Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

I laughed and loved my way through this wonderful book. Elizabeth Gilbert has written a charming book in three parts: Eat, Pray, Love. You may have heard already but it's a great book. It's fun, easy and inspiring. I found that while I was reading, I was more enthused about my life. It was warm and lovely to experience the lustiness of Italy, the serenity of India and finally the sweetness of loving in Indonesia with this wonderful author. I love books that lift my spirit. I was on the very brink of buying a ticket to some exotic locale on the heels of this treasure. But even better, this is one of those books that invited me to find those joys in my everyday life. I recently read another book that does that lifting the spirit thing, too. It's called Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment [ASIN:1888043180 Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment)] by Ariel and Shya Kane. Enliven yourself, your day and your life by reading both of these books.

I heard this book discussed briefly earlier this year on the Today Show and decided to order it since, at the time, I was in the throws of my own divorce. Ms. Gilbert chronicles her international journey of self-discovery with such amazing detail and tenderness and humor that I recommend this book to anyone who has found him or herself in a place or state that he or she would like to change or leave (I imagine, that's everyone!). The story is engrossing and the writing is skillful. I couldn't put it down, and I feel more empowered to follow my own dreams and heart after finishing the book. That's 5-star material if I've ever seen it.

Everyone I know has loved this book, so I was shocked to read some of the truly hateful reviews. Each to her own I guess. I found her insights accurate and her personality endearing. Her writing was excellent and made her story come alive. I wanted to move to each of the places she described! Her take on spirituality was interesting to me as well as I've been searching for a non-religious way to be spiritual. I highly recommend this book, I couldn't put it down and learned alot from it.

Liz Gilbert almost got me. As she starts her Italian adventure I was preparing myself for a pulpy read with easy (and possibly undeserved) laughs. And before that, the Amazon reviews almost scared me away. Boy, what a mistake that'd be! This is a spiritual book in the true sense of the word. Although I kept laughing throughout the book, its simplicity is deceptive. Between the lines, Gilbert is about so much more: vitality, coming into one's own, creating reality and matching the soul's aspirations to the delicious unpredictability of life.

After divorcing her husband (who is portrayed rather unflatteringly as a greedy and vindictive sob) the author decamps for the fountains of Rome where she makes great friends, samples excellent food and learns about the pleasure of dolce far niente from the world's masters in this important art. Here is a quote from Liz's book on why Italy, which has produced some of the greatest artistic, political and scientific minds of all ages, has never become a major world power: The Italian history of corruption by local leaders (a la Mussolini and Berlusconi) and exploitation by foreign dominators [France, Austria, Spain etc]

"has led Italians to draw the seemingly accurate conclusion that nobody and nothing in this world can be trusted. Because the world is so corrupted and unfair, one should trust only what one can experience with one's one senses, and THIS makes senses stronger in Italy than anywhere in Europe. This is why Italians will tolerate hideously incompetent generals, presidents, tyrants, professors, journalists and captains of industry but will never tolerate incompetent opera singers, conductors, ballerinas, courtesans, actors, cooks and tailors. Sometimes only beauty can be trusted. Only artistic excellence is incorruptible. Pleasure cannot be bargained down. And sometimes the meal is the only currency that is real."

So this book is essentially revolving about beauty - of friendship, inner life, of good food, and not least, the ever elusive bounty that is bestowed by a life that is lived well.

In India Liz stays in a celebrity ashram north of Bombay where she has a couple of transcendent experiences whereas in Bali she befriends several locals in the beautiful town of Ubud. In fact, her capacity for friendship - the genius of it - together with the honest and unflinching ability to face herself is something that I found positively awesome. Liz's description of finding her inner strength is better than that any self-styled guru and self-help "authority" out there, including the controversial Gurumayi herself.

As I started to write my review in here i was kinda surprised (actually i wasn;t surprised at all) how violently some people react to the book. There is some real vitriol here, doubtlessly reflecting the (very real) American horror of idleness and pleasure, of decoupling from the "productive" life of the hive. There seem to be so many envious and unfulfilled divorcees out there. In fact, to me it seems many reviewers can't decide whether they are more insulted by Liz's snub of Puritan ethics or by her hedonic streak, glamor (the bit of it that seeps between the lines) and courage to end a suffocating marriage. I imagine the very idea of spending a year "finding oneself" is anathema to the hard working hoi polloi. Yet - what else matters in this vale of tears?

A second set of reviewers is responding with a weary "been there done that" (lived amongst the Afghans and the Okies, spent time in ashrams, etc, haha) - never realizing that is the *spirit* of the author, her natural inclination to befriend her fellow humans and not to be better than they are, that represents a main draw of the book.

Is it true that one can live one's life in an ever expanding circle of vitality and joy? Liz Gilbert gives us a resounding YES. So what if she was paid to write about herself - this is what travel writers do for living. Having had my share of humbling and uplifting experiences I know for sure that she is not faking anything - her spiritual insights are the real deal. In my mind, she provides us with a XXI century (US) version of Lawrence Durrell's travelogues - only more light-hearted, self-deprecating and courageous. Bravissima!

A delightful book, entertaining and full of wisdom. The author takes us along on her year-long journey to find her true self. Her account feels honest and yet has a lot of humor. Sprinkled in is interesting information about the countries she is visiting which I enjoyed as well.
Another book I enjoyed reading is Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life by Ariel and Shya Kane. It offers surprisingly simple ideas for everyday enlightenment.
Both books are fun to read and I found them very inspirational!