Eat Pray Love is the monologue of a Neurotic American Princess ("Liz") in her mid thirties. The first few chapters background the rest of the book, a confessional that tells how she came to find her 8 year marriage distasteful, realised she wasn't keen on the next 'logical' step which is apparently to fill her expansive apartment with children, and plunges into an impotent depression. Without even getting drunk!

One night, whilst bawling on the bathroom floor, a habit she has grown fond of, she i More...

Wow, this book took me on a roller-coaster ride. I couldn't decide if I loved it or hated it and it seemed like every few pages I'd go from thinking Gilbert was delightfully witty to thinking this was the most horribly self-absorbed person to ever set foot on the earth.

In the end the overall effect was rather like sitting at a party listening to someone tell a long involved story all about themselves, and you're alternately annoyed and fascinated and you want to get up and leave but she's just More...

I am embarrassed to read this book in public.
The title and the flowery, pasta-y cover screams, "I'm a book that contains the relentless rants of a neurotic 34 year-old-woman."
So, I'm afraid that the strangers on the Metro will think I identify with her.
But in the comfort of my own bed, I am totally falling for this memoir. Yes, Gilbert is emotionally self-indulgent (are we supposed to feel bad that she lost both houses in the divorce?), annoying (she's just tickled when she gains 23 pounds afte More...

WHY? I cringe to think why so many women want to feel that this was a true spiritual journey. It was a pre-paid journey. The woman starts off with telling us over and over about how painful her divorce was, however she dismisses how it ever came to be that way. Leaving her audience only to guess it was so horrible she had to leave and find herself.
When asked in an interview if dumping her husband and pushing off wasn’t selfish, here is what Ms. Gilbert had to say:
"What is it about the American More...

I found this book unbelievably phoney and suggest that it be subtitled, "ME ME ME ME ME ME ME - how the hell did I find enlightenment with my head stuck so far up my arse, aren't I amazing, can we please talk about ME some more?"

I hated this so much that I actually got up very early this morning to finish it in order to save myself from having to think about it for even one more day.
I gave my copy to the library and honestly, I'm not too proud of that.
Almost all of it felt so insincere that ther More...

Ok, I admit I still have about 30 pages to go, which I will get around to reading soon (need a break from the book though) and which I highly doubt will prompt me to change my 2-star rating. I know many people love this book for what I consider personal reasons, therefore I tread lightly so as to not come off as critical of people's personal opinions, rather, just the book itself.

First, I found the author not-so-likable. I've read other readers' reviews in which she was described as 'so funny' More...

Don't bother with this book.


It took me nearly a year to finish it. I was so disgusted by the writer's apparent lack of awareness of her own privilege, her trite observations, and the unbelievably shallow way in which she represents a journey initiated by grief, that I initially couldn't bear to read beyond Italy. Like others who have written here, I made myself pick the book up again because so many people have raved about it, and I made myself finish it, hoping all the while there would be some More...

I had a very love/give-me-a-break relationship with this book, so I had to give it a week or so before writing a review to let it settle. I began the book on an optimistic note, then quickly became annoyed with the long, rambling chapters justifying the author's use of the word "God" and how OTHER words for "God" are neither better nor worse, more nor less accurate, than "God" but this author feels a connection with the word "God" so she's going to use it here but REALLY, there are LOTS of ways More...

Gilbert points out that each country she visits begins with "I", so her journey is really a journey to the self, blah blah blah. But the whiff of narcissism in the "I I I" pattern is no whiff. It's a hurricane. Who brings copies of her OWN BOOKS to her psychiatrist, 'cause she wants him to HELP her, but not ruin her book-writing ability, 'cause, you know, she's special that way? Oh, well... I hope no one hates me for reading an Oprah-endorsed book. I had reservations about this book before I eve More...

What I'm about to say must be wrong, because I couldn't get through this book. I tried. And I failed. So: I have NO BUSINESS WRITING THIS. Don't read it.

A cousin recommended EPL and I thought it would teach me something about the book market. My secret boyfriend at the public library was horrified I checked it out, given his ACLU-offensive intimacy with my record and tastes; and yes, like others, I was embarrassed to have EPL in my possession.

Because:

What IS this MOVEMENT of lily-white bourgeois More...

I waited, and waited, in ever such impatient patience, until the duct-taped box from my daughter arrived. It was one box among many, but this particular box, she had promised, would have within it her very best and most loved books, and among those -- Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" that I had been longing to read. All of these boxes were arriving at my door because my daughter was taking wing on a journey like none before, and she is, for her 26 years, well traveled even when measured aga More...

Wow. I just gave Eat, Pray, Love a tearful send-off. And now I will relate to you the reasons why.

The book has helped me come to terms with the fact that this whole divorce healing process is taking so long, longer than any of my friends expected I think, and that it's not over. But even so, it's OK. I can still live my life and do new things and make new friends and still work through it. I'm not cheating anyone by giving them what I've got right now, as opposed to the miracle woman that I thin More...

When I first heard the premise of Eat, Pray, Love — a woman's journey after a series of personal hardships to find peace and happiness across three countries — I thought it was going to be a solemn retelling of the pilgrimage-like voyage in the likes of Paulo Coelho. Of course I was wrong.

Elizabeth Gilbert tells an honest story (which starts with the quote "Tell the truth, tell the truth, tell the truth") of her emotional and psychological breakdown after a harrowing divorce and a whirlwind rom More...

As a book idea it was fantastic : rediscovering/reinventing the self through travel,spirituality & love thrown in, but somehow,to me atleast,that concept didn't translate so well into writing.

I understand that it's a memoir/true life experience so things must have happened that way,still there is too much of the food court variety available here:eat n learn language in Italy,then seek enlightenment in India & finally find love in the exotic Indonesia(Bali)!

Pray why can't one find love in More...

People who personally know me know that I'm kind of "crunchy" (as dubbed my sister). Meaning, that I'm always up for something that is supposed to be enlightning and inspirational. Something life changing, might alter my perspective, or make me feel more happy? Sign me up. Though this book fits that bill, I couldn't love it like I thought I would.

The book was highly recommended to me by my mom, and for good reason. Liz Gilbert's journey through Italy, India, and Indonesia had tidbits that I enjo More...

First, understand that I went into this book already hating it. I read the last third of it in grad school and wrote a paper that used it as a source. The summary version:

As recently as 50-100 years ago, men were writing about going to foreign countries and striking up affairs with exotic women. Now, it is Western women who seem to be doing the same. And they do it in a surprisingly unimaginative fashion. Think about it:

1997: How Stella Got Her Groove Back, by Terry McMillan: A divorcee swears More...

أداء رائع جبار وسيرة ذاتية ضمن سياق روائي مذهل..المشكلة في تقييمي لأمر ما هو دائما ما يكون تحت الضغط الذي تسوقه العواطف لكن ما وجدته في هذا الكتاب يسمو أيضا عن جبر خاطر العاطفة .....إن رحلة البحث عن الذات وايثار حياة الاستقرار لإعادة استكشاف الروح هو محتوي هذه القطعة الابداعية أما الماهية فكانت من خلال العنوان ( طعام،صلاة،حب).فالطعام مقرون باللذة والروحانية هي سمو النفس من خلال الصلاة والحب مصدره العاطفة لذا كان السفر الي ايطاليا فالهند عقبتها رحله اندونيسيا ...........أذهلني الكتاب وراقلي ما قر More...

"Oh, you spent a year in India? Well, have you read that book Eat, Pray, Love? She was in India, too! You'd love it!"

If I can forgive Elizabeth Gilbert for being paid upfront to undertake a journey of "self-discovery" (and I can--sign me up for "Clueless in Calcutta"!), then certainly, she can forgive me for only reading this because I felt obligated to do so. (And for "riding her coattails" in this review, so to speak.)

Her style is pretty easy to get into, although I was completely fed up with More...

I just kept thinking wahhhhhh the whole time. Poor woman wants out of her marriage so she leaves.... wahhhh. Poor woman is depressed so she whines wahhhhh. Life is so unfair for the poor woman wahhhh.

Please, poor woman is completely lost so what does she do? Why she takes a year off and travels to Italy, India & Indonesia to try and find herself. I wish I could say that this was fiction but it isn't. She's lost! Join the club but at least you have the money and the lack of responsibility to More...

I have tried hard to like this memoir/travelogue. Why are there so many books by 30-ish folks complaining about their lives, then offering wisdom that is at best simplistic and at worst immature? Perhaps, as I've mentioned already in these reviews, the problem is that I have become a curmudgeon. Whatever the reason, however, I found it hard to like Liz. She is tediously insecure and neurotic. If her self-depiction is accurate, I doubt I'd find her socially attractive. While I sympathize about he More...

At first I thought this book was going to be yet another divorced woman traveling the world story. It turned out to be so much more. This woman's path of discovery into herself is inspiring.

Just read this and tell me you aren't hooked:

“But I wish me and David could---“
He cuts me off. “See, now that’s your problem. You’re wishin’ too much baby. You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be.”
This line gives me the first laugh of the day.
Then I ask Richard, “So how long will More...

Elizabeth Gilbert is a really good writer but I still had to absolutely slog through to the end of her annoying book. I did so with the faint hope that maybe there would be some last minute clue about all the hype —or that maybe Gilbert would finally wake up one morning and say “Hey, maybe it’s not all about me!”

No such luck. Her perspective is shallow, completely self-absorbed and lacking in empathy. The spiritual part of her quest never translates to any feelings of compassion or altruism. Gi More...

Ok. I really didn't READ it all. I couldn't. I just couldn't get past how self centered and whiny this woman was. I just wanted to scream GET OVER YOURSELF! Then I quit reading it and now I feel much better.

Blah, I tired quickly of the whole god thing, the self-absorption, the alluding to her hot looks, her super intelligence, her ace abilities to meditate, her obsession with men (fuelled by celibacy), her ignorance of anything besides her in India and Indonesia. And the list goes on. Wouldn't mind reading a book by Richard from Texas though.

I must say, even though I found her highly irrtating on many levels, I still found her writing interesting. And I did enjoy the Italy part. Even if she is too More...

Reading the title and the premise of this book will mislead you greatly as to what you are going to find inside.
This book is not uplifting or spiritual in any way. Elizabeth Gilbert is going through life unaffected by anything except her own whims. She is so selfish and self congratulating, trying to disguise it as self depreciating and humble. Her writing style isn't so bad, it's the content. She continuously looks out at the world and how it is affecting her, not accepting responsibility for c More...

This was one of those books I will read over and over again. All those cynics out there who criticize Gilbert for writing a "too cutesy" memoir that seems beyond belief and who claim that she is selfish for leaving her responsibility are clearly missing the point. First, she did not write the book to inspire you. She wrote it as her own memoir--you can agree or disagree with how she went about her "enlightenment," but you cannot judge her for how she found happiness. It is her memoir, not yours. More...

I didn't want to be one of those women who bought "Eat, Pray, Love." I am not like those types of women. And I don't want to be.

The plot: A memoir of a recently divorced women who travels to Italy for the food (eat!), to India for an ashram (pray!) and to Bali...to...well...sit on a beach all day...(love!) sitting on top of the New York Times bestsellers list for the gestational period of most small mammals -- normally, I leave these sorts of books to young mothers with book clubs, "opting out" More...

ليست المرة الأولى التي ينبغي علي أن أقول أنني أحببت الكتاب أكثر بكثير من الفلم و أنني استمتع بتذوق تفاصيل الأشكال والمشاعر و الرائحة و حتى الطعم من خلال القراءة أكثر من المشاهدة , حينما نؤمن من الداخل اليقين الذي يعطينا إياه هذا الإيمان كفيل بخلق سعادة وسلام داخلي يستطيع مواجهة الحياة وتفاصيلها حتى تلك المشوهة , رحلة الغياب عن الحياة والعودة إليها مرةً أخرى التي سردتها إليزابيث " بصدق " لا نستطيع تجاهله تمس كل أنثى ربما غابت قليلاً أو طويلاً ثم عادة بطريقتها الخاصة التي تختلف بالأدوات لكنها تؤدي More...