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What readers think of Eat, Pray, Love, plus links to write your own review.

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Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Eat, Pray, Love

One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

by Elizabeth Gilbert
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus:
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  • First Published:
  • Feb 16, 2006, 352 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jan 2007, 352 pages
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Reviews

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There are currently 44 reader reviews for Eat, Pray, Love
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Cindy Shimizu

In defense of Eat, Pray, Love
I respect everyone's opinion regarding their reviews of this book, but I think some reviews are way too critical of the author's tone. I believe she made it clear that it is about her journeys, both physical and spiritual, and isn't a guide or a 'how to' book, but a personal chronicle of her life experiences. She is aware of her privilege and good fortune. She becomes aware of her ego. Despite these things, I believe she was able to connect with herself and the people around her and to relate her experiences in a compelling and inspiring way. It was, for me, an honest examination of the work she did to achieve balance and happiness in her life. I enjoyed it immensely.
Maria Costa

Thank you
Where does someone start to say thank you for the courage it took not only to take the step that can seem so crippling,as many of us know, but also take a journey that takes one away from everything one knows.

I can not tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I had not been able to completely read a book in years..
Eat Pray Love not only brought tears for confirmation but also a friend who said what I have been feeling and thinking for so many years.
It was so timely as my own journey had began in search of myself. I cannot say enough about my love of this woman who dared to go where so many of us need to go.

Well done Liz!!!!!!!!
Minnie

I guess I understand
I'm not 100 percent sure of what she's going through, but somehow I have the same kind of feeling. Do I want to say what it is? No. There are inexplicable situations that one would only leave them to the therapists. Seriously, I find her experience quite similar with mine, except that she got to travel around the world. I doubt that she has fully recovered from everything, but I hope that she will continue to find love and happiness in life.
wanjugu

double standards
The only thing that I could not get past is her leaving the marriage, and that she did not understand why her husband who thought she would never leave him could not forgive her!! Many people say it was courageous for her to leave him, but the word selfish kept coming to my mind. Also thought about the DOUBLE STANDARDS in the American culture because a man who leaves his his wife because he is sad in the marriage I bet would not sell so many books. I loved Elizabeth Gilbert's sense of humor, her writing was good and I feel like I know Italy very well.
Charrie

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I found her time in India very frustrating and too drawn out. I have been to India and although I am a seasoned traveler, I fail to see how anyone go there to find themselves. Nothing charming about India
WickedAngel

An Excellent Book
I don't see at all what the last two reviewers are talking about. I think we read different books. She didn't put down Italy, as a matter of fact, she even beautified Sicily, at least to me. If anything, she conveyed the people of Italy as PASSIONATE. Being Italian myself, I was not offended in the least.

That said, I found this book to be cathartic. The author went through things in her life that I also went through. Should I ever have the resources and finances to take a year to travel in order to fulfill a quest for enlightenment, I would do it now, at 37.

She followed her heart and it led her to what she wanted.

This book was beautifully written, enlightening and has truly made me reflect upon my life. I think anyone who has had turmoil in their lives should read this book.
Lisa Wood

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I was so super excited to buy this book and waited for a week for it to arrive from England.
Every day I would check the post box to see if the book had arrived, and in then had to wait for over week before it was here.
Then once I started to read I was wondering what all the fuss was about...It really took me awhile to get into the book - actually I did not really enjoy the book until almost the end where she really found her true self by searching within through meditation and healing.
Not sure what all the fuss was about, but can see how the book would relate to some women who are experiencing the same feelings in their life.
Not sure if I would highly recommend anyone to read the book, but if you were curious and had spare time then go for it.
Gemma Leslie

Eat, Pray, Love.
I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, something along the lines of a well balanced and exciting journey of education and spirituality. With the book being described as self discovery, and everyone in the world raving about it, I thought I would give it a try.

To begin with I didn't like the righteous attitude of the main character, not only did she blaze through the divorce section of the book with little for the reader to connect with, other than her inability to stay out of a bathroom. I didn't feel sorry for her, I felt sorry for her husband. Whom, we read to be this horrible person, but in the most vague way I have ever encountered. I understand that this really wasn't about him, but the author went on and on about it, with little denial other than her own suffering.

Martyrdom over, i was excited with anticipation to read the Italian based segment of the book, only to find that it was again descriptive but in the wrong ways. I wanted to be drawn into the book but I found it difficult to turn the pages.

I love to read, and I really wanted to like this book but it has been a painful ordeal.
I understand that other people have been deeply touched by the authors experiences in this novel, and yes, some of the descriptions and Wikipedia-like history lessons on Bali are exciting, for some I'm sure.

Self indulgent, yes, Insular, yes, Captivating no.

As for a spiritual journey, it has been nothing more than a trendy leap about the globe, sampling what the author felt best described a connection to "God".

Not impressed.

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