Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag: A Memoir

by Michael Anthony, Chai Simone (Illustrator)

A rough-and-tumble Iraq War veteran is young and in love. The last thing on his mind is food and the ethics of eating meat, but when his girlfriend becomes a vegetarian and animal-rights activist, suddenly food is all he thinks about. Amid the stories of love and frustration are treatises on food, vegetarianism, and the ethics of the animal-rights movement (some of it juxtaposed against Michael Anthony's graphic wartime experiences). It's a true story of how love and vegetarianism can triumph told with Anthony’s sardonic perspective and the delightful artwork of Chai Simone.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Memoir, Nonfiction, Comics, Biography Memoir, Biography, Adult

176 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2022

About the author

Michael Anthony is the author of the graphic memoir Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag: A Memoir, and the award-winning and acclaimed memoirs: Civilianized: A Young Veteran’s Memoir, and Mass Casualties: A Young Medic’s True Story of Death, Deception, and Dishonor in Iraq.

Michael’s writing has been called “strong … and starkly honest…”-Publisher’s Weekly, “Dark Humored,” –Kirkus, “smart and mordantly funny,” –Milwaukee Journal, and “gut punching…”–Mary Roach. He has appeared in several anthologies, and has written for The Washington Post, Business Insider, Signature-Reads, and The Good Men Project, where he served for a year as chief editor of the War & Veterans section.

He has been featured in several documentaries regarding military service, philosophy, and comedy, and he has worked as a military consultant for award-winning theater and art installations.

A graduate of Bridgewater State University, Michael also holds an MFA in creative writing from Lesley University. A former US army soldier, he currently lives with his wife in Massachusetts and spends his free time working with veterans.

Michael can be reached through his website: MichaelAnthonyAuthor.com

Reviews

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 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 had 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.

4.5 stars.


⚠ 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.




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[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of books built around a big lie.

The memoirist tells his girlfriend, who has recently become a vegan and animal rights activist, that she has persuaded him to take on the same beliefs. He lies to her in order to get her to drop her guard so he can launch a subtle counteroffensive of mind games intended to get her to eat meat again.

Immediately annoyed with him, I then got bored with his endless plotting and moments of angst on the road to the inevitable reveal and revelation.

Meh.

[Sean Barrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun! Despite how the title appears, this isn’t some dig at meat eaters. It’s a clever piece of comic-fiction that pokes fun at the reactions meat eaters get from vegans, and also how vegans (especially activists) are perceived by the public in general.

It doesn’t take itself too seriously. Primarily, though, it explores how dietary differences and lifestyle differences affect relationships. What happens when one person becomes vegan, and the other person does not understand why? Relationships can break down – I know I’ve seen it in reality. It really can cause breakups and divorce. Crazy really, but when you care about a cause and your partner doesn’t – it really can break things apart.

Here, though, the “dirt-bag” as he comes to style himself pretends to be vegan to make his girlfriend happy. In a subtle form of conversion tactic, he attempts to bring her back to meat-eating by infiltrating the movement from the inside. Naturally, such deceit only leads to more problems for himself and his relationship. And it becomes quite comical as he attempts to hide it and save his relationship at the same time. He is an unlikely vegan, someone who is numb from war trauma and indifferent to most things; yet, slowly he begins to see the logic behind the ideas he’s pretending to hold.

From a personal point of view, from someone who is a vegan and is an activist, I really appreciated the barriers that are broken down with a piece of writing like this. It shows both sides of the debate but, ultimately, it pushes a vegan message without being too preachy and hard-hitting. It’s chatty, relatable and a pleasure to read.

-The author sent me this copy in exchange for an honest review.

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[itselv]

Insufferable people with no life. Not fun nor informative.

I viciously hate when an adult is lying to hide from responsibility or consequences like a child does. Get your act together, dude.

[klaudia katarzyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting this graphic novel to be this good! Congrats on a great job to both Michael Anthony and Chai Simone.

What can I say more than everyone should read it even if you're not a vegetarian or vegan. I'm not either but I tried to change my diet to a non-meat one but sometimes it was just too hard. I was able to enjoy this book even though sometimes it was a bit too much for me but it's part of the story, the real-life story.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. E-ARC provided via BookSirens.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice little glimpse into a part of someone's life. The art and the writing complemented each other very well and kept me interested the whole way through. I was drawn to this story since I'm vegan and my spouse is not. After reading I would recommend this book to those that are in relationships since at its core it is about how one should and shouldn't act in a relationship. Both the "meat-eating dirtbag" and "Coconut" (the girlfriend) tried to change each other and once they opened up honest communication their relationship was able to flourish. This is a quick read and I recommend it to those in relationships and those interested in vegetarianism and vegan relationships. Bonus there is a great cookie recipe included!

I received a ARC of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chai Simone's art is a tent that captures the humor and seriousness of a book about love and activism. It's about a lot more than that - it's educational in a very conversational way. So many things I didn't know about animal rights, war, pick-up artistry. Very engaging and even a little heartwarming.

[Scott Whitmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been about five years since I returned to comics as a reader; as a kid I enjoyed Iron Man, Sgt. Rock and the Unknown Soldier, and for years it was a running joke between my brother and I that our birthday gifts to each were “two comics and a model airplane.” Obviously, comics changed a lot in the intervening 45 years, with the artwork, subject matter and approach to storytelling evolving in concert with cultural norms.

This is my long-winded way of saying Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag by Michael Anthony with art by Chai Simone, is perfect as a graphic novel. The story – about a young Iraq War vet who decides his vegan girlfriend must eat meat again to save their relationship – could be told in prose, sure. But using the artwork of Chai Simone to tell Anthony’s it-really-happened rom-com brings the story to life in a way that I’m not sure just words can.

Simone’s characters are expressive and lively, but never cartoonish. The panels and layouts are varied and fit the scene: a group gathering for a meal is a full page while two separate but simultaneous conversations run as parallel columns. Her color palette highlights without distracting.

Anthony’s tale works as both a Hollywood rom-com, with the somewhat immature guy going to humorous (and unnecessary) lengths to not lose the love of his life, and as a meditation on idealism and personal development. On top of that it’s informative; covering the benefits – to people and animals – of a vegan or vegetarian diet. There’s even a cookie recipe I want to try.

Finally, it’s a bonus to me that the protagonist and several supporting characters are recent veterans who challenge the likely notions of some folks. People in/of/from the military are as varied in their experiences, outlooks and ideals as the rest of society and the more we are depicted as such the better.

In sum: savor the artwork, have a laugh and learn a thing or two. Plus there’s that cookie recipe.

This review is based on a copy provided by the author for that purpose.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir of the author's attempt to get his girlfriend to go back to eating meat, by becoming a vegetarian with her. Had Anthony read Mother Night, it might have occurred to him that by successfully pretending to go vegan, he would go vegan. I found the author's to be very annoying throughout most of the book, but I guess that's kind of the point. He paints Coconut as kind of a saint, but I guess she'd kind of have to be to put up with any amount of his basic-ass arguments against going veg, 2010s era male contrarianism, & Cards Against Humanity style edgy nihilism. Showed a glimpse of the world of ex-military vegans. So this is also a memoir of growing up. I'm surprised that in all of the vegetarian/vegan literature cited, there's never anything about the harms the meat industry inflicts on its workers, especially with the stories in the news from 2020 about the meat packing plants practically competing to see how many of their workers would get covid and die. I'll definitely want to see any other graphic novels that the artist Simone comes out with.

[Sorina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quiet fun read. A fun and light way to inform oneself on veganism.
I really enjoyed the short story about a couple consisting of a meat-eater and a vegetarian. Throughout the story they both find their own way to veganism, containing all potential conflicts with a starting point like theirs.
I loved that the author gave some book recommendations on the topic at the end of the book and between chapters. I’ll definitely check some of them out.

[Sarah Hoisington Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!
Loved the chapter layouts with the notebook pages interspersed. Illustrations were cute.
While I may not be “converted” to vegetarianism/veganism by the book, it does have thoughtful information about the “cause”.
A fun read that I recommend.

[Danai · Rating 3 out of 5]

An adorable graphic memoir regarding relationship struggles between two complex people. The whole memoir was well researched on veganism and I loved that we got to see both sides of the arguement.


Would absolutely recommend, as it gave me more of an insight on animal rights activists.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting! Not sure if its quite my cup of tea. Bought this after Lit Crawl in Boston and hearing the author speak on a panel, which was super interesting and he had a lot of great ideas. I don’t know if this particular book was quite my cup of tea though. Probably a 2.5.

[Tory · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a tough read for me. I know that this was an autobiographical work and I respect Michael Anthony’s lived experience, but the way his attitude towards his girlfriend’s likes and beliefs was portrayed here felt uncomfortable. Using “she likes dogs dressed up in clothes, cries at movies and TV shows, and enjoys theater” as negative descriptors of her personality didn’t do it for me, and blaming her empathy for animals on her previous struggles with eating disorders during her childhood was just plain unacceptable. It seems like the intention here was not to sugarcoat Anthony’s past closemindedness in order to show his growth as the story (and his life) progressed, but I do not think this was paced appropriately for that to come through clearly to the reader. Too much of the page count was dedicated to his weird scheme of “pretending” to be a vegetarian (by actually being a vegetarian) in order to convince his girlfriend to eat meat, as well as making disparaging comments about her to his friends and to the reader. By the time his introspection and growth finally began I was firmly not “rooting for him” as a character in this story.

I was also a bit thrown by the tangents the characters would go on about the military and their experiences while enlisted. These were sometimes used for comparison’s sake, or metaphorically as a way for Anthony to understand things happening around him, but we’re such a hard turn from the actual story that they felt totally unrelated. At one point the author realizes that by trying to change his girlfriend’s opinions and behavior, “[He is] her Al Qaeda, her Taliban… Her meat-eating, dirtbag, Taliban boyfriend.” (Part of that is noticeably missing from the book’s title, so it seems like SOMEONE realized that that wasn’t appropriate.)

In the end I probably was not the correct audience for this particular book. I will give it this, Michael Anthony’s perspective is not one I’ve come across often in comics, and so for that it maybe a valuable addition to someone’s collection. I know that this author has written previously about his experience in the military, and I can see his voice working very well in a story like that.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Street Noise Books for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A graphic memoir about a young veteran who fell for a girl who becomes an animal rights activist/vegetarian during their relationship and the ensuing complications that spring forth because of it. So. I have decidedly mixed feelings about this graphic memoir. I did not think it was a bad book by any means but there was something about the narrative that rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe I'm just too much of a meat-eating monster to get it.

Jokes aside, I think there was a lack of nuance to the memoir and some fairly problematic means, from both parties, of dealing with differing opinions and beliefs was glossed over and never really fully explored. I really liked the artwork, however, it was very reminiscent to early 2000's cartoons which complemented the story very well. Again, it wasn't a bad book and I enjoyed Anthony's narrative voice, I just wished he delved a bit deeper, instead having the memoir end with a quickly tied-up resolution.

In conclusion, a solely plant-based diet is not for me and likely never will be but I won't hate on any people who are about that life if they don't try to shame me out of my dietary choices.

[Laura Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the author and his vegetarian girlfriend attend a seminar on animal rights activism, his girlfriend throws herself into the cause and asks him to join her. While he hesitantly agrees, he also secretly hates it but is worried about jeopardizing his relationship. So, instead, he resolves to use some reverse psychology to entice her to abandon the cause.

Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag is a page-turning love story with a very unique conflict that can be relatable to anyone who is afraid of confrontation or faces challenges in a very passive aggressive way. The author explores the deep histories that inspire the couple’s differing viewpoints to bring credibility to a surface-level seemingly arbitrary conflict, and if anything, helps to show readers how not to handle such situations.

You can read my full review and interview with the author here: https://laurasbooksandblogs.com/just-...

[Janelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find the topic of balancing different opinions in a relationship interesting, but maybe not interesting enough for a whole book. Maybe it would have helped to have a bit more backstory on their relationship beforehand. I did think the artwork was done well. The ending was also a bit abrupt.


Spoilers:
I thought something more would happen with the professor. There wasn’t really a conclusion with him.

The end picture didn’t say what our narrator and author ended up doing aside from that Coconut was a vegan and their children were vegetarian.


I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Juju · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really liked this. Though the premise started with an absurd, misguided deception - ultimately the moral of the story is how much more common ground two seemingly different causes can share - e.g. vegetarianism vs going to war. Both characters learn to recognize the pain/battles that the other has endured and how it fuels the “fight” within each other. Really loved to see the gradual process of someone changing their mind on something they once vehemently opposed - how this realistically looks like via enmeshed relationships, love, honest dialogue, and recognizing common ground. Honestly feels like an important reflection for how we might talk across difference in today’s world.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art is wonderful and absolutely 5 stars. Story wise, it had a lot of heart, humor, and compassion, but….. I was pretty annoyed at the fanaticism of the kind of animal rights activism depicted in the book and it was uncomfortable for me to read about a relationship where both people are trying so hard to change each other against their will. :/

[Nicole-Anne Keyton (Hint of Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Review Copy (ARC) from Reedsy Discovery in exchange for an honest review.

Michael is a young war vet who had a rough time re-entering civilian life. After finding his purpose through a weirdly insightful dating class, he meets Coconut, the love of his life. The only problem? She doesn’t eat meat. Well, it wasn’t much of a problem at first...until she starts converting Michael to the vegetarian way of life. Coconut plunges Michael into the deep end: she takes him to animal rights lectures, gives him book recommendations on the ethics of not eating meat, and makes him watch documentaries and videos about the cruelty of animal slaughterhouses and abuse in the name of capitalism. Soon, all Michael can ever think about is meat—that is, how much he misses eating meat but doesn’t want it to destroy their relationship.

What can one do in this situation? One possibility: “if you can’t beat them, join them.” The other? Meet “Operation Tofu Horse,” Michael's plan to save their relationship by becoming a vegetarian to attack The Cause “from the inside.” Though it’s not as simple as it seems...

Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag is chock full of lightheartedness and grim reality, from the day-to-day joys of a loving relationship to the horrors of war and neglect that embed themselves within us and change our behavior. While Meat-Eating Dirtbag starts as a story about two lovers feuding over vegetarianism, the author, Michael Anthony, delivers a deeper subplot that undergirds the greens at the surface—the roots for the trees, if I may. Seeing Anthony’s narration depicted through illustration (by talented debut graphic novelist Chai Simone) opens a whole new way of witnessing how we tend to overlook care for veterans as much as we are willfully ignorant to learn how the source of our meat entrée really makes its way to our plate. Anthony explores a reckoning not just of how he can work things out with his vegetarian activist life partner, but how other kinds of systemic abuse in our world have gone unchallenged for far too long.

The visual voice of Meat-Eating Dirtbag is an advocate for those at the fork of competing intimate values that shape who we are and how we respond. For fans of the graphic memoir’s ability to transcend how we tell stories with layers of visual humor and complexity, Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag tackles the tough bits of relationships, PTSD, and social justice with a steady hand.

[mad mags · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Netgalley. Content warning for depictions of animal abuse, wartime violence, and eating disorders.)

Author Michael Anthony was deployed to Iraq as an operating room technician. When he got back, he struggled with depression and substance abuse; to cope, he spent around $10,000 on so-called "dating classes" led by pick-up artists. Though it helped with his self-esteem, interpersonal skills, and overall mental health, they didn't really teach him anything about maintaining a healthy relationship. So when his girlfriend Coconut transitions from a dietary vegetarian to an animal rights vegetarian (and, later, a vegan), he doesn't know how to cope with this change in his loved one. Instead of getting on board, he hatches a brilliant (ahem) plan to play the part while undermining her from the inside.

As a longtime vegan (I went vegetarian in 1996 and vegan about nine years later), I was intrigued enough by the premise to request a copy of JUST ANOTHER MEAT-EATING DIRTBAG on NetGalley ... but ambivalent enough to sit on it for about two years. The result is not as bad as I feared, but still pretty cringey in places.

First, the obvious: lying to your partner and trying so hard to undermine something that's obviously so important to them is dirtbag behavior. That said, it could have been so much worse than it was. Anthony's efforts mostly involve whispering to Coconut in her sleep in a weak attempt at hypnotization and encouraging her to reminisce about the taste of friend eggs (or whatever). And of course there's the dishonesty about his own eating habits and ethical beliefs.

BUT.

I've had people I barely know try to sneak animal-based products into my food. Like, the parents of high school friends! Yes this really happened! So maybe the bar's a little different for me.

Still, lying to your partner and sneaking cheeseburgers on the dl? Not cool, dude.

Another complaint: Coconut and her animal rights friends sometimes come off as caricatures. Never have I ever had mutuals go on and on about "THE CAUSE" or bury their leather boots in a grave in the backyard, HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS style. A lot of vegans will tell you that animal rights issues are interlinked with a number of other matters, such that the very idea of ONE SINGLE CAUSE is pretty reductive; and why throw out nonvegan clothing items when the damage is already done and you can donate them to the less fortunate instead?

Probably my biggest grievance is what seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding of animal rights activism on Anthony's part, perhaps best encapsulated by his reaction to Coconut's disgust with circuses:

"No more circuses!? It was just another thing in the long list of rules that vegetarians and budding animal rights activists couldn't do or enjoy. The military had rules too. Rules for everything. How to wear your uniform, walking with hand in your pockets..."

On the contrary: it's not that I can't eat bacon, or go to the circus, or wear a leather jacket. It's that I have no desire to do any of those things. Bacon = the dead bodies of pigs; someones, not somethings, who once had parents, siblings, children, and friends. Circuses = animal captivity and abuse as a form of entertainment. Leather jackets = the skins of murdered cows.

Let me put it this way: the last time I went to the zoo, it was for a graduate level psychology course, to observe various primate behaviors. It was depressing AF to see gorillas and chimpanzees caged for the amusement of humans, most of whom barely afforded them a glance before moving on to the next exhibit.

Ethical veganism transforms the way you see the world. I'm not "following rules," I'm living my beliefs.

To be fair, Anthony does seem to get it by story's end - with no small amount of help from his friends, including fellow veteran Daniel. (He manages to inadvertently convert another friend to vegetarianism through all his complaining, which I kind of loved.)

The early mention of PUAs made me a little nervous, but Anthony seems to eschew the more toxic aspects of that scene (aside from lying to get what you want, natch).

All in all, JUST ANOTHER MEAT EATING DIRTBAG was an interesting - if ultimately unsatisfying - read. The conflict between the couple kind of fizzled out and the ending was rather anticlimactic.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Anyone who eats meat is therefore a murderer’ –A fun and hilarious read

Massachusetts author Michael Anthony (aka The Vegan Comedian) earned his MFA in creative writing from Lesley University and in addition to his writing, he has served as a medic in the military and as a military consultant for theater and art installations. His books to date - MASS CASUALTIES: A YOUNG MEDIC’S TRUE STORY OF DEATH DECEPTION AND DISHONOR IN IRAQ and CIVILIANIZED: A YOUNG VETERAN’S MEMOIR. Now he continues to share his interesting life, this time in graphic format and wit - JUST ANOTHER MEAT-EATING DIRTBAG. He combines his skills as an author with those of theatrics in this visual, pungent, and entertaining comic book style memoir, greatly enhanced with the illustrations by Chai Simone. Not only is this a humorous outing, but it also is an insightful vantage of food, vegetarianism, and the animal rights movement.

We meet Michael (the dirtbag) and his girlfriend Coconut with vivid personality dissections, and discover that Coconut has ‘converted from a vegetarian to a vegetarian + animal rights activist’ following a lecture by animal activist Nicholas Greene at a ‘collection of misfits, freaks and geeks, and hippies brought together in a single cause: to overthrow a meat-eating world.’ Michael’s mind drifts toward his war OR experiences as Coconut shares the videos of brutalized animals. Coconut extends the range of her activism - leather is verboten - and Michael, wanting to salvage their love relationship, negates his history as a skinny kid who was told the importance of protein for muscles, and tries being a vegetarian for Coconut. The effects of this anti-anti approach that threatens the love relationship takes on various responses, all of which prove thoroughly entertaining - as well as instructive as to the impact of ‘cults’ on the way we think and behave. This is an excellent ‘continuation’ of learning about Michael’s fascinating life. Recommended on many levels!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Mandy Brauer]

JUST ANOTHER MEAT-EATING DIRT BAG

by

Michael Anthony

This graphic novel is much more than about love and a developing relationship where the couple is dealing with a carnivore and a staunch vegetarian and animal rights advocate. The strength of the book lies in the constant comparisons between the slaughtering of animals and what the author experienced while in the military in Iraq. He says about the war: “. . . we had to stop caring. We had to let it all go and become autonomic machines.”

In spite of its heavy subject-matter, this book is very entertaining and the clever illustrations by Chai Simone only add to the casual presentation. Where it excels is in educating readers about . . . well, a whole range of matters, from how to date to emotional issues. Realistically discussing fat-shaming, bulimia, and distorted body issues, the author also discusses some of the realistic consequences of war: addiction, divorce, depression, suicide, and P.T.S.D. while stressing the need for these to be addressed. Nor does the military escape the eagle eye of this author, who points out the effects of experiencing the terribly wounded and dying daily in war, which he likens to St. John of the Cross’s comment about “the dark night of the soul.” He makes some scathing comments about the higher-ups in the military being less concerned about the men under their command than their personal hopes for advancement.

Because this is a book to promote vegetarianism, the author gives a lot of good information about how to live a healthy lifestyle by eating a non-meat diet. From the clarity of the information given, it looks quite easy to make the necessary adjustments.

For anyone interested in vegetarianism, animal rights, relationship struggles, and how they can be related to war, this is a Must Read. The book has an excellent Reading List at the end about the advantages of being a vegetarian. My only suggestion for this excellent little book is that future editions could include some references to anti-war material.

[Michelle Smith-Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag by Michael Anthony is about the existential inquiries made by a war vet as he navigates the quirks of falling in love. The main character, Michael, is an Iraq war veteran and "dirtbag meat-eater." Despite being a meat-eater, he ends up falling in love with a vegetarian, Coconut. Not long into their relationship, Coconut takes Michael to a lecture about animal rights activism and why killing and eating animals is murder. Soon Michael is following his girlfriend through her own existential journey while he still struggles with his own issues around war, religion, ethics, and last but not least, if he should become a vegetarian for real and not just to make things easier in his relationship with Coconut by pretending to be vegetarian. In the end, he genuinely questions what motivates him and others, like his girlfriend, to fight for or not fight for causes, especially when those causes can make or break our relationships.

Opinion:
I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars for its quality story-telling and relatable humor. Chai Simone's artwork is the perfect style to illustrate the story-telling writing style and makes the reading of the story feel effortless. I haven't read many graphic novels, but I felt that I more clearly understood what the author was trying to convey through the emotions drawn on the faces of the characters and the backgrounds of each scene. Ms. Simone's illustration debut is a great success!

I would recommend this book for adults and mature audiences because of its philosophical themes, and in particular, anyone honest enough to acknowledge the same existential questions as Michael about war, love, and the causes we join. In the end, love may be the worst, but more often than not, it will prevail and change us for the better. A thought-provoking and enjoyable read!

[Brett Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this sharply funny tale, author Michael Anthony recounts his journey through a particularly difficult patch in an otherwise blissful relationship with his vegetarian girlfriend, Coconut. Like most men’s relationship issues, Michael’s are largely self-inflicted through selective listening and sheer stubbornness. When Coconut’s vegetarian status upgrades from conscientious meat objector to a semi-militant animal rights activist, Michael, a card-carrying meat eater, assumes this can only spell the beginning of the end for their relationship. He loves Coconut, but cannot see how their romance could possibly continue as the gap between them grows. So what does Michael do? He does what every red-blooded man would do in his situation: he develops a devious plan of subtle subversion to attack and exploit vulnerable areas of her rationale in the hopes of undermining her belief structure. Seems pretty messed up, right? The author agrees, but that doesn’t stop him from recounting the lengths to which he went in his attempt to bring his girlfriend back into the fold of fellow carnivores.

Throughout Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtdag, Michael ties his story back to his military service and how the trauma of war has affected his post-war life. In a way, his journey from soldier to civilian and his journey from meat-eater to vegetarian are two very similar stories, in that both required mental rewiring and both required a dismantling of self-constructed barriers. In both journeys, Michael is forced to overcome his biggest obstacle, himself. I don’t know about you, but this is a concept I can relate to 100%.

As I said before, I’m no expert in graphic novels and I’m definitely no expert in art, but I know what I like and I liked the illustrations in Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag. Chai Simone does amazing work and her art tells just as much of the story as the dialogue does. In some instances, I found myself surveying the art on the pages before reading any of the dialogue, trying to ascertain solely from the artwork what was about to happen. The pages are vibrant, the characters expressive, and the layout seems to explode off the page.

For me, Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag was more than just a book about vegetarianism/veganism, it’s a book about the way we as humans process change. All too often, when we find that someone holds different beliefs from us, our reaction is to immediately dismiss that person as wrong or begin an assessment of how to “win that person back” to the right way of thinking. Too often we fail to search for the reason behind the reasoning and in that way we fail one another. Perhaps I’m reading too far into it, but Mr. Anthony’s book feels, to me, as much like a call to be a better and more tolerant person, as it is a call to more conscientious food choices. Either way, Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag is a fun, fast read and may even leave you questioning the ethics of some of your own dietary choices. Who knows, maybe you’ll change your eating habits, gain insight into a friend or family member, or just broaden your point of view. There’s only one way to find out.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review

This was such a unique and interesting read. The author did an incredible job of conveying real information and knowledge about the vegan and vegetarian lifestyle and how it can impact relationships while also infusing humor and wit into the narrative. The natural tone and atmosphere the author infuses into the story were great to see come to life. Typically in a memoir, the author has to work to infuse imagery into their stories, but the amazing artwork of Chai Simone did a great job of providing the warmth and depth this narrative held.

Aside from the excellent utilization of the graphic novel format, what stood out to me was the deep emotional impact that this narrative had as well. The honesty and charm the author infused into the backstories of both himself and his girlfriend and the hardships they each had to overcome that led to their outlook on life (and subsequently the vegan/vegetarian lifestyle as a whole) was so profoundly moving and made the memoir feel more relatable and connected for many readers.

The Verdict

Thoughtful, gripping, and engaging, author Michael Anthony’s “Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag: A Memoir” is a must-read graphic novel meets nonfiction memoir of 2022. One of the top memoirs of the year, the author does an incredible job of finding his voice and infusing humor and emotion so seamlessly into the story of his relationship with both his girlfriend and his lifestyle as a whole and made this one book I didn’t want to put down.

[Kenneth Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only just gotten into reading this month after not reading anything since college and a friend recommended that I start with graphic memoirs. She recommend to me "Fun Home," "Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag," and "Persepolis." I enjoyed all three graphic memoirs but for different reasons.

"Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag" was an interesting book about a man's struggle with his girlfriends animal rights lifestyle and how it was disconnected from his lifestyle as an Iraq war veteran. The two try to change each other and it created an interesting dynamic in their relationship and I could see the difference between them as I do friends in varying relationships (though with different differences) and while reading I often found myself thinking that it would make a humorous romantic comedy movie and I hope that one day it does happen.

I found this book easier to read than "Fun Home" and "Persepolis" but only because it wasn't as tragic and although it tackled several serious topics, it did so in a humorous and interesting way that didn't make the topics feel too overwhelming. The art was different than "Fun Home" and "Persepolis," though more like "Fun Home," in style than "Persepolis," but I found the art engaging and easy to connect with the story. I am not a big reader but I have already found myself recommending this book.

[Chandra Sundeep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stand-up comic Michael Anthony’s Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag: A Memoir, is a charming and hilarious graphic novel about animal rights, vegetarianism, veganism, and love’s triumph. He also addresses other sensitive themes like body shaming, PTSD, and drug and alcohol abuse.

Anthony, an Iraq war veteran, is in love. He really loves Coconut, his girlfriend, Coconut, but his smooth-sailing love life is in troubled waters when she converts from a vegetarian to a vegetarian plus animal rights activist. Coconut not only wants to make the world a better place, but she also wants to make people better.

He attends seminars at her behest, watches gruesome videos of animals being murdered, and switches to flannel instead of leather. He tries his best to convince her otherwise, even trying to get her to eat meat again, but when his attempts fail, he becomes a part of her group, keeping his “real intentions” to himself.

Anthony is unabashed in his approach. The memoir is detailed and based on facts and figures, including the inhumane treatment followed by slaughterhouses, and the number of animals killed worldwide. He even states alternative sources of protein and does not mask the gory truths behind killing animals for food.

His writing style is quite witty, and the memoir is easy to read despite the gruesome details.

The recommended reading section is good for gaining more knowledge about this topic.
The illustrations by Chai Simone are delightful. Simone has utilised every bit of the page amazingly. I loved how beautifully the illustrations portray the emotions and internal thoughts of both characters. The sketches speak for themselves and convey the tone and emotions of the novel perfectly.

The variations in font style, size, and placement add a unique fun element to the reading experience.

Coconut’s love for animals, perseverance, and steadfastness is praiseworthy. Anthony’s journey is heart-warming and his struggles are honest.

In one section titled, ‘Religion and Animals,’ the author talks about the various religious beliefs surrounding food and the killing of animals.
Anthony states that Hindus do not eat meat, fish, and eggs. This is, however, incorrect. Not all Hindus are vegetarians. Even though the cow is considered sacred, a few Hindus consume beef.

My favourite quotes-

"Because when you love someone, like, really love someone, then you’re liable to do anything to keep them in your life—anything."

"Anyone who eats meat is therefore a murderer"
"Love really is the absolute worst"

Rating - 4.5/5

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not at all with that what I was expecting. It was quite fun and very interesting. It is a memoir about Michael and his girlfriend, Coconut and how she tries to turn them vegan. Michael is a veteran and Coconut is a nurse. She goes down the vegetarian/vegan tunnel that leads to animal rights activism. She wants Michael right there beside her. But for Michael, watching the bloody documentaries and reading the horrible books about slaughterhouses, don’t convince him. What they convinced him of is that Coconut and he might be getting too far apart. So, he hatches a plan to get her to like meat again. This book was quite funny, but you could feel the heart, and you could feel the real experiences of a veteran who could relate his day-to-day life to what he experienced over in the Middle East. I really like that this had a happy ending. It always felt like it would, but with the title and the subject it could have gone the other way. Apparently, this author has a few other graphic novels illustrated by somebody different and I think I’d be interested in checking them out.

[Swapna Peri ( Book Reviews Cafe ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this graphic memoir, the complex and turbulent relationship between a young veteran and his girlfriend, who transforms into an animal rights activist and vegetarian, is explored. The artwork is reminiscent of early 2000s cartoons, and the author's narrative voice is captivating. However, the memoir fails to delve into the nuances of the problems that arise from the clashing beliefs of both parties, and the problematic means used by them are glossed over. The quick resolution leaves a lot to be desired, leaving me yearning for a more profound exploration of the intricate issues. Though I prefer a non-vegetarian diet, I hold no animosity towards those who opt for a solely plant-based diet, as long as they respect my choices without attempting to denounce them.

The lucid writing and vivid conversations made the book readable and enjoyable.

I received a free copy from Netgalley to provide an honest feedback and my review is unbiased.