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Gilbert's Search For Meaning
Date of Review: Apr 11, 2008
The Bottom Line: "Eat, Pray, Love" is a very engaging novel written with passion and love. Highly recommended.
***Please note that this review is for the Audiobook release***
My Opinion:
I like audiobooks because I can go for a long run and still manage to catch up with the books on my list. I do prefer to read actual books, but it is an activity that excludes doing anything else (at least for me). Audiobooks free up my hands and eyes for multitasking.
I downloaded "Eat, Pray, Love" from iTunes. The audiobook came in five parts, each approximately two and a half hours long, as I chose the unabridged version. The audiobook was read by the author, which is generally my preference, as the author knows best what emotion or inflection was intended in any given part of their work. Elizabeth Gilbert's voice is exceptionally clear and soothing, pronunciation wonderfully accent-free and reading style is that of an actor reading a monologue, which is a big plus.
"Eat, Pray, Love" is a memoir divided into three parts. As the full title indicates, Gilbert traveled to Italy, India and Indonesia in her search for meaning and spirituality. The title indicates what she did in each country. Gilbert pointed out the power of number 108, as expressed in different religions, so her book has 108 chapters, equally divided between the three countries visited - 36 chapters each.
In the part about Italy, we discover what prompted Gilbert on her year-long journey: a messy divorce and a messy state of mind. Having always loved Italian language, having enjoyed yoga and Indian spirituality and having been to Bali once before, Gilbert decided to get away from it all and discover these three countries that stir her passions the most. Italy was dedicated to study of Italian language and (what else) food. Gilbert stayed in Rome for four months, happily gaining weight and even more happily abstaining from relationships.
Second part is about India, and is fully dedicated to Gilbert's time spent in an Ashram in search of spirituality. Originally planning to spend six weeks in the Ashram and travel for the rest of the time, Gilbert changed her mind as her restless spirit starts to find some rest, and she stays at the Ashram for the full four months.
Third part is about Indonesia - Bali, to be more precise, and not the Bali of the tourist brochures, with its beaches and dance clubs, but Bali of the interior, of the town of Ugud. Ugud is the spiritual center of Bali, far from the touristy areas (recently added to tourist brochures). Having spent eight months in abstinence and in search for peace, Gilbert finds love in this most unlikely of places.
I thoroughly enjoyed "Eat, Pray, Love". I found Gilbert to be humorous, smart, spiritual, wise and incredibly calming. Her writing style is light and breezy, with philosophical pearls of wisdom sprinkled all over and quite unexpectedly, wisdom that leaves the reader/listener pondering her words for some time.
All in all, "Eat, Pray, Love" is a great read/listen, fun and thought-provoking at the same time, and the audiobook is clear and easy to follow. The book made me laugh out loud a few times while walking out and about, prompting worried glances from the passers-by. It was worth it though, as I will be getting the paper copy of the book to enjoy again in the future. Highly recommended.
