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Eat, Pray, Love This Book!
Date of Review: Nov 25, 2008
The Bottom Line: "eat, Pray, Love" has captured the hearts of millions, and you would do well to pick up a copy for yourself to see what all of the fuss is about.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
If you haven't heard of Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" by now, you have been missing a craze that has swept the world for the last two years since its release. Both a New York Times and an American Booksellers Association #1 Best Seller, "Eat Pray, Love" has captured the hearts of over five million readers worldwide. The book has earned its author appearances on TV talk shows like "Oprah" and will even be getting its own movie some time in 2010. It's time to hop on the bandwagon and find out just why this book has been capturing everybody's hearts and inspiring wanderlust in men and women the world over.
"Eat, Pray, Love" is a sort of inspirational comedy, combining a Dave Barry-like wit with an introspective look at spirituality and balance. It tells of Gilbert's own journey to find peace with herself after 34 years of living the way she thought was expected of her. Prior to her voyage, Gilbert finds herself as successful author, married woman, and completely miserable individual. She is expected to bear children and be a good wife, but deep down the thought of having kids, even at the age of 34, literally makes her ill. It isn't until one night, when she has finally hit rock bottom, that she has a self-revelation that will change her life forever.
After a divorce in which she lost nearly everything to her ex-husband, an on-again/off-again relationship that is bad for her mental well-being, and a lot of personal time, Gilbert finally decides to take a year off from life and undergo a journey with the ultimate goal of finding peace and balance in her tumultuous life. Gilbert decides she would like to learn Italian, just because she loves the beauty of the language, and that she will visit Italy to explore her indulgent side. She was inspired by an Indian Guru and visited her Ashram in India to learn the art of yoga, meditation, and peace. Finally, after spending four months indulging herself in Italy and another four months learning discipline and spirituality in India, she will return to the island of Bali in Indonesia, where she had once visited a wise old medicine man, in an attempt to find a balance between the two.
The book begins with a foreword which introduces the japa mala, or Indian prayer beads, which consist of 108 beads on a necklace that are used when reciting mantras. There is a 109th bead that sits like a pendant outside of the circle of beads on the necklace, which is touched when reflecting upon ones teachers and giving thanks to them. This is significant in that it illustrates the structure of the book; there are 109 chapters; 36 (that's 108 divided by 3) dedicated to each of the countries visited, plus one chapter for the introduction. It should be noted that, while she introduces the japa mala and other religious principles throughout the book, the author never tries to preach anything to the reader; everything she talks about is from a personal perspective and not from a religious one.
If it weren't for the fact that Gilbert is such an entertaining author, all of this would probably be a lot less interesting. While many people do enjoy an inspirational book full of life-altering realizations, it is the method by which the author presents this experience that makes it such an accessible read. Gilbert isn't shy about using language to illustrate a point, and she does go in to detail with occasionally colorful language to describe the situations she was faced with, the people she encountered, and the thoughts and emotions she experienced throughout her voyage. From translating an Italian soccer fan's cheers (and sneers) for the English speaking reader, to detailing how a Balinesian medicine woman cures male infertility, Gilbert tells of all of her fun and frustrating experiences in a manner which will have you rolling with laughter.
"Eat, Pray, Love" strikes a perfect balance; it is both funny without losing sight of its meaning and inspirational without being preachy or dull. It can just as easily be enjoyed by a man with a taste for graphic humor as a woman who really could use to make some changes in her own life. Both of these factors have contributed to the book's acclaim, and regardless of which type of person you are, you should read "Eat, Pray, Love" for the sheer enjoyment of it.
