Getting in Touch
I picked up Eat, Pray and Love several times in the bookshops since it was published in 2006. I put it down. Several friends asked me: have you read the book? I hadn't. Finally, at the bookshop a few weeks ago a friend asked, you haven't read it? Let me get it for you. OK, I said. I finished reading it a few days ago. It reminded me Sarah McDonald's Holy Cow. Written in a breezy style, I felt it lacked depth. However, I was empathetic with the Gilbert's need to do what she as doing and needed to heal. The strengh of the book is that Gilbert does carry out her dreams and helps herself. Many women I know have this need, but not the courage to cary it out. For those I think the books is inspirational. It talks of following your heart ... Read More
Reading this book was just a waste of time and money!
I really expected a lot more from this author as her book was advertised all over and became popular. I thought it can teach me something I don't know. But the whole thing was about this woman's shallow thoughts and feelings here and there and her boring journey with her exaggerating some unimportant happenings in her life and making an annoying cliche out of them. I forced myself to finish Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia and could easily throw it in the garbage afterwards. I don't recommend it to anyone.
Full circle
This is brilliantly written in that it captures the emotion of the author giving the book substance. The narrative from beginning to end is clear. This is a book about 'transition', and none the less 'transformation', and solitude in the arm's of non medication, meditation. We see Elizabeth Gilbert transform from none the less a convoluted neurotic woman disturbed by a life awakening, a relationship break-up, to a very calm and peaceful soul by the end of the book. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia goes from low to high. Highly recommended.
An Insult to Thinking Women Everywhere
Sadly, the fact that Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia is by a woman mostly aimed at women is embarrassing. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia was planned by the publisher and by the author; it was no true journey of the soul but more like a carefully crafted publicity angled journey.
Gilbert has a problem with the Bible, but easily accepts the doctrines (teachings) of her Guru, the Balinese medicine man, and others, including written Hindu scripture like the Upanishads. The only doctrine Gilbert has any problems with is that which denies that there are many ways to God or teaches that there is only one way to God. This is what she is talking about.
Let us consider where you end up if you think doctrine doesn't matter. It can take you to a place where there are no ... Read More
Love Hate Relationship
I was loaned Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia from a neighbor who also told me that the author was a selfish, self absorbed sorry excuse for a woman...but she also added it is very interesting because of her travels...Thus began the love hate relationship for Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia...
The authors style is witty but sometimes on the verge of droning. You want to read more about the mozzarella but then you endure through the self pity. The descriptions of Rome are enchanting as are the thoughts of leaving your life to simply learn a new language and indulge in a romantic culture, but then thoughts of ex-boyfriends, ex-husbands ,depression and then the wakeup call of "oh yeah I actually have a real life and it would be practically impossible strike that IMPOSSIBLE to actually ... Read More
