Eat, Pray, Love discussion

No, not really. Its more of a memoir of the woman who wrote it who seemingly was unhappy in her life and ends up changes it all. She goes through a type of midlife crisis. I enjoyed it. But its not profound or anything. I think you take from it, things that may relate to your own life kinda thing.

I like her style of writing. She is very funny and whimsical. She also had a lot of guts to completely change her entire life around. It's worth a read.

A memoir by a spoiled, rich woman "looking for herself". *yawn* A lot of people would love to have the leisure to have their breakdown on three continents-lol

Autumn wrote: "A memoir by a spoiled, rich woman "looking for herself". *yawn* A lot of people would love to have the leisure to have their breakdown on three continents-lol"

The only thing stopping you is yourself. Stay positive and manifest

Autumn wrote: "A memoir by a spoiled, rich woman "looking for herself". *yawn* A lot of people would love to have the leisure to have their breakdown on three continents-lol"

My thoughts exactly, Autumn!!!

Sandra wrote: "This book is getting a lot of publicity. Does it say anything new or teach any main lessons? If not, I won't bother with it."

I guess that depends on the lessons you would like to learn. Would you like to learn that it's perfectly acceptable to leave your husband just becuase you're bored and don't want to have kids? That's not really a new lesson, we can see that on TV everyday. You can read about how good pizza is in Italy, or maybe you already assumed that pizza would be good in Italy. Maybe you would like to learn about praying to your inner self and how to turn your own desires into worship of the supposed god within. We are born selfish, so that's not really anything new either, other than that this woman hangs on to an infantile level of selfishness into her 30's. That leaves us with "love" which seems to be defined in this book as finally deciding to go ahead and have that one night stand (which admittedly leads to more, but things were left rather undefined). Do not waste your time or the $3 this book would cost you at a used book store.

Samantha wrote: "Sandra wrote: "This book is getting a lot of publicity. Does it say anything new or teach any main lessons? If not, I won't bother with it."

I guess that depends on the lessons you would like to ..."

I do agree with you Samantha. I was a little disturbed by this woman's level of immaturity in relationships and the fact that she walked away from a perfectly good marriage and just jumped into a new one before her marriage was even over. She could have at least ASKED her husband to come along with her for the adventure. Then again, it would have been a completely different story.

If you enjoy loooong passages describing meditation this is the book for you, otherwise skip the book and just go meditate already.

I loved it. She writes in an honest way about her divorce and her spiritual/psychological turmoil reflecting on her life. I think every memoir has a meaning to it whether its author is a rich or a poor person.

She was depressed, felt she wasn't ready to be a mother, and her relationship wasn't working with her husband, so they divorced. I think it is perfectly acceptable to leave a marriage that doesn't satisfy you. And i wish that everyone who felt like her, that they aren't ready to give birth to babies, would simply not do it. people have babies just coz one has babies, and then they neglect and abuse these kids because they didn't really want them in the first place! Now, she felt something was missing, and she had the money to go explore what it is that was missing, so she traveled to 3 countries and tried to understand herself and heal herself and she did succeed. Through meditation, and writing, she became a more matured and balanced person. I guess that those who felt it was lame aren't interested in psychological healing, and that's why they found her bored rather than depressed.

I enjoyed reading this and do recommend it. For these two things I have received considerable harrassment.

Her prose are enjoyable. Some of the passages are approaching great. There is a natural flow to the text. It is, overall, intelligent and entertaining.

A lot of the criticism the book receives have to do with the author herself. It is a slice of memoir from an upper middle-class white woman discontent with her life; husband, career, spirituality, future.

It reeks of priveledge. Hence the criticism.

But, devil's advocate, just because she is of priveledge does not negate her struggle. Yes, she is totally immature at times, self-absorbed at times, completely obnoxious at times, downright mean at times.

Aren't we all?

I never felt that she was trying to present herself in a dishoenst fashion. If she was, she truly failed. I know that if I was to write a 400 pages about myself, and wanted to come off as saintly and likeable, I would have done better hiding my flaws. She puts her flaws front and center. For this she gets called all sorts of names. I found it genuine.

If you didn't enjoy it you didn't enjoy it. No biggie. I felt it was honest, at times cringingly honest, and entertaining. I liked it. I recommend it.

Does it say something new?

Abraham said something new. Socrates said something new. Jesus said something new. Hobbes said something new.

I think that is asking a lot for any medium.

Mitchell A. wrote: "I enjoyed reading this and do recommend it. For these two things I have received considerable harrassment.

Her prose are enjoyable. Some of the passages are approaching great. There is a natura..."

I loved what you wrote about the book. It hit it all spot on.

I loved this book. Why? It's about waking up and realizing the life you're leading isn't the one you want but the one you think you're *supposed* to live. The one the society you live in has mandated for you. I loved Gilbert's honesty in dealing with that moment of conscious self breaking through. Indulgent? Perhaps. She wasn't homeless, she had income enough to finance several months of traveling. Good for her. But the internal journey is still very valuable, in my opinion.

"A lot of the criticism the book receives have to do with the author herself. It is a slice of memoir from an upper middle-class white woman discontent with her life; husband, career, spirituality, future."

Isn't that the point of the book? Having all of that and still feeling empty inside? To search for what truly makes you happy, peaceful and rich in the right ways?

i agree with Cathy. And the author in the book did state how guilty she feels for not being happy while some people have much more difficult troubles in their lives, etc...

This book actually has so many facts about life. Sometimes a person feels that way. Uncontented of everything, depressed etc.

Sandra wrote: "This book is getting a lot of publicity. Does it say anything new or teach any main lessons? If not, I won't bother with it."

personally,i feel it does speak a lot.literature is not about facts.we cannot expect it to make statements.all we can expect is for it to raise questions in your mind...and sometimes help you find answers to some unasked question burried deep into your mind.this book has some messages that can change your life if you think upon it.like when she visits the ruins with words like 'ruin is the road to tranformation', or when she chooses to eat pizza,which she enjoys than restrict herself in order to stay in shape.In the first phase she chooses to do things she wants for herself..in the second part she learns to forgive herself for the mistakes she does..and in the third part she learns to make new beginnings...and this is the course of life..for everyone of us.we must do as our heart tells us to do,knowing al the time we may not be right.and when we are wrong,we should forgive ourselves and nurture no regret in us and then welcome a new day with a happy heart..

What a lovely way of putting it, Debarpana. I agree.

I felt that this book speaks to ones spiritual journey. I do feel that this part of Liz Gilbert's book is totally missed. I went back and read her writing on "India" several times and what I discovered was that this was not a book about pizza or finding love rather it is getting and finding a spiritual path and making peace with oneself.

Mitchell A. wrote: "I enjoyed reading this and do recommend it. For these two things I have received considerable harrassment.

Her prose are enjoyable. Some of the passages are approaching great. There is a natura..."

I agree entirely with what Mitchell A. says... At the end of the day it is a book that is very well written; you will definitely enjoy it.
IT is based on her own life and what she went through; whether it brings somehting new to the table is a bit subjective. I believe that anyone who enjoyed this book would recommend it. It is funny, it is sad, it is honest, it speaks of love, of hope, of possibilities.
It gives you an opportunity to think about yoursef too, and tries to put things into perspective.
We cannot forget that the book is a personal account of the narrator.
But it's very well written and has me curious to read something else by her.... :)

Is there any book that says anything new? It all depends where one is in life. I read the book the first time and I passed over a lot of significant issues. This time it was quite a different experience.

Has anyone read her follow up book "Committed"? I am curious to know how that one is.

I must say that I was much more interested in "Eat" than I was in "Pray" or "Love."

I don't think the author tried to enlighten the readers with new pieces of wisdom. She just wrote about herself, the way she felt and what she did with her feelings. Some people may relate to some parts of the book and some people may not.I think she was quite honest about her life even if it made her seem less likeable.

Brie wrote: "Has anyone read her follow up book "Committed"? I am curious to know how that one is."

Yes, I bought the book when it came out. It's quite different from the 1st one although in a way it is the continuation of her "story"...
In "Committed" she explores the meaning on marriage through time and what it entails - she gives personal accounts on it and also an historic overview; and how it has different meanings from country to country, etc.
All along she continues to do a follow up on her on story from where she left in "Eat, Pray, Love".
I enjoyed this one quite a bit too, it's again very well written and she has this flow in her writting that it makes very easy to read. But the main goal here is different.
I would advise you read it even if it is only out of curiosity! :)

Autumn wrote: "A memoir by a spoiled, rich woman "looking for herself". *yawn* A lot of people would love to have the leisure to have their breakdown on three continents-lol"

I agree - I enjoyed the book (& the movie with Javier Bardem!)but I felt a little embaressed for her at times.

Barbara wrote: "I must say that I was much more interested in "Eat" than I was in "Pray" or "Love.""

Me too! I have to admit I actually skimmed over the "Pray" section...

Elizabeth Gilbert is a great writer, and in person she seems adorable. However, I'm in agreement with Autumn: this book was filled with first-world problems of minor import and a lot of self-aggrandizement. What could have been a really charming tale fell superbly flat for me. I think there are other, better "I-looked-inside-and-solved-my-own-problems" types of books. Try Cheryl Strayer's Wild, if you haven't read that already.

Really, is there anything new under the sun? It is just how you interpret it. I took her book as a statement of her personal journey. What worked for her might not work for others. You can take inspiration from her story or reject it. One person might write how sticking with her marriage and making it work utterly fulfilled her, another could write how leaving a marriage did the same. There are, darn it, no hard or fast rules for a wonderful life, or life would be much easier on all of us.

Personally, I also would have remained in Italy and, whether I ran into an Italian equivalent of Javier or not, I would keep on eating. Mangia!

hahaha true!

Hoda wrote: "She was depressed, felt she wasn't ready to be a mother, and her relationship wasn't working with her husband, so they divorced. I think it is perfectly acceptable to leave a marriage that doesn't ..."
Exactly. I mean, I would rather find that I'm unhappy in marriage before children and divorce than settle with unsatisfaction and be unhappy or divorce later. It seems like there's quite a few "high and mighties" who frown on divorce but really, I agreed with her. Who prepares us for happiness these hurdles? Just because our fathers no longer ask the questions, doesn't mean they're no longer legitimate questions. And she makes a point to say, that "Yes, I've been immature" "I've been a flake and I've had to put myself back together." I don't know many women my age (27) who can even admit that, let alone, fix themselves before screwing up further. Scoff at her if you want but her dilemmas aren't uncommon and she delivers legitimate insight for young women navigating the same issues and if I had read this when I was 19 or 20, I might have had a different prospective on relationships.

Brie wrote: I was a little disturbed by this woman's level of immaturity in relationships and the fact that she walked away from a perfectly good marriage and just jumped into a new one before her marriage was even over. She could have at least ASKED her husband to come along with her for the adventure. Then again, it would have been a completely different story.

It sounds like you missed a significant part of the book. The author admits she had what others may see as a dream life. It wasn't the life for her. It wasn't the relationship for her. No one here, outside of those two in the relationship, has any actual understanding of the dynamics and issues between the two of them and frankly, to the story of her journey in finding herself, it's irrelevant. The story is about her journey, not the details we know nothing about prior to the story.

[If you want to get into that: why would any reader possibly want one human being to stay in a relationship that they are fundamentally opposed to? Didn't her husband actually deserve a wife who wanted the same things he did, and thought they would have? Assuming they had children, wouldn't those children have deserved a mother who wanted that role rather than a mother stuck? I'm glad she made the choice before it did more harm could have been done.]

It's interesting to read people who are upset that the book doesn't say anything new. How original are any of the thoughts of the book, or many others like it? Not very - it's one woman's story, told in her words. The uniqueness comes in that it is her specific story - an individual, like so many but singularly unique. It doesn't have to touch you, and it's not a self-help book unless you choose for it to be. It's just one woman's story. Personally: parts of it I liked, parts of it I didn't really care for or find interesting/applicable. I enjoyed a little insight into another human experience - got a couple things relevant to my life - and a bit of entertainment.

Mitchell A said it all for me. :-)

I totally agree with Mitchel A

Me too.

Pardon me for jumping in :) A lot of very good points made here about this book. I read it a long time ago and enjoyed it too (as a witty book.)

I think though, a lot of people have blown it up into biblical proportions! At the end of the day it is just the desires of 'one' woman, and even then how much of it is actually fictionalised for marketing effect, we don't know! One is hardly going to end that kind of story with a boring note on how they caught a tummy bug from the pizza and ice-cream splurge and ended up on the toilet for a few weeks, then went home - the end. No. The book was 'outlined' to have some mass appeal and make money before it was even written.

On the subject of the book itself and how people have translated it in their various ways, personally I do agree that most ordinary women would not have the free liberty to leave home and go 'find themselves.' Many times in my life I have thought of 'running away' but my responsibilities (mortgage, children etc) prevented me from what would be very much construed as a selfish move in a very materialistic-minded world. Don't think I could leave my child to correct any sort of inner turmoil. A husband, well...

Ultimately though, if you have no young children and a baggage full of daily chores, courage and savings, then I'd say go for it.. what's to lose? In reality, most of us just continue to find ourselves in the ways we are used to...in the fridge, visiting church, groups, searching for opportunities, friendships.
Each life is quite different to this one author and therefore her book can never appeal to masses of women with different lives, hence the indifferences.
Just my own opinion. Thank you.

Carla wrote: "Pardon me for jumping in :) A lot of very good points made here about this book. I read it a long time ago and enjoyed it too (as a witty book.)

I think though, a lot of people have blown it up i..."
Well said, Carla.

Autumn wrote: "A memoir by a spoiled, rich woman "looking for herself". *yawn* A lot of people would love to have the leisure to have their breakdown on three continents-lol"

I couldn't agree more! That's exactly it.

Autumn wrote: "A memoir by a spoiled, rich woman "looking for herself". *yawn* A lot of people would love to have the leisure to have their breakdown on three continents-lol"

Yeah I can see how you would say that, but I loved it! LOVED IT! And, well I had my breakdown/spiritual journey ummmm at my job and in my house, but it was truly just as cool as her was.

I wrote a book about it and I wanted to sound just like her! I wanted to be all cool and conversational about it, because when you are having a breakdown/spiritual journey, you wanna be real about it too, at least I do.

Catia wrote: "Brie wrote: "Has anyone read her follow up book "Committed"? I am curious to know how that one is."

Yes, I bought the book when it came out. It's quite different from the 1st one although in a way..."

Thanks for this. I was wondering what was up with Committed.

Carla wrote: "Pardon me for jumping in :) A lot of very good points made here about this book. I read it a long time ago and enjoyed it too (as a witty book.)

I think though, a lot of people have blown it up i..."

It's true. If you have kids you can't just up and physically leave no matter how much crisis you are in, BUT, she was right when she said you can take the spiritual journey no matter where you are- and she's right!

You can be spiritually transported to other places. I know that to be true because I did it! No, I didn't go to the best damn pizza restaurant in all of Italy, (which jeez, the way she described that pizza!), but I did go to some pretty exotic and amazing places, right here in Dale City, Virginia (where I live) and Cleveland, Ohio (where I'm from.)

It could happen to you. It really could. You just have to ask, but, be careful what you wish for! (Because it will happen!) Having your life turned upside down is not entirely pleasant! But, it is transformative and powerful! (Check out my blog to get a clue what it feels like!) But even so, like Maya Angelou said, I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now!

http://www.lylu.co/?page_id=11

I hadn't even heard of a second book. Isn't it amazing how one book can grab worldwide exposure, and sometimes another book by the same author doesn't?

Stevie wrote: "Hoda wrote: "She was depressed, felt she wasn't ready to be a mother, and her relationship wasn't working with her husband, so they divorced. I think it is perfectly acceptable to leave a marriage ..."

Yep, I mean you have to give it up for her ability to keep it real about herself, and only herself. She really tried very hard not to diss anyone else. At least I thought so.

Thats really interesting Amber, and I agree that major inner changes are almost always caused by a major emotional upheaval.

I've had my life turned upside down a few times, yet... I still don't feel as if I've even scraped the barrel of who I am, or felt any powerful transformative experience.

"How original are any of the thoughts of the book, or many others like it? Not very - it's one woman's story, told in her words."


You know! Very few, but I thought her story, being that of a real everyday person having a spiritual journey was a unique perspective! (I mean she wasn't a nun, or a monk...just Liz.) But I guess you would have to LIVE IT to really feel it and identify with it.

I did! I really loved this book! In my early thirties, I got to a point in my life where I was like,

"GOD! Seriously? Seriously!?!?!?! Come on!"

And things started changing for me super fast, even though I was in the middle of an intense career, mother to three elementary school kids- teens now. In a way, everything fell apart and I thought I was crazy...but then everything came together, in really different and unique ways that I could have never predicted. That is how God works! Reading a story like hers made me feel like I wasn't so crazy after all.

But, if you haven't had this experience, I guess she could seem pretty flaky. And me...you will definitely think I'm a straight nutter-butter, but whatever!

Carla wrote: "I still don't feel as if I've even scraped the barrel of who I am."

Well Carla, I don't know if any of us do that. But if the major life changes didn't force you to change, maybe you didn't need transformation or didn't want it.

Probably you were nowhere near the bottom. But I was. I had to change or I just wasn't going to make it, and I knew that, so I was absolutely desperate for something else...and so I asked for it. That is the thing, you have to ask. You have to say "God! Please!" And really mean it!

That is when it happens, but like I said, not an entirely pleasant experience.

Amber wrote: "That is the thing, you have to ask. You have to say "God! Please!" And really mean it!"

I have a feeling most people do this without an 'advance' from their publisher. I know, I know.. that sounds so sceptical! I could be way off about the author's need for some divine inner revelation, but was the literary exploitation of her experience partly executed for a handsome reward? Is this what some readers who wanted to believe in her words so much actually feared? Being fooled?

Well I suppose to seek more answers to that question we'd have to hear what her 'husband' experienced too, which we do not get to hear about. Who is he? What was the author like from 'his' perspective. What are his views regarding her 'fame' writing about personal marital matters etc? And is she still naval-gazing under a palm, completely transformed into a new person, or living it up on a yacht in Monte Carlo?

I know the above sounds very judgemental, and I could be way off track, but it just doesn't cut it for me 100%, things are often so much more complicated than meets the eye. Perhaps I am just used to God and spirituality as being a very personal thing and not a marketable product.

Yeah, those are all very valid points. And we can't take her story as 100% truth, but for me, that wasn't the point.

I mean take the gospel. Is that 100% truth? Did Jesus really walk on water and turn it into wine? Really????? Where is the hardcore scientific evidence?

But, for me, that is not even the point. The gospel is a very important story, regardless of whether it is "true" or not, because of the way it inspires people. Because of the way it causes them to believe in things like a higher love, and then adjust their behaviors accordingly.

No, everyone cannot, nor should they, write about their personal spiritual journey. But Gilbert was a writer- and a pretty successful (albeit much more commercial one) even before Eat, Pray Love. In fact, I don't think she imagined that her success would be so large with that book; and I am sure, I am so sure she has really mixed feelings about the success of a memoir that (only mildly) puts people "on blast."

In my memoir, I really do put people ON BLAST. I mean I really go into deep details, of "well this person really f*cked up, and this person really f*cked up"...and everyone who knows me, knows who these people are...there is no hiding really. And you know what? I do feel bad about that, but I felt very strongly that I had to tell the truth so that people could learn! (About things like the devastating affect that domestic violence has on children.)

And I know there are people who will say (about me), "Damn! She really threw everyone in her family under a bus!" When the reality is, I could have been far more honest than I really was. But then too, you are right. There are so many complexities to various situations, and at the end of my story, I had to throw myself under a bus, because I realized that hey, I was just as f*cked up as everyone else in the story!

I don't know why I am bending over backwards in defense of Elizabeth Gilbert, I guess I feel that memoirs are really difficult to write and memoirist always get attacked over how "true" it is or isn't - and I just don't feel like that is fair. That's not the point.

Carla wrote: "Pardon me for jumping in :) A lot of very good points made here about this book. I read it a long time ago and enjoyed it too (as a witty book.)

I think though, a lot of people have blown it up i..."

I agree

Elizabeth Gilbert is brilliant.