A celebrated writer's irresistible, candid, and eloquent account of her pursuit of worldly pleasure, spiritual devotion, and what she really wanted out of life Around the time Elizabeth Gilbert turned thirty, she went through an early-onslaught midlife crisis. She had everything an educated, ambitious American woman was supposed to want--a husband, a house, a successful career. But instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed with panic, grief, and confusion. She went through a divorce, a crushing depression, another failed love, and the eradication of everything she ever thought she was supposed to be.
To recover from all this, Gilbert took a radical step. In order to give herself the time and space to find out who she really was and what she really wanted, she got rid of her belongings, quit her job, and undertook a yearlong journey around the world--all alone. Eat, Pray, Love is the absorbing chronicle of that year. Her aim was to visit three places where she could examine one aspect of her own nature set against the backdrop of a culture that has traditionally done that one thing very well. In Rome, she studied the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and gaining the twenty-three happiest pounds of her life. India was for the art of devotion, and with the help of a native guru and a surprisingly wise cowboy from Texas, she embarked on four uninterrupted months of spiritual exploration. In Bali, she studied the art of balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. She became the pupil of an elderly medicine man and also fell in love the best way--unexpectedly.
An intensely articulate and moving memoir of self-discovery, Eat, Pray, Love is about what can happen when you claim responsibility for your own contentment and stop trying to live in imitation of society's ideals. It is certain to touch anyone who has ever woken up to the unrelenting need for change.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
Engaging memoir about a woman's search for self and happiness:
Although this book gained huge popularity almost immediately after its release--which was a full two years ago now--initially, I had some reluctance to read it. This is surprising given that 1) I'm about the same age as the author, 2) I generally really enjoy memoirs, and 3) I've studied Italian and am into yoga, which are two of the three major themes of this book. However, my sense from others who had read EAT, PRAY, LOVE before me was that for all those who loved the book, just as many hated it, finding... more info
She did it again!:
This author sounds like very immature for her age. At age 35, she is still dreaming to be loved like a princess. She is very needy, needs a full attention from everyone, particularly from her lover. Her inner voice tells her that she doesn't want to have children. I think her inner voice is right about it. How can she take of children when she needs a full attention herself. From the book I feel that she is someone who always gets what she wants in a selfish way. That book doesn't say exactly what happened... more info
Truly Wonderful!!:
I know everyone has thier opinion and story about this book, some loved it and some thought is was over sold - well, I think that depends on where you are and how open you are to experiencing growth. My story is that this book moved me in ways unimaginable. I absolutely loved the journey and the truths discovered along the way. If you are still trying to figure it all out and would love some great insight, read this book. It has become almost like a reference for me - I plan to read it many times throughout... more info
"Eat, Pray, Love" is a kind of 21st Century Version of 10 Ox-Herding Pictures:
Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" is an entertaining, personally revealing permutation on the classic existential character arc - the search of our true nature. Some call it God (as does Gilbert), some call it "what is" or "Suchness" or "Natural Perfection" (as in Dzogchen). "Eat, Pray, Love" struck me as an eloquent and illuminating parallel to the 12th century Ch'an/Zen metaphor of 10 Ox-Herding Pictures that narrate - albeit, more succinctly, - a similar existential search-and-rescue story, a spiritual... more info
