than the asymmetry of the organ that shares its name--is probably a residual female genital symbol. It was reduced from power to romance by centuries of male dominance" (XII). Ensler reclaims this symbol and responds indirectly to Steinem's claim with her monologue on birth: The heart is capable of sacrifice. So is the vagina. The heart is able to forgive and to repair. It can change its shape to let us in. It can expand to let us out. So can the vagina. It can ache for us and stretch for us, die for us and bleed and bleed for us into this difficult, wondrous world (109). I think this is a very beautiful, well written passage about birth and the birthing process.

This book would be beneficial for both female and male readers, allowing them to see and empathize with women. It should be read at least once.

Written by Eve Ensler from a series of interviews with women, THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES first performed in 1996. The play, which has no intermission, was originally performed by Eve Ensler alone, with the author-actress reading each monologue. Later productions made use of three actresses; still later productions have made use of multiple actresses. It is frequently performed in connection with events intended to raise awareness of sexual violence against women; interestingly, it has also been performed by transgendered casts in support of the transgendered community.

The play consists of a series of monologues--stories--commentaries told by various women, generally about their vaginas. Some are humorous in an off-beat way; one woman recalls attending a "vagina workshop;" another declares that her vagina is angry at everything from tampons to gynaecologists. Some are provocative, as the story of a prostitute who services women only. Many are brutal, involving rape, molestation, and sexual humiliation. In spite of the later, the final imagine of the vagina is one of giving birth, of bringing forth new life.

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES has been extremely controversial for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the deliberately provocative manner in which it approaches its subject: the sexual organ of women. But shock value aside, the play has been accused of several failings. Critics point out that the play offers only one monologue that treats male-female sexual relationships in a positive sort of way ("Because He Liked To Look At It"); other male-female sexual relationships portray sex with men as intrinsically humiliating and violent. Perhaps most controversial is the fact that while Ensler repeatedly decries rape by men, she presents the story of a thirteen year old girl molested by an older woman ("The Little Coochi Snorcher that Could") as a positive event.

The play obviously has a strong feminist leaning, and there is nothing wrong with that per se, but I also found it a bit too anti-male to be entirely plausible. It is interesting, entertaining, occasionally distasteful, often quite funny, often eyebrow-raising--but it is not able to transcend its self-imposed limitations to make the universal statement one might wish. Recommended, but the flaws should be kept in mind.

GFT, the store Reviewer

This powerful look at women and their sexual equipment (yes, their vagina's) connects on many levels. First, this is a theatrical play peformed through a series of monologues on such issues as sexuality, victimization, empowerment, shame, etc. The play also covers pubic hair, menstruation, masterbation, desire, sex, birth, lesbianism, abuse, men, etc. Perhaps most importantly, this play directly confronts the embarrasment, fear, and discomfort that so many women feel about both their sexuality and that vital part of their bodies. This book is more than just a play, however. The author provides a lengthy introduction on her motivations, and the pages conclude with letters from the audience that describe their reaction to both the play and to the V-Day movement aimed at halting abuses. Some would undoubtedly describe this as a women's play, but it should be of eye-opening interest to males as well.

For months I saw a local theatre billboard advertising this show from passing Chicago elevated trains. I hope it's still playing. Ladies (and gentlemen), this book is well worth your time.

When a friend of mine Sophomore year lent me this book, I was fascinated and surprised. I never thought someone would so boldly use the word vagina like that and at first some of the stories made me cringe.
Nevertheless the more I read it, the more I loved it. Especially the idea that only by bringing out the 'vagina' to the light, will we stop letting it be abused. When we don't even want to talk about our vaginas or sexuality, that's when it's the easiest for others to exploit, abuse, or insult it.
This book may be short but it's quality over quantity. I find that those who review it and react so negatively, tend to be just uncomfortable with themselves and others sexually and sensually. If you believe it's disgusting to discuss vaginas and "how to dress it, what it would say, etc", then you are not reading past the literal. This also makes one doubt that they have read the book or seen the play. A lot of colleges perform the Vagina Monologues, and I reccommend you find one near you!
I wholeheartedly suggest you purchase this book, both MEN and Women!

Vagina, vagina, vagina!
If you don't like the word, get over it! Otherwise you'll miss out on one of the most empowering and liberating works that I've ever read. Having Gloria Steinem add her two cents is just an added bonus.
The Vagina Monologues don't put on the kid gloves. They give you an open and honest view of what women think of their vaginas. Why are women afraid or embarassed of their vaginas? Eve Ensler makes it a point to tell women (through the words of other people) that who they are and what they are is precious.
The Vagina Monologues manages to take the reader from the heights of laughter into true stories of rape, birth, and sexual abuse. This masterpiece makes you giddy, makes you reflect, makes you sad...but what it really does is makes you think!

Interesting exploration into a subject we all know is there, but as the author says, don't really talk about. Just the title alone is enough to start people talking. I say, well done for putting this out there.

This book is about giving women the power to heal themselves. It is meant to counteract centuries of active destruction of feminine symbols which have caused women to feel shame about their bodies. For instance, in the monologue "My Vagina Was My Village," the speaker tells of having her home and body ravaged by soldiers: "They invaded it. / Butchered it and burned it / down. / I do not touch now. / Do not visit. / I live someplace else now. / I don't know where that is." These lines speak eloquently about our bodies as our primary home. Our bodies have everything to do with our sense of self. There are many experiences a woman may have that would make these words from VAGINA MONOLOGUES ring true. Other monologues use humor to get at intimate truths, such "Hair": "I realized ... that hair is there for a reason--it's the leaf around the flower, the lawn around the house." Ensler is right to title the book as she does and to repeat, repeat, repeat the word "vagina." Reading it, hearing it, seeing it, and saying it gives women the power to own their own bodies, their first and forever home, and thus themselves, again.

I read The Vagina Monologues based on the recommendation of two of my friends. They had both read it and said it was a book worth reading. I agree. I started it and finished it within a weekend. The Vagina Monologues deals with how society treats the topic of womens sexuality. It was gripping in the various descriptions of how women saw it: "down there", "coochie snorcher", "Itsy bitsy". Eve Ensler has done a remarkable job of putting together a book that deals with a subject that is considered taboo in most of our society. Many people would be embarressed to read this book, but it should be read. It promotes a feeling of satisfaction that I am a woman. Her description of childbirth, of how a young woman reacted after being raped, these are just but two of the highlights of this book.
The letters from women and men who had been to the performances, or who were putting on the performances for V-day were also insightful. Many thanks to Eve Ensler for such a good book.

I was compelled to read The Vagina Monologues after listening to Eve Ensler speak on television about issues concerning women. She's witty and incredibly intelligent, just as The Vagina Monologues proved to be. I sat down with this book and finished in just a matter of hours. I can't say that I've ever read a book that captures the essence of womanhood more completely, in such a humorous, touching, and insightful way. Stories from real women of all ages, from all walks of life, and from such varied backgrounds make this book a real gem. I recommend this book to any man who wants to get inside the female mind, or any female who wants to recognize what a magical thing womanhood can be.

I love the Vagina Monologues. If it is ever being performed near you, I highly recommend going to see it. But, if that doesn't happen, go ahead and read it. It's almost as fun to read as it is to see. But I must say... there's nothing special about the "V-day Edition." If you're just looking for the monologues, then it's not even worth reading the other contents of the book. I thought the thing by Gloria Steinem was rather dull. The actual Vagina Monologues, though, is great. If this is the only edition you can get, go ahead and get it.

Eve's courage and strength shine through the stores of women she interviewed about their bodies, their thoughts and their lives. Many people have told me that the book/play would do much better if it had a different title. THAT'S THE POINT!! No one talks about vaginas and sometimes very little attention is paid to the women attached to them. Eve devotes such care and precision to telling the stories of all kinds of women that everyone should be able to relate to something. It is true that many of the monologues are quite "edgy" and some might even call them offensive, but the fact of the matter is that they are all true and real. Such a work, one that allows women to be true to themselves, and real in their wishes, desires and longings is so rare that this one is to be savored and treasured.

The Vagina Monologues explores female sexuality and strength through a series of stories that are at times funny, sad, graphic or horrifying. Some of the monologues echo ideas from radical-feminist writings of the 1970s and 1980s, these are not theoretical arguments, but rather are personal reflections. They are not against men, and indeed, the use of humor gives them warmth and makes the ideas in the monologues more convincing. Even those who are wary of the F-word (i.e., feminism) will be able to enjoy The Vagina Monlogues.
I do wish the audio version were longer, but it's still worth owning.

The monologues are intended to be delivered to a live audience. A book simply cannot give the same experience of support and shared understanding. The monologues are a series of snippets intended to raise issues of female anatomy, sexuality, and violence against women. Though ranging from humorous to disconcerting, the monologues are ultimately unsatisfying.

The author, previously a lawyer, seems to think that knowledge of vaginas is a suppressed topic, which has wide consequences. To get past inhibitions, the monologues encourage self-examination and considering what a vagina would wear, say, and smell like. She includes several sexual episodes in which attention to vaginas seems to be emphasized. The monologues on female genital mutilation and ethnic rape are disturbing.

It's really pretty difficult to take this book seriously. One minute one is reading about clothing for a vagina, and the consequences of ethnic rape the next. One topic is silly; the other screams for thorough treatment. It is highly debatable that the topic of vaginal ignorance will lead to understanding social and political systems that permit violence against women.

There is no attempt to address the overall state of sexual knowledge and sexual social conventions in the greater society. If vaginal ignorance is an issue, it can only be the tip of the iceberg.

A person would have to be awfully suppressed or ignorant to be unaware of the factual information in the book. The humor is insufficient to carry the book. The monologues are so brief that the book is filled by an exaggerated forward which discusses the importance of vaginas in history and by a call for participation on college campuses of V-Day, celebrations based on the monologues. This book will appeal to the faithful, and few others.

If Eve Ensler's vagina got dressed, it would wear a sign shouting "I Have Empowered Women Around the World and Started a New Wave of Feminism!"
I couldn't put the VM down: There were several outstanding monologues in it, including a collection of women's stories about getting their period for the first time, and one with a grandmother who shyed away from her vagina most of her life. I also enjoyed reading Ensler's commentary on the pieces. To be sure, the book made me more conscious of my feminist side and I felt a sheer sense of pride in being a woman after reading it. However, the content wasn't top-notch. There were surprisingly few segments and not each of them was great. I thought Ensler definitely could have expanded on the pieces themselves and done a lot more with her subject matter.
If one wants to judge the book by its actual writing and content, I wouldn't recommend it in particular. But I think that Ensler's real goal was to get women to understand about their femininity, their sexual sides, and, above all, their vaginas. And if that was what Ensler was aiming to accomplish, I would readily say that she achieved it in me and many others.
(I would love to see it performed live, too, whether by Ensler or others.)

I saw the play in Faribanks, AK, performed by amateurs of all ages. The auditorium was packed, and they got standing ovations. In a morally conservative society like the US performing in a play like this takes some courage. The monolgues are based on real interviews, and they give a grim, grim picture of the state of gender equality. The very existence of Eve Enslers book gives hope; someone speaks up, someone gives these oppressed women a voice. On the other hand, where are they who need to listen? We men who were there generally only need to get reminded, the men who need to learn are at the bar, or in church. Buy the book, see the play, but also spread the word.

I must admit I haven't seen the Vagina Monologues performed. So this reading by Eve Ensler is my first and only exposure to the famous vagina revolution.

I give this CD stars because of its originality, because of its bravery and because of Ensler's passion for protecting the right of women, for beautifying what some try to keep ugly, for her outspoken activism. Yes, vaginas aren't talked about enough and kudos to Ensler for opening up the discussion.

But this listener at least had her fill of vagina monologues after the first half hour or so. Maybe it would have retained my attention better if the characters described had told their stories in their own words. But as it was, I was happy to hear the essay at the end about giving birth, allowing me to move on from vaginas to other thoughts.

Whatever one thinks, this piece is guaranteed to stir emotions in listeners. From awe to fear to reverence to shock to sympathy to pain to outrage. It is provocative and worth listening to in order to understand the dialogue and the years of discussion that have followed it.

I laughed, cried, and wished I could find a bathing suit to fit my coochie snorcher while reading the book. My eyes welled-up when my best grrrl saw the NY performance and Queen Latifah sang UNITY after the Bosnian woman's piece(there wasn't a dry eye in the house, then everyone just went crazy cheering U N I T Y). I laughed, cried, and held my boyfriend's hand while seeing a performance at the college I attended. I long to take my young cousin to the play and hope it will be something she'll treasure forever.
How anyone could say such horrible things about Eve and the monologues is beyond me! #1, Eve didn't "write" the 'logues, she compiled the "stories" from interviews with hundreds of women. #2, the inception of the plays and the book were to increase awareness of vioence against women and raise money to support organizations to ensure safety to these women. #3, the story of the "pedifile" was not told by the 24-year-old, but rather the 13-year-old. #4, the only "gross" piece was the one about rape BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT A WOMAN WHO WAS RAPED.

Warning: don't judge the artistic or moral merit of this book until you have read it or at least some of it. You might find yourself surprised about how you feel.
Second warning: if you are offended by candid expressions concerning human, especially lesbian, sexuality, don't read the book. You will be offended.
First, let me point to the clearly positive aspects of this project:
--The money raised through various V-Day activities ("born in 1998 as an outgrowth" of the play's success) that goes toward helping women who are the victims of violence, especially in places like Afghanistan and the Balkans where the patriarchy is particularly loathsome. Everyone connected with this project is to be commended for whatever good they are able to accomplish there and elsewhere.
--The therapeutic value of the play and this book for those millions of women who have been repressed by the socialization process from realizing their sexuality.
--The value of breaking down a false taboo of reference and usage.
--The entertainment value afforded college kids and like-minded others who get a kick out of shocking the bourgeoisie.
The central part of this book (pp. 1-125) is the text of the play. But there is also a 11-page Forward by Gloria Steinem and about sixty pages of back matter, most of which is a section about V-Day by Karen Ober with empowered letters and stories from college students.
The monologues themselves play off of the conceit of a talking vagina that expresses its trials and tribulations, its being neglected and mistreated and misunderstood. Ensler says she gathered her material through hundreds of interviews with women everywhere. Her language is candid and the juxtapositions she comes up with are sometimes striking. Some of the monologues are sad and poignant; some are pathetic. Some are funny. They are told from an avowed lesbian viewpoint. Indeed, the monologue beginning on page 77 tells of the liberating effect a 24-year-old lesbian lover had on a 13-year-old girl.
The play works toward the empowerment of women, and as such is didactic rather than artistic. Yet this is not another tiresome "hate men" propaganda tract. There is even a monologue that recalls a father's love.
In the Introduction Gloria Steinem takes a few obligatory but rather reserved potshots at men while recalling the dark ages from her "down there" generation in which words referring to the vagina were not "prideful." She also recalls her two years in India where she learned about the power of the yoni which she reports as having been "worshiped as more powerful than its male counterpart"--the usual radical feminist retro spin on history. (The yoni was equal in power to its male counterpart.) She follows this with a misstatement of what she calls "the central tenet" in Tantrism: "man's inability to reach spiritual fulfillment except through sexual and emotional union with woman's superior spiritual energy." There are many tenets in the so-called "left-handed path" of tantra yoga, the purpose of which is to find liberation from samsara (earthy delusion), through indulgence, or a giving in to one's desires. It is not imagined in tantra that women have "superior spiritual energy." They do have equal sexual energy that is exploited in tantra rituals. By the way, Steinem twice mentions the heart symbol (or valentine) as representing not the heart but the vagina. In this she is correct, but she misses mentioning the real connection from tantra, namely that of the triangle with one of its points aimed downward which is the ancient stylistic symbol of the yoni that evolved into the valentine shape.
Bottom line: As I was reading this I was strangely, unaccountably and irresistibly reminded of the well-known line from the film Apocalypse Now (1979) as delivered by Robert Duvall: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning!" Change one word (see e.g., pages 93-95) and you have the spirit of the monologues as conveyed by Eve Ensler.

I gotta say, this book left me scratching my head because I just don't get all the fuss.
If the sexual revolution had any part in your life, your going to find this book is quite pedestrian. I wasn't shocked, moved, surprised. In fact, at points, the book felt somewhat clinical.
As for its off-Broadway success, I can only imagine that the production had a great director, or the Hollywood personalities who've appeared in this show are what keeps the box office busy. The writing isn't anything to write home about.
If you're uptight about your sexuality and need a book to start gently rattling your gates, okay, buy this. If you have an open and comfortable attitude towards your sexuality, though, save your money. This doesn't titilate OR educate. It just leaves you flat. Save your money - I wish I had.

Throughout reading this, I was bothered repeatedly by one major error: she frequently uses vagina when she means VULVA! It makes me cringe that a play dedicated to freeing women from shame about this most intimate of body parts can't even name it correctly.

I also didn't really connect with the monologues and no doubt that's because they were meant to be seen performed, not read. I would probably only buy this if I had already seen and enjoyed a performance.

So why 3 stars and not fewer? It's an acknowledgment of the positive impact Eve Ensler's play has had worldwide bringing women's experiences (some funny, some horrific) out into the open. She has also used the Monologue's huge success to initiate campaigns against violence towards women. Which is a good thing. (I'm aware that this means that I'm bringing in factors other than the text for my rating - just call it female solidarity).

As a man who has seen "The Vagina Monologues" (performed twice by brave young women at the Berkeley Campus); having carefully read the book; and having lived a few years by now; I highly recommend that as many men as possible, as well as women; see the show, read the book, and do what they can to support the V-Day anti-violence movement. The production and book are filled with touching insights and uproarious humor as well as sometimes shocking revelations from real experiences. They are vital forms of education for anyone to become more fully human and contribute to a more responsible and joyful society.

Eve Ensler and the V-Day movement certainly deserve awards for their courageous and important work.

This book was incredible. I laughed and I cried. It should definetly be on every woman's bookshelf, as a reference for themselves and for future generations of women. In my after- teen life I have wished so many times that women would get a better initiation into what they are about to become, a creation of a more positive atmosphere for the "acceptance of our new bodies". Eve Ensler has made an important step exactly towards this point. Women have to perceive their bodies, not as objects of manipulation or sublimination but as parts of our own identity. Too often women are separated beings: body vs. mind/soul. The V-Day has given women of all possible age-groups a chance of reconciliating, introverting and discovering or rediscovering as well as defining and redifining their Vaginas and within this scope themselves. Eve has interviewed a wide scope of women from various backgrounds. It is great to be a woman. Vaginas forever. Thank you Eve.
PS.: I can only recomend this book to guys as well - You know how you always complain that you can't understand women, well maybe after this book you might or at least you will be close to it.

I received "The Vagina Monologues" as an early Christmas present this year, and I finished it in one quick sitting. While I wouldn't consider myself a "feminist" in the strictest sense of the word -- rather an enlightened, liberal woman -- this book forced me to realize how much women are NOT talking about important issues. There was nothing shocking or revolting about this book, as the average person might predict from the title. Rather, I was moved by each chapter, as women of all ages and backgrounds shared their memories, fears and celebrations of the one thing that makes them the most feminine. I plan to give this book to all my girlfriends; it is definitely a work everyone should read. I would like for my husband to read this as well - while he is a sensitive and intelligent man, this book could certainly teach him a thing or two about the female experience.

When I discovered this book in a garage sale hosted by a friend of mine, I thought, finally! I would read something that I've heard so much about ~~ who hasn't heard of this book? So this past week, I finally had a chance to pluck it off the book shelf and started reading it. It is definitely not what I expected.

I think I need to see the performance. This book just contains the words that I've heard over and over again ~~ nothing really stood out that would "change my life." Maybe it's the prude in me ~~ none of my friends and I would sit down and discuss our sex lives with one another. We definitely would never talk about our vaginas. And I definitely don't feel isolated in this respect. It's just something that I just don't need to talk about. I am not ashamed of it nor am I embarrassed. It's just not something I "need" to talk about.

This book is interesting to read but not life-changing as it would lead you to believe. Without Eve performing, the words are just empty. It definitely needs emotion and action to back them up. Now, if you want to share stories of violence against women, I am all for it ~~ but this book barely even skimmed on that subject.

It is a disappointment to read this and find out that nothing has changed. There is a reason why books should not be made on the performances ~~ it just doesn't emote very well.

1-14-07

...it would have told us how it feels during menstrual period, how it wants to be dressed up & decorated, how it wants to be called/addressed, how it wants to pleased, & a lot of other things we can & cannot imagine.
More than anything else, I believe the author's purpose in creating this book is for women to be comfortable with their private parts & to accept their feminine desires & needs are jsut as normal.

When I told my mother we were performing _The Vagina Monologues_ for V-Day 2000, she said, "What? What a disgusting thing to do!" That is exactly why _The Vagina Monologues_ must be read and performed -- to help us get over the disgust we have about our vaginas.
The variety of monologues in the book is incredible; Eve Ensler has created several personas that all tell you about their vaginas and their associated experiences. The monologues are well ordered -- the moods change from one to the other, with little overlap -- and you'll likely laugh, cry, squirm, cry, then laugh again.
Buy it, read it, share it.

This is a book about women discovering themselves. Unfortunately the ambition of the project is not realized with the superficial stream of consciousness approach used. This may have been effective as a device in the play from which the book is derived but not here. The predicably trite forward by Gloria Steinem is out of place in this book and hinders its aim. Steinem only describes women in contrast to men not as ends in themselves.

A masterpiece that lets you appreciate and love your wife, your mother, your grandmother and your mother-in-law in a whole new way.
A product of Devine inspiration -- God bless Eve -- Eamon McGhee Jr. , Author of Eden Shrugged

Men dating back to evolutionary times have subjugated women. They have been taught to be dominated and take on inferior roles within their lives. Feminists around the world have put much time and effort into reversing these so-called norms, but not until the publication of The Vagina Monologues did anybody speak up about the nature, abuse, and pure beauty of a woman?s genitalia. Celebrating womanhood, The Vagina Monologues successfully portrays events that any female can relate to. This collection proves to be excellent, not only because of the pure joy and feelings of strength that come with it, but due to the many forms of publicity that it has received as well. The Vagina Monologues, although a few years old, continues to prevail in both the written and theatrical realms. It has been triumphant in its efforts to enlighten people and help to stop violence towards women. Its following of both everyday civilians and celebrities serves as a powerful backing to its message. What began as a curious woman interviewing those like her has resulted in a mass attempt to end the violence.

Wow. What else can you say for The Vagina Monologues? In the book "taboo" things are brought up...our vaginas, menstrual periods, abuse... I strongly encourage any woman to read this book. I don't want to talk about it much as when you read it I want you to be moved as much as I was.

I'm sorry to slam something that has clearly moved so many people as has this monologue script. I also hasten to note that I'm frequently out of step with the tastes of general public, so feel free to take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt....

I do NOT, in ANY way, get the merits of this book/play! What are we going to read about next -- our anuses? The spaces between our toes? Our tongues? ("My tongue, when it curls -- warmly, trustingly, joyously -- against my hard palate... brings me home to myself....")

This piece of work strikes me as the HUGEST fit of public navel-gazing (except lower down, of course) in the past 30 years -- and when you think about some of the writing we've seen in this time, that's going some. On the other hand, maybe it's the naturally-arising response to the massive cuts in NEA funding in this country:

The 15-year surge of one-man and one-woman monologues in our non-profit theatres is purely due to the fact that there's virtually no money anymore for full stage productions. Costumes, sets, and ensemble casts have given way to a solitary actor standing on stage under a single spot, in black slacks and the obligatory "gem-toned" shirt, possibly using a prop or two as s/he describes some aspect of his/her life to the audience. Many times, this is good theatre -- I don't suggest it's not. My point is that this kind of low overhead allows both the actor and the venue to make a BIT of money out of their efforts, whereas a real play no longer can.

So here's the logical extension: You can't slash overhead more than by offering a monologue, but you CAN raise attendance by making the monologue all about vaginas! Please note this bit of dialogue from "Curb Your Enthusiasm":

[Actress who got the part:] Here's to "The Vagina Monologues"!

[Manager who got her the part:] Here's to the vagina!

Recognizing the deadly forces arrayed against our American dramatists today, I hate not to support them. But my support stops short of reading -- or attending "dramatic" productions of -- irrelevant tripe. Life is just too short.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Eve Ensler for her work. This book changed my perspective on my body and those of women around the world forever. Finally we have found a sane voice among all the myths, fears, and secrecy. I have given this book to many of my friends, male and female. Keep passing the word on, and on and on...

This book empowers women to accept and celebrate their vulva power. That is to say, Eve finds a way of expressing the spiritual, sensual, mental, beauty, power, etc. in womanhood. I wish I would have gotten a book like this as I was embarking on puberty. This is a gem!

To say that The Vagina Monologues is an empowering read is an understatement! It made me laugh, it made me cry, and most importantly it made me think. As soon as I read it, I had to finish it again. Then, I had to talk about it with all the women I am close to--and many men too. Ensler examines women's lives and attitudes about themselves in ways that may push your boundaries, but in order to be empowered, women need that! We need to look at what aspects of ourselves are shameful or embarassing and question why. If this book makes you uncomfortable it's probably good for you!

Despite years of buildup I found myself severely disappointed and slightly disgusted by The Vagina Monologues. I respect that the purpose is to (as the opening page read) empower women, make them feel equal, not to be ashamed of their sexuality and to make rape and violence against women to be known and for it to stop. That is a fantastic and admirable cause and one I support, but one I feel The Vagina Monologues does not.

I question how a work can claim to be against rape and then include a story endorsing statutory rape. The chapter entitled "The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could" explicitly details a 13 year old girl being raped repeatedly by an older woman and declares it a good experience. I don't care how the story is spun. Rape of any kind should never be endorsed.

One offensive chapter does not ruin a book for me. I was under whelmed by other material as well. Instead of the usual male copouts used against the book I blame my disappointment on a bad transition from stage to book. These stories are supposed to fill the reader with emotions. I felt nothing while reading the chapters. Worse still was chapters like "My Angry Vagina" and "The Flood" really do seem potent. I would enjoy seeing them performed at their full emotional capabilities. Unfortunately simply reading doesn't allow the reader to take away any emotion.

I'm not totally writing off The Vagina Monologues just yet. My value judgment on the book would be that it potentially has entertainment and informational value, but I just happened to encounter it in the wrong medium. A worthwhile stage production could change my view. As it now stands I find The Vagina Monologues to be an emotionless and contradicted work.

This book captures the experience of being a woman better than anything I have ever encountered. As I went through the book, I found that I identified with so many points, so many thoughts and experiences...it is incredible. I have given this book to many friends as gifts, and have lent out my personal copy countless times. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Even a conservative from the midwest can applaud Ms. Ensler for this important gift to women! How sad that this subject has been untouchable for so long. This work gives women and all those who truly love and seek to understand them a new perspective on much more than anatomy and sexuality. In a society that values what is "appropriate"and "normal" over what is honest and real- this piece of literature was desperately needed.

A brilliant and insightful examination of women and their relationship to their most mysterious posession: their vagina's. Ensler doesn't just talk the talk of intellectual feminists; she walks the walk too. The monologues are based on interviews with old women and young, black women and white, gay and straight. This book should be required reading for every man; especially macho guys who really don't have a clue what's going on down there.

Besides completely cracking me up, this play is insightful and appeals to both women and men--truly. When I've seen this play in performance, the men were laughing as hard as the women, sometimes even harder! Clearly, this play has much more to offer than humor, however. Ensler represents a truly diverse collection of women. I cherish my copy.

I bought The Vagina Monologues prepared to be wowed, moved, and forever changed. After all, isn't that what happens to every woman who reads The Vagina Monologues? Well, not for me.
The first problem that I had with this book is that it simply doesn't work well as a book. I didn't laugh. I didn't cry. I didn't anything. The monologues are written as performance pieces and simply don't stand up without the performance. It isn't their fault, just the nature of the thing. As a sidenote; I was able to see the monologues sometime late, which really brought home the point to me - it needs women to make it come alive.
The second problem that I had with The Vagina Monologues was that I felt it missed the mark. As with so much feminist literature it mixes up freeing women/relieving oppression with a sort of 'no holds barred' abandonment of any type of morality. As a result, I have very mixed feelings about the monologues. I feel some are very important and need to be heard by more people (such as the monologue which illustrates why rape as a tactic of systematic warfare is a very bad idea). That monologue (for me) speaks to the idea of acknowledging women's suffering and seeking to do something to stop it. On the other hand, I felt that some of the monologues were in very bad taste that borders on criminal. I'm thinking specifically of a monologue which details how a grown woman makes love (I call it molests) a thirteen year old girl. I'm sorry if I seem too conservative for the times, but I don't see how it is liberating to women to be commiting pedophelia upon them.
Which brings me to another point about The Vagina Monologues. The author's message of freeing women from the bonds of oppression gets all mixed up with a 'lesbians are good' message. Regardless of whether lesbians are or are not good, I feel that this muddies the waters in this book considerably. After all, if the thirteen year old girl that I mentioned in the last paragraph had been involved with a grown man, we'd all be howling from the rooftops.
In summary, I feel that The Vagina Monologues have lots of potential but suffer from a clear definition of mission. The book plays fairly badly as well. Read the Vagina Monologues if you wish, better yet, attend a performance. Be prepared, however, to hold yourself back from being swept into the popular tide of thought so that you may think and judge critically, for yourself, what you find.

I wanted this book, ordered it,read it,enjoyed it and then encouraged by my to read it although she was at first apprehensive. It is a humourous book but a sad book. I have recommended it to friends and we shared it on a weekend vacation by each reading a chapter aloud.The now want to do a dramization. Great book for a great cause.