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    The Vagina Monologues
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    The Vagina Monologues
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    The Vagina Monologues
    Audiobook1 hour

    The Vagina Monologues

    Published by Penguin Random House Audio

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A landmark in women's empowerment that honors female sexuality in all its complexity.

    I was worried about vaginas. I was worried about what we think about vaginas, and even more worried that we don't think about them. . . . So I decided to talk to women about their vaginas, to do vagina interviews, which became vagina monologues. I talked with over two hundred women. I talked to old women, young women, married women, single women, lesbians, college professors, actors, corporate professionals, sex workers, African American women, Hispanic women, Asian American women, Native American women, Caucasian women, Jewish women. At first women were reluctant to talk. They were a little shy. But once they got going, you couldn't stop them.

    So begins Eve Ensler's hilarious, eye-opening tour into the last frontier, the forbidden zone at the heart of every woman. Adapted from the award-winning one-woman show that's rocked audiences around the world, this groundbreaking book gives voice to a chorus of lusty, outrageous, poignant, and thoroughly human stories, transforming the question mark hovering over the female anatomy into a permanent victory sign. With laughter and compassion, Ensler transports her audiences to a world we've never dared to know, guaranteeing that no one who reads The Vagina Monologues will ever look at a woman's body the same way again.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateFeb 6, 2001
    ISBN9780375419188
    Unavailable
    The Vagina Monologues

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    Reviews for The Vagina Monologues

    4/5

    725 ratings34 reviews

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    • 4/5
      So much of the Vagina Monologues is relatable. Most women do not talk about their vaginas enough and what the women in this play were saying I kept agreeing with. We experience so much of the same self consciousnesses and experiences with our bodies, but we keep it hush hush making everyone wonder if they are normal. The play is about asking women about their vaginas and they are telling the stories they heard from the interviews, sometimes combining experiences, sometimes pointing out unique experiences. It's very interesting, I wish it was longer and more in depth (I read the actor's editions, I think I'll check out the longer editions).
    • 4/5
      I've been hearing about this work for most of my adult life - as a touchstone for some people and a punch line for others - but I had never experienced myself. My daughter read it for one of her high school classes, and I like to read along with her so I finally had motivation to find what out what lies behind the infamous reputation. I was going to read the book without ever having seen the piece performed, but I found it was available for streaming on HBO Now and watched it first. Then I read the book immediately afterward. And except for the few pieces that relied heavily on sound effects, I preferred the written version. It was easier for me to pick out and contemplate the interesting ideas and speed through parts that interested me less. I like that the book includes a few performance pieces that were missing from the HBO special and this edition has uplifting correspondence from V-Day fundraiser participants. I'm very impressed and now side with those who consider this a touchstone.
    • 4/5
      So much of the Vagina Monologues is relatable. Most women do not talk about their vaginas enough and what the women in this play were saying I kept agreeing with. We experience so much of the same self consciousnesses and experiences with our bodies, but we keep it hush hush making everyone wonder if they are normal. The play is about asking women about their vaginas and they are telling the stories they heard from the interviews, sometimes combining experiences, sometimes pointing out unique experiences. It's very interesting, I wish it was longer and more in depth (I read the actor's editions, I think I'll check out the longer editions).
    • 5/5
      There is no explanation I could possibly give, no words enough to explain the sheer power & healing of this incredible masterpiece.

      ****************************SPOILER/TMI************************

      When asked what their vagina smells like, not one woman said Love, so I'll say it for them. Because for me, this is what this book embodies, LOVE, for ourselves, our body, & power of life that we women are gifted with.

      I'm glad this book finally made its way into the Library booksale, otherwise I have no idea when if ever I would have taken the time to read it.
    • 3/5
      I've had this book on my shelf for quite a few years but only now has it found its way to the top of my reading pile. I didn't realize when I acquired it that it was actually a written adaptation of Ensler's live tour, which is probably what people are more familiar with. This is basically a compilation of conversations & such that Ensler has had with various women across the country about...well, vaginas. However, it's really more about feminism and women's rights and bluntly putting out there what some may be afraid to confront or say out loud. Though this was published in 2007, it's quite timely for a lot of what is being seen in the media today.I honestly have mixed feelings about it, though. It wasn't exactly what I expected. Some of the conversations were a little 'out there' and left me going, "Huh?". There was definitely some good stuff -- some things that needed to be said and I think this would be a very liberating book for some. But I was just kind of "meh" with the whole thing. For me, I think it would be more meaningful if seen live as a performance, as it was originally intended. It is still being performed today in various venues & formats and there are multiple YouTube videos out there, which I may have to investigate.
    • 3/5
      There were some great parts, and some which seemed designed solely for shock value. Still, it's an interesting read.
    • 3/5
      This work created a sensation as it toured the country (and the world) for V-day celebrations. So much talk of vaginas can be offputting for women; my own discomfort raised the question: why do women find it so difficult to talk about their vaginas, when men seem to have no difficulty expounding for hours about penises? It is an artistic wake up call - the monologues talk about how women feel about their vaginas, and the message comes through loud and clear that we are not comfortable. It isn't penis envy that shows through these monologues, but rather an ambivalence and uncertainty about what it means to be a woman, about the risks of being a woman in a world designed by (and for) men, and how much we really want to talk about the one thing we don't want to talk about. If that makes no sense...well, read the book.
    • 3/5
      I've been meaning to read or see The Vagina Monologues for a long time. Someone was talking about it, as people often do, and I realised it was available on the Kindle store, so I got it.

      It's a very quick read. It's not an easy read. There's discussion of self-loathing, of embarrassment and shame, of sexual assault and violence against women, of statutory rape. It might also not be easy for you if you can't read the word 'vagina' without getting uncomfortable, or if you don't like the word 'cunt', or if you wish that women wouldn't talk about 'down there' in public.

      It's about that discomfort, and it's about shining a light on something that we don't talk about, that we are often taught to be ashamed of. A few years ago, I wouldn't have been able to stand the idea of reading it: right now, I can't stand the idea of performing it. And I'm not ready to talk to my grandmother about it! But maybe someday...

      In any case, I think it's a very important idea, to talk about these things that we find so discomforting. How often have I heard men talking about their penises in public? Far more often than I've ever heard women do -- and often when we do, it's hushed and breathless and illicit.

      On the other hand, I am not my vagina. I am not my physical form at all, personally. And it feels like this book does a lot of that -- distilling women down until the only important part of them is physical, sexual. For many women, that's not the truth, and it doesn't have to be. And the references in the foreword about not being able to write 'politically correctly', not being able to write about transgendered women -- I believe she should have tried until she got it, by talking to transgendered women, and talking to them again, and again, just like the one about the lesbian who said she was doing it wrong. And if she really, truly couldn't do it, then she should have stepped back and let a transgendered woman write it for herself, if her work is truly intended to be inclusive and about all women everywhere.

      There's more I don't really engage with: I don't relate to questions like what would my vagina want to dress in, or what it would say. It's a part of me, not separate.

      Everything has limitations, though, it's true, and this is a big step for many women. Hopefully fewer and fewer, as society moves on. I'm sure someone has written their own transgendered woman monologue -- I hope many have -- and I hope they're heard, too.

      This particular edition, with the introduction by Gloria Steinem, is quite interesting, giving some historical/cultural context. It also includes a lot of stuff about people's reactions to "V-Day", which can be interesting to read. However, do note that the Kindle edition is badly proofread in places.
    • 4/5
      I've never seen these monologues performed, and quite frankly, I never wanted to. I started reading this book expecting I-don't-know-what, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's short and very easy to read. I read it in one day and really enjoyed myself while doing so. It felt good to read the word 'vagina' a thousand time. I was born in the 90s, and my approach to and concept of vagina is very liberal and free-loving, so for me it was very interesting to gain perspective on how older generations feel about this subject. I must say I was a little bit saddened by how repressed they were growing up, and hadn't thought about it that way. But things have changed and will forever be changing for the better. I would most definitely recommend this book to anyone. I think it is a MUST read, for all ages and sexes.
    • 5/5
      The book begins with a monologue by Eve Ensler about working toward a world of peace and what it takes to support women and stop violence against them. Following are excellent photographs by Joyce Tenneson that show women who have been involved in the V-Day project, proud, brave, young and old. This is an inspiring book.
    • 5/5
      This was a fantastic and very helpful book! I learned things about women and being a woman that, as a woman, I should've already known but didn't. Now I feel enlightened, empowered, and inspired to share Eve's message with others. I highly recommend this book to everyone, men or women.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful real life stories. Heartfelt, and easy to relate too. Worth reading, you wont regret it.
    • 3/5
      This was a quick one day read that I found snappy and oddly sweet.
    • 4/5
      None of the stories depicted shocked me. This is an unfortunate circumstance of our culture, yesterday and today.I have not yet seen the play, but hope to soon. I have no doubt it is better then the book. Sometimes, the spoken word, with all its inflections, has more effect (very unusual for me to say; usually, I feel it is the book over the movie that effects the true nature of a written piece). Either way, this work has had a positive influence on our culture that can not be disputed... V-Day. What a great thing!The book itself was written well. I do not care how many times, or ways, people have been made aware of this subject. Until we have world-wide knowledge and prevention in-tact, no words are too many.To the younger (then I) generation, many of you feel women's liberation, et al, is embarrassing. Whatever the word described, thank the women before us that enable you to think, feel and speak this way. I do not always agree with the form or method used in fighting for continued freedom. I realize that sometimes it takes extremes to get peoples attention. Various approaches also reflect individuality-a good thing. As long as it is for a humane cause, do not discard the work. Evaluate the needs and work to effect change.BALE
    • 4/5
      I'm not sure how many men have read this book or may even admit to it. I was drawn to the book from all the publicity over the play. I never saw the play but I assume it's much better than the book. It's hard to put into words the emotions that the stories tell. This is probably a must read for any woman and enlightening for a man as well. It a shame the violence, humiliation and suffering that women have endured and still endure. The stories are touching and empowering. It's not all depressing as there are some funny stories as well. A lot of the book seems to be pointed toward hard-core feminists and lesbians.
    • 2/5
      I listened to this on tape and enjoyed the dialog, especially the parts that were read as an older woman. I feel like it's more of a performance piece and that the personalization and character wouldn't come across in written word.
    • 5/5
      I have loved 'The Vagina Monologues' ever since I saw it for the first time a few years ago. Favorite monologues include 'The Flood', 'The Little Coochie-Snorcher That Could', and others. Parts of it make me cringe, parts make me laugh, and all of it is intense. It's better to watch a performance than to read it, but the book is still great
    • 2/5
      I'm sorry to slam something that has moved as many people as has this collection of monologues. 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 that 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.
    • 5/5
      Quite the book, indeed. A book every woman should have on their shelf.
    • 4/5
      There ain't much more I can say about this but wow. I really need to get up and go to the next performance.
    • 4/5
      Good! Interesting to see the perception of various women.
    • 5/5
      It feels like you are watching the performance! Funny and brilliant!
    • 3/5
      I understand why this was so culturally groundbreaking twenty years ago. But, as a 20-something woman now, it doesn’t resonate with me in the same way, perhaps because I and my friends are much more open about vaginas and sex than our older counterparts, and I found the author’s performance to be over the top. I neither enjoyed this nor learned much of anything new from it, but I’m giving it three stars to commemorate its place in feminist history.
    • 5/5
      Really creative and fun to listen to. Wish there was more nonbinary and transgender representation, though - lots of people have vaginas without being women!
    • 3/5
      Some passages are stronger/weaker than others. Overall, the collection is a 3 but there are some passages which could be a 5 (and some a 1).
    • 4/5
      Even though this won't be a book for everyone, I feel like it's a book everyone should read.

      If you have a wife or a daughter or someone (non-binary, trans and intersex someones too!) close to you with a particular body part, you should read this book.

      If you really like slam poetry and prose, you should read this book for its poetic and literary values.

      I understand that some people won't like it because of their personal preferences or tastes. And I understand that this piece can often be rude or be confronting or all of the above, but I really thoroughly enjoyed it.

      I found it warm and funny and I thought Ensler's writing was really approachable.

      I will say that she did touch on and talk about difficult topics like harassment or non-consensual sex and rape, and those could be triggering for some people. However, I might argue that Ensler deals with these topics in a very compassionate way and has created entire foundations for women and is a brilliant advocate.

      Apparently The Vagina Monologues have been performed in prisons to prisoners who are soon-to-be-released with very positive results. I'm glad this program has had such an empowering affect on so many.

      What else? I loved listening to this as an audiobook! The author performs so brilliantly and adds great texture with her inflections and particularly her accents. I don't agree with everything that she says but I feel like this piece fills a gap in what we consider to be 'taboo'.

      I related a lot to this and really enjoyed it, but even if you don't enjoy it I feel like you'll get something out of it anyway. c:

    • 5/5
      Excellent read.

      I thought it would be a littler weird at first, but it's pretty interesting. I definitely want to read it again sometime. It's been so long.
    • 3/5
      This is the book version of Ensler's popular stage show, in which she talks about, well, vaginas. It features some of her own thoughts, a few anatomical facts, and several pieces based on interviews she did with other women, although it seems as if most of those stories are somewhat fictionalized, or interpreted, or maybe just paraphrased.And... OK, first off, I have to say, I very much approve of what Ensler's trying to do with this. Like a lot of girls, I grew up with the distinct sense that my genitalia were something dirty and shameful, or at the very least something embarrassing and taboo, an implicit but fairly clear message that that particular piece of human anatomy should not be named, touched, or even thought about more than strictly necessary. And that ain't right. It especially ain't right in a society in which male genitalia come with associations of pride and power. (And other associations as well, of course, but those are definitely there in a way that they're not for women.) Demystifying women's bodies, making a vagina something that's nice to have and fine to acknowledge having, that's a good thing. Ensler also talks about sexual abuse and rape and genital mutilation, and these are also things that should be acknowledged and talked about and not turned away from. So, in principle, I'm all for this.In practice, however... I have to say, most of it did very little for me. There weren't really any moments where I felt she tapped into something that I, personally, could relate to, and there's a bit too much mysticism and flowery language and weird metaphor for me. My vagina is not not a seat of power, it's not a fragrant meadow, and it doesn't wear a beret. I just cannot make myself take that sort of thing seriously. I did, somewhat to my surprise, quite like the poem about childbirth. But otherwise... Well, maybe it's better if you actually see it performed live. Or maybe I'm just not the right audience for this, whatever anatomy I happen to be possessed of.
    • 3/5
      Vagina. Vagina. Vagina. Those that know me know that I never shy away from using the word "vagina".
      The monologues are quick & easy to read. I wish there were more monologues that celebrate the vagina with humor & wit.
      Sure, the main point is to spread awareness of violence, confusion & shame related to the female sex organ but I'd like if it were balanced with more celebration & humor.
      The vagina isn't all bad...most of us females have vaginal stories that bring tears of laughter to the listeners eyes.

    • 4/5
      This is a series of monologues and ensemble pieces cobbled together by Eve Ensler from various interviews she had with women regarding sex, sexual violence, and vaginas. Each year the script changes, with various updates by Ensler. The updated scripts are for performance only and different than the published version. Also they are only available to the groups who are planning on performing the monologues in association with the fight against sexual and domestic violence - against women and girls.
      There's some strict rules:

      1. These are true stories and the performers should tell/perform them with a certain respect to the actual women who told them.

      2. Usually the performance is a staged reading, with little to no direction. The performers do not memorize the script and read it off of index cards.

      3. The entire script must be performed and it must be no longer or shorter than 90 minutes.

      4. Everyone who wants to be involved should be provided with some role or means of involvement, and this should be a healing experience.

      5. The directors/producers of the play should see themselves as activists first and directors second.

      6. Only those people who have lived their lives with a vagina (note not necessarily born with one) may perform the roles. Roles are open to transgender women who have a vagina via medical means and women born with one. Men can be involved in other ways but not in performing the roles. (Which makes sense when you read it - the roles are definitely characters with vaginas. It would be odd for someone with a penis to perform these roles, and disrespectful to the actual women whom the roles/monologues are based.)

      The monologues are rather moving. It is not a "man-hating" play as has been presumed. It's an informative piece about how our society has dealt with the concept of vagina, women, and violence against women and transgender. And I highly recommend that people of all genders either read it or if they get a chance see a performance.