What do you think?
Rate this book
Monsters: Addiction, Hope, Ex-girlfriends, and Other Dangerous Things
This is a story of a historian turning his craft to the story about which he is most afraid: his own. This is a book about fighting the monsters of addiction, severe anxiety, depression, and crippling self-doubt. But more than this, it is about a fight against hope.
And how the author fought for thirty years against hope. He fought that dreadful proposition that there might be something else out there that offered some kind of reprieve. He fought, and hoped against hope. And lost. This is a story about a crooked family tree, bent and twisted by suicide, alcoholism and abandonment. This is a story about carving out an early career in television, radio, and comedy and then walking away for a girl. This is the story of a decade spent in the hallowed halls of academia by day, and the gutter by night (and the terrifying things found in both places). This is a story about a string of girlfriends and almost girlfriends, about breaking up and being broken up. The narrator is not the hero, nor is he the only author. For a couple to agree on anything can be hard enough, but especially so when the things upon which they must agree took place more than twenty years ago. And so throughout the story, when ex-girlfriends and his wife come into play, they have had the opportunity to write unfiltered and unedited footnotes about what they believe actually happened. It is his story, but it is theirs too. The monsters are real. They are addiction and chemicals and fear and angry ex-girlfriends. But the real monster is one much scarier... and the one the author still can't shake.
And how the author fought for thirty years against hope. He fought that dreadful proposition that there might be something else out there that offered some kind of reprieve. He fought, and hoped against hope. And lost. This is a story about a crooked family tree, bent and twisted by suicide, alcoholism and abandonment. This is a story about carving out an early career in television, radio, and comedy and then walking away for a girl. This is the story of a decade spent in the hallowed halls of academia by day, and the gutter by night (and the terrifying things found in both places). This is a story about a string of girlfriends and almost girlfriends, about breaking up and being broken up. The narrator is not the hero, nor is he the only author. For a couple to agree on anything can be hard enough, but especially so when the things upon which they must agree took place more than twenty years ago. And so throughout the story, when ex-girlfriends and his wife come into play, they have had the opportunity to write unfiltered and unedited footnotes about what they believe actually happened. It is his story, but it is theirs too. The monsters are real. They are addiction and chemicals and fear and angry ex-girlfriends. But the real monster is one much scarier... and the one the author still can't shake.
220 pages, Paperback
Published April 8, 2017
6 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 22, 2017
The archaeology of one’s past is an adventure and a nightmare. The deeper we dig beneath the layers of dirt and stones, the more we find. And the more we find, the more we are forced to come to grips with the events, people, and decisions that shaped who we are. Monsters by Daniel van Voorhis is such an archaeology. It’s a book full of the monsters of addiction, selfishness, and family fragility, all mixed in with the regular dirt and grime of the layered lives we lead. This is more than a tell-all. More than an autobiography. It’s a rollercoastering adrenaline-rush that dips in and out of a van Voorhis’s life to reveal—above all else—his search for hope in a world where hope is a rare commodity. There’s ex-girlfriends, drugs, alcohol, and God in this book, along with both hilarious and gut-wrenching accounts of one man’s attempts to figure out this thing called life. If you’re looking for a traditional, linear account of a person’s quest to find God, then this book is not for you. But if you’re up for an unconventional, kaleidoscopic image of a man’s life shaped by the invisible hand of the divine as he flounders through the dark alleys of life, then pick up this book and read it.
November 13, 2018
I picked this book up expecting to find a conversion story, but it was messier and more complex - which made me trust it more. Not all of his monsters are my monsters, but there is a universality to the topics with which he wrangles. Extra stars because he inhabits the same world that I did in high school (same time period in Southern California). I had to laugh because I remember all the teenage dramas that played out at Disneyland (we all could afford passes back then), making mixed tapes, chatting with friends on AIM, and the newness of the internet. There is something very early html about the format of this book, too, with footnotes from ex-girlfriends leading you down different little rabbit holes. And yes, I did make a Spotify list of all the great song recommendations. I checked this out of my library, but will purchase it one of these days.
September 17, 2017
Beautiful explanation/descriptions of anxiety & addictions... I made myself slow down during reading it to chew over some of the more real stuff (that I identified significantly with). Excellent read. Rough (in a good way) reminder that everything is going to be all right.
February 11, 2021
I was introduced to Dan van Voorhis through his podcast, "Christian History Almanac". I highly recommend the podcast because of the content, but I also love how he ends each one with, "The rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true. Everything is going to be okay."
I wanted to learn more about him and found he had written this book, so I picked up a copy. The title alone gives away the fact that his life wasn't what I might picture of a Christian historian, but even that didn't fully prepare me with what he shared in the book. In the end, though, it made his statement at the end of his podcasts even more important and significant.
There's a certain sense of reluctance, of "Should I be sharing this?", throughout the book, and it feels a bit 'manic' at times. After the multiple preface 'disclaimers', I was wondering what I was in for. In the end, I'm not sure how else he could have written it.
Everyone can relate to certain aspects of his life: anxiety, the need to be liked/loved, imposter syndrome, etc. He definitely turned all that up to 11 though! There was much I didn't relate to, but I certainly know of others who have had similar struggles and what he wrote helps me understand more about them, too.
In the end it was encouraging to me for him to still be able to say, "It will all be okay." I'm glad it's true for him and I'm glad it's true for me, too.
I wanted to learn more about him and found he had written this book, so I picked up a copy. The title alone gives away the fact that his life wasn't what I might picture of a Christian historian, but even that didn't fully prepare me with what he shared in the book. In the end, though, it made his statement at the end of his podcasts even more important and significant.
There's a certain sense of reluctance, of "Should I be sharing this?", throughout the book, and it feels a bit 'manic' at times. After the multiple preface 'disclaimers', I was wondering what I was in for. In the end, I'm not sure how else he could have written it.
Everyone can relate to certain aspects of his life: anxiety, the need to be liked/loved, imposter syndrome, etc. He definitely turned all that up to 11 though! There was much I didn't relate to, but I certainly know of others who have had similar struggles and what he wrote helps me understand more about them, too.
In the end it was encouraging to me for him to still be able to say, "It will all be okay." I'm glad it's true for him and I'm glad it's true for me, too.
January 22, 2020
This book is baffling. It is the least orthodox autobiography/memoir I have ever read - I wonder if there is another like it.
Not for the character. Not for the problems involved, or the story. Not for its themes, or messages. There are parallels to all of these in other autobiographies.
No, this is unique because it has metamorphosed again and again, to the point where a (previously anonymised) memoir receives unedited footnote commentary from several people in it - including former girlfriends and the (still) wife of the author!
At once I am both completely understanding of and utterly confused by this book. There are lots of books about addiction, failure, and trying to succeed against odds. But the format of this book is just something else. And a playlist for every chapter! How slowly do people read? This is like 120 songs for a 200 page book!
The publishing has left marks. Despite the editors - and I assume checking the galley copies - there are far more slip ups than in normal books. Some of this might be late notice - certainly the author makes clear he was very, very late in sending it to the publishers. It says an imprint was set up for this, but it has a feel of self-publishing.
Bizarre. Would only recommend to those who have read widely.
Not for the character. Not for the problems involved, or the story. Not for its themes, or messages. There are parallels to all of these in other autobiographies.
No, this is unique because it has metamorphosed again and again, to the point where a (previously anonymised) memoir receives unedited footnote commentary from several people in it - including former girlfriends and the (still) wife of the author!
At once I am both completely understanding of and utterly confused by this book. There are lots of books about addiction, failure, and trying to succeed against odds. But the format of this book is just something else. And a playlist for every chapter! How slowly do people read? This is like 120 songs for a 200 page book!
The publishing has left marks. Despite the editors - and I assume checking the galley copies - there are far more slip ups than in normal books. Some of this might be late notice - certainly the author makes clear he was very, very late in sending it to the publishers. It says an imprint was set up for this, but it has a feel of self-publishing.
Bizarre. Would only recommend to those who have read widely.
April 27, 2019
Loved it but being a fan of VIW will disqualify me as an objective reviewer. It really was more of an experience than a book & I highly recommend the audio version. The old girlfriends & wife’s footnotes peeled the onion back another layer. Plenty of 4 letter words but used appropriately for the intense nature of the situation & the 2cd commandment was not broken. I’d grade it a £U€K!N& A.
p.s. B.A. deserves a medal.
p.s. B.A. deserves a medal.
April 17, 2019
After losing Dan's dulcet tones on the Virtue in the Wasteland podcast, I had the opportunity to enjoy them once more in the extremely entertaining and touching audiobook form (where the girlfriends read their own footnotes - wow!). This kind of insight and honesty is the food of any soul seeking truth.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews