Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
by Elizabeth Gilbert
List Price:
Our Price: $3.05
You Save: $11.95 (80%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Elizabeth GilbertEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-01-30
ISBN: 0143038419
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780143038412
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
Book Review: A well-written, realistic story
Summary: 5 Stars
I am amazed at the bitterness of many of the reviewers of this book. I normally don't bother writing reviews, as I feel to each his own, but I feel compelled to stick up for Elizabeth and this book from a lot of seemingly judgmental reviewers. Unlike most people, I don't pick up books expecting the writer to do things the way I would, and become instantly critical when they don't respond to situations as I'd handle them- I'm not that holier-than-thou as some people. Therefore, I didn't judge her for her reasons; I looked beyond that to the message she was trying to convey. But since some reviewers seem to be attacking her specifically, here is my response:
I found her writing to be real, frank and humorous. I never felt she took herself so seriously as much as she understood her mental state had deteriorated to a point of becoming unmanageable, and that was something that was serious. How she got that way doesn't really matter, and was obviously private and not up for discussion. Any speculation beyond that is pointless. I felt there were several times in the book she made reference to the fact how she understood a person looking from the outside in on her life would think she had it all- but that is the point- that way of thinking is a typical mistake of the Western world in particular: equating money, a big house and dining out at expensive restaurants as success, the definition of happiness and "having it all." For those who thought she was superficial, my response to that is, huh? She fell into the trap we all do, especially in America, of thinking the whole point of life is to acquire more material things. It was in realizing that those material things were not enough- that ultimately they are empty, meaningless things, which drove her on this journey. Superficial would be sobbing on the bathroom floor because she had a 4 bedroom house instead of an 8 bedroom house, and a husband who made only $500,000 instead of one million. Instead, she sobbed because she recognized that those things WERE superficial, and she wanted "more." Not more material things, but more substance. How is that superficial? Yes, she enjoyed those things, who doesn't? But they're not enough, and she understood the need to have a deeper meaning to her life. What I enjoyed about the book was that she was so honest about her situation. She wasn't prepared to give up the material world and become Mother Theresa, yet just living a life to acquire more things wasn't enough either. What she addressed, and the reason I think the book struck a chord with so many people, is she wanted to know how to balance living in our materialistic world with living a life of true meaning.
The mistake, I believe, a lot of reviewers are making is to criticize her for this honesty; for not becoming Mother Theresa or a hard-core activist against the poverty and corruption of the world. While stories like those are inspiring to read, they are also pretty unrealistic in the fact that not many people will follow the lead and devote the rest of their lives to a cause because they read about it; they may become sympathetic, but at the end of the day it's too much to expect that to happen. How many of the reviewers who criticize Elizabeth for not being more noble are willing to sacrifice their own material things and live the kind of life they think she should have chosen? My guess is not too many, and that is the point of this book, and why I found it relatable. She addresses something we can all relate to and examine in our own lives; how to find balance- mixing pleasure with a deeper meaning, and more important, finding meaning in simple pleasures, which as a society, we often miss out on. We're too focused on obtaining more to appreciate what we have. No, not everyone is lucky enough to take a year off and travel abroad to discover this, but skip out on your snarkiness and instead focus on what you can do in your own life to experience the simple pleasures, find a deeper meaning and obtaining that balance between them. The ironic thing is, those who can only be bitter that they don't have the resources she had to take her journey are the most in need of the message of this book- that it's not about material things and geez, move past the focus on "lack" already.
For me personally, I read this at a time in my life where on an emotional level I am exactly where she was when she started. Though the circumstances are much different, the fact is that mentally I was kaput and knew that I had to focus on finding myself before I could move on to anything else. Selfish? Yes, but those who would judge me (or her) for that don't truly understand that you cannot make other people happy until you are happy with yourself. It's like being a parent- it sounds great to focus all your attention on the kids while ignoring your own needs, but in the end, if you as a parent are unhappy, your children will be too. You can't give to others until you find something within yourself worth giving.
It's politically incorrect to say, but if we all took just a short time out of our lives to be a bit more selfish by "finding ourselves" we'd all be that much more able to give out that happiness to others and the world would be a better place. I think this book is about her experience during this "selfish" period. It doesn't define her whole life, just a small portion of it.
More Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Summary of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
Watch the 'Eat Pray Love' Theatrical Trailer for the forthcoming movie set to be released on August 13, 2010.
Make this your next book club selection and everyone saves.
Get 15% off when you order 5 or more of this title for your book club.
Simply enter the coupon code GILBERTEAT at checkout.
This offer does not apply to eBook purchases. This offer applies to only one downloadable audio per purchase.
This beautifully written, heartfelt memoir touched a nerve among both readers and reviewers. Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali. By turns rapturous and rueful, this wise and funny author (whom Booklist calls ?Anne Lamott?s hip, yoga- practicing, footloose younger sister?) is poised to garner yet more adoring fans.
Memoirs Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Memoirs Books
Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Star-Crossed Child in the Final Days of the American Centuryby Hunter S. Thompson
Penguin Books, Limited (UK); Published: 2008-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.11
Price in other shops:
Never Have Your Dog Stuffedby Alan Alda
Arrow Books; Published: 2007-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.59
Price in other shops:
The Hunger: A Story of Food, Desire, and Ambitionby John DeLucie, Graydon Carter
Ecco; Published: 2009-05-12; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $1.63
Price in other shops:
Brotherhood of Warriors: Behind Enemy Lines with a Commando in One of the World's Most Elite Counterterrorism Unitsby Aaron Cohen, Douglas Century
Ecco; Published: 2008-04-29; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.94
Price in other shops:
Not Lost Forever: My Story of Survivalby Carmina Salcido, Steve Jackson
William Morrow; Published: 2009-10-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.99
Price in other shops:
Unlocked: The Life and Crimes of a Mafia Insiderby Louis Ferrante
Harper Perennial; Published: 2009-02-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacherby William Zinsser
Harper; Published: 2009-05-19; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.09
Price in other shops:
Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery, and Kornby Fieldy
William Morrow; Published: 2009-03-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $3.98
Price in other shops:
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.)by Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, Steven L. Hopp
Harper Perennial; Published: 2008-04-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.14
Price in other shops:
The Ride of My Lifeby Mat Hoffman
It Books; Published: 2003-09-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.95
Similar Books and other products
Lit: A Memoir (P.S.)by Mary Karr
Harper Perennial; Published: 2010-06-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops:
Eat Pray Love (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)Release date: 2010-08-23; Published: 2010; Music CD
Best price: $8.89
Price in other shops:
Peace From Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Throughby Iyanla Vanzant
SmileyBooks; Published: 2012-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.74
Price in other shops:
The Last American Manby Elizabeth Gilbert
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 2003-05-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.97
Price in other shops:
Peace from Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Throughby Iyanla Vanzant
SmileyBooks; Published: 2010-11-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.14
Price in other shops:
Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Growby Elizabeth Lesser
Villard; Published: 2005-06-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.50
Price in other shops:
Committed: A Love Storyby Elizabeth Gilbert
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 2011-02-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.95
Price in other shops:
The Helpby Kathryn Stockett
Berkley Trade; Published: 2011-04-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.46
Price in other shops:
Eat Pray LoveSony; Release date: 2010-11-23; DVD
Best price: $6.90
Price in other shops: