I usually just go to the ToEF to burn them off.
That's a good trick. Hadn't thought of that, although I wouldn't recommend it for a low-level character.
Anyway: Whats the best race and talents for monks?
Since monk damage is level-dependent, you want XP and high carrying capacity (any level of burden wipes out your martial arts bonuses). Obviously, troll monk is not made of win (although if you could eventually level one up, the strength and constitution bonuses would make them a brute and they'd have the carrying capacity to be doing flying dragon kicks in full plate mail).
I usually go with humans (no XP penalty) or high-elves (very minor XP penalty plus some resistances and dex/learn bonus). Dwarves also work well, and they're a bit easier to keep alive in the early game. Orcs make for an interesting choice, because you get brownie points for sacrificing weapons, and as a monk melee weapons are generally useless to you.
As far as talents:
Good Learner is CRUCIAL, since it's actually a +40% bonus to xp instead of the listed +2%. (Don't get Great Learner, as it's bugged and actually reduces the bonus back down to +20%.). As stated before, XP is your bread and butter as a monk.
Porter/Master Packager/Beast of Burden is a very useful talent set as well, because you want to keep that carrying capacity as high as possible. Girdles of Carrying are your best friend as a monk.
Quick/Very Quick/Greased Lightning are always useful, but as a monk you'll be pretty light on your feet anyways.
Brawler isn't worth it. +2 to hit is minor, and it's a waste of a talent pick.
Defensive Fighter and associated defense-boosting talents aren't that useful because Unarmed Fighting gives you boosts to DV anyways.
Hardy/Tough Skin/Iron Skin/Steel Skin on the other hand, gives you much-needed PV boosts. Since you're not likely to be wearing good PV armor, unless you find an elven chain mail or wear Rehetep's robes, these can save your life against something like quicklings that almost always hit regardless of DV. If you're a dwarven monk, you can go up to Mithril Skin which gives you a +3 to PV.