Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.99 You Save: $8.01 (53%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.79 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
Book Review: Surely I can't be ther only one
Summary: 1 Stars
.. who thinks that buying this book is total waste of money. Please DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! You'll be disappointed.
The book is divided into three main sections each with 36 chapters.
After going through a difficult divorce, the author Elizabeth Gilbert, decided to take a 'sabatical leave' from work and travel for the whole year. She decided to spend 4 months in Italy learning about the beautiful language and the pleasure of life (eat), 4 months in India learning to meditate (pray) in an Ashram and 4 months in Indonesia learning to balance the art of pleasure and meditating (supposedly 'love' although I don't quite get it). So this is her story about the journey to seek pleasure, god and love.
I only bought this book because of the rating in Amazon. Plus, Julia Robert herself wrote, referring to the book, "It's what I'm giving all my girl friends" and Elle's review reads 'A word-of-mouth bestseller, as funny as it is wise'. So surely this one must be worth reading.
WRONG!!!
Whilst I do enjoy reading many of the chapters set in Italy and Indonesia (Bali), I find this book way too new age.. too American.. too Sex and the City like..
This is what like about the book:
- The author's description of the origin and beauty of Italian language, the delicious Italian food and the liveliness of Rome
- The bit about Bali and the Balinesse
And what I didn't like:
- The India bit is a little boring.. I must admit I kind of skip read it
- The book is way too commercial. I found the author trying too hard to make her experience sounds more interesting than it actually was. Which is not surprising given that Ms Gilbert was given a sum of money by her publisher in advance of the travelling, before the book's even written!!
- Too much details about the author's longing for men and sex, which I did not enjoy reading.. seriously.. she sounded like a desperate mid thirty tart
- Everything else... the book is shallow, very hedonistic, exaggerated and again too american..
Please save your fiver for something else.. there are thousands of better books!
Book Review: Light Read, Deep Message
Summary: 5 Stars
I felt like I was traveling along side Elizabeth Gilbert on her literal and spiritual journey through Italy, India and Indonesia. I was inspired by her search for pleasure, God, and love in these richly colorful places. Her stories are touching, amusing and brazenly personal. Her life is enriched by teachers she encounters along the way who show her how to stop "brooding over the past" or "worrying about the future". One of the gifts she receives is being present in her life. Another is knowing that being of service to others is the greatest gift of all.
Another book of wisdom and personal adventure is Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment by Ariel and Shya Kane. This book of delightful stories illustrates an effortless and joyful way to a life of well being without traveling from your sofa. Both books are filled with compassion for ones self as well as for others. Whether I travel throughout the world for knowledge, or to my kitchen for a cup of coffee, it's the magic of being there for it that makes the difference.
Book Review: Flawed, but still a good read
Summary: 4 Stars
Before reading "Eat Pray Love", I noticed that many of the reviews on Amazon were highly polarised. While overall I very much enjoyed this book, I can also understand those who didn't. In many ways the book feels like a self-indulgent first draft that needs the hand of a good editor to tighten it up. While Elizabeth Gilbert has an intimate style of writing and a witty turn of phrase, it did feel like EVERY funny story and EVERY clever thought had to be crammed in. Sentences like: "every word was a singing sparrow, a magic trick, a truffle for me" - why use one metaphor in a sentence when three will do?!
I found it interesting the way that the writing style mirrors Liz's journey. When she starts out in Italy her writing is frenzied and self-obsessed. We hear far more about her depression than we hear about Rome. She revisits her failed marriage and failed relationship to the point that it feels like the book is stagnating. What makes this extra frustrating is that when she does occasionally talk about Italy, her writing is exquisite. She describes Venice as "a wonderful city in which to die a slow alcoholic death...spooky under its gray November skies". Another standout for me is a wonderful description of going to a football game. She also integrates quotes from famous people and facts about places very well.
In the middle section of the book (at the ashram in India), the pace slows. This section is mostly about Liz's struggles with meditation - lots of breakthroughs followed by setbacks. I found this section interesting, but it's not really about India.
The final section, in Bali, was the standout for me, as Liz learns to assimilate the personal growth that she achieved in India into everyday life. She builds some very real relationships with the locals and I found her descriptions of Bali and the culture to be insightful and interesting. For the first time, it felt like she was able to look around and recognise that she was not the most interesting and important thing to write about.
Despite its flaws, I very much enjoyed this book. The short chapters and frequent humour kept me turning the pages and I warmed to Liz as I read on. The idea of taking a year off from life is not something that I would be in a position to do, but I enjoyed reading about someone else's adventure.
Book Review: An Inspiring Story
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book and was surprised to see so many uncomplimentary reviews that have been posted. I admire Elizabeth's courage and honesty to tell the world her personal experiences. Throughout the book she lets the reader into her private world.
In each of the 3 sections of the book I felt included in Elizabeth's life.
While Elizabeth was in Italy, I felt her passion for food and empathy for her while she weaned herself off anti depressants (that certainly takes courage in my book). While in India, Elizabeth tells us about how she learned to find balance. One chapter that stood out for me was when Elizabeth speaks of how when the harder she tried to quiet the voices in her head, the louder they got, and when she finally stopped trying the voices quieted on their own. In Bali, Elizabeth found balance and love. I truly enjoyed this book.
Another book, by renowned authors Ariel & Shya Kane "Being Here Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment" also a book I really enjoyed and highly recommend. The book consists of short stories about transformation.
Book Review: Amazing book...some people may be missing the point
Summary: 5 Stars
I just finished this book and have to say it has had a profound effect on me, it was a fantastic account of one woman's journey to find herself. Admittedly its a great 'story' in itself, but its more than a story about a woman who got her heart broken, ate some food and then *skip the Ashram bit* found love in Bali. Anyone who treats this book like that is somewhat missing the point. I'm not a religious person at all, I have no religion, and I agree the Ashram section wasn't an easy read and I found some resistance to it, but that's exactly the point, her time in the Ashram wasn't comfortable, and we are made to feel that too. You can't gain anything from this book by skipping the middle section, it's only through her experiences in India that she learned to accept herself, find inner peace and strength and have the self knowledge and love to be ABLE to move on in Bali. That's the whole problem with this society, and that's exactly why she has laid herself out here as a guinea pig, an example. Rushing in life for the 'happy ending' will get you nowhere. Or it will get you divorced and suicidal at 34 looking for answers. The whole point of this book - and many others like it - is a forewarning that you will have to go through the struggles she did (albeit in not necessarily in India) if you're going to be truly happy. EAT PRAY LOVE the book is called. not EAT and LOVE. As a society we need to open our minds a little I think.