Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag: A Memoir - Michael Anthony

AUTHOR: Michael Anthony

ILLUSTRATOR: Chai Simone

GENRE: Graphic Novel, Memoir.

RATING: 4.5 stars.

In a Nutshell: This graphic novel took me by surprise! Hardhitting, humorous, helpful, heartening, honest. A must-read, but keep in mind that it is intense.

Synopsis:

Michael, an Iraq war veteran and the titular ‘dirtbag’, is completely in love with his girlfriend, Coconut. (Not her real name, obviously. But what a cute nickname!) Coconut is a vegetarian but is accepting of Michael’s preference for meat-based diet. However, when she attends a lecture by an animal rights activist and he declares in his summation, “Anyone who eats meat is a murderer’, Coconut switches to a higher level of awareness and becomes an activist for animal-friendly choices. What Michael does to combat this in his idiosyncratic ways forms the rest of the story.

Where the book worked for me:

😍 True story, true relationship, true hurdles in romance, true gaps in communication, true patch-ups. The entire memoir is based on the foundation of reality, and it shows.

😍 I appreciate how the author doesn’t get all judgemental, unlike other books on this topic. The arguments are logical and convincing, and the struggles of turning to vegetarian are shown honestly. There are some condemnatory scenes from Coconut’s and the animal activists’ point of view, but these serve to support the point of the story. And well, nothing they say is false, so we can’t really say that they are demeaning without a strong reason.

😍 I loved the connect between the author and Coconut. You can see so clearly that he loves her but he loves his steak too. His struggle comes across as very real. Their relationship is healthy, despite some questionable choices by both of them.

😍 The background of the lead couple adds a further depth to the story. Michael’s experiences as a war veteran are connected well with his thoughts on food choices. Similarly, Coconut’s traumatic childhood under an abusive mother reveals why she feels so passionately about issues. I loved how the author took care to highlight his then-girlfriend’s background as well rather than presenting her as an impulsive do-gooder.

😍 While the essence of the story is about the author’s experiences after Coconut becomes an activist, the book also covers various other themes such as PTSD, body-shaming, relationship struggles, and communication gaps. Of course, there is a load of data about animal rights and abuse also. All work nicely without making it seem like too much has been inserted into the plot.

😍 Imagine serving the above serious subjects with a healthy dose of humour! What a tough task! But done so well. The funny moments help ameliorate some of the content that is tougher to digest.

😍 After every few pages, there’s an illustration of a note, which contains varied stats. These informative notes are shocking and the most impactful.

Where the book could have worked better for me:

😢 The illustrations and content get somewhat gory for a few pages, especially towards the start. I realise why this was necessary, and nothing was over the top. I just wasn’t prepared for it. As I am sensitive about animals, I had to distance myself from some of the bloodier illustrations contained in this memoir so that I could make it through. It’s not for the soft-hearted.

Debut illustrator Chai Simone does a pretty good job of matching the author’s text with graphics. She has a distinctive way of drawing people that didn’t click much with me. However, put this down to a personal preference than a design flaw. Overall, no major complaints and her storyboarding, which is often offbeat, syncs well with the memoir.

Honestly, I grabbed this book only for that amusing title. I thought it would be a fun graphic novel to read. But I was surprised by how intense it became. It highlights such a serious topic in a very relatable manner, making the book unusual, enlightening, and impactful. I have been a vegetarian for 12 years of my life before I was compelled to move towards non-veg food again. (TL;DR: family pressure after marriage.) Even today, when my husband isn’t in town, I have an exclusively vegetarian diet. This book validates so many of my own feelings

If you are an avid meat eater, even if this book doesn’t convert you into a vegetarian, it will push you towards reconsidering your food choices towards a more planet-friendly and health-friendly diet.

Strongly recommended.

⚠ NOT TO BE READ WHILE EATING, even if you are having veg/vegan food.

My thanks to Street Noise Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag: A Memoir”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.