From the Bookshelf of The Book Challenge…

Eat, Pray, Love

Elizabeth Gilbert

Start date: March 31, 2009

Discussion: a-m

Why we're reading this: Because I was intrigued by the title of the book. And, maybe in a way of reflection on my life and the ch…more
[close] Because I was intrigued by the title of the book. And, maybe in a way of reflection on my life and the choices I made.

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 512 topics — 9,432 comments total

a-m

Jess' 2023 Reading Challenges
By JessicaMHR · 8 posts · 7 views

last updated Apr 29, 2025 12:24PM

Bricoleur's Book Challenge
By Bricoleur (D… · 7 posts · 30 views

last updated Jan 01, 2025 06:46AM

showing 8 of 8 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jun 25, 2008 Allison rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-08

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Update 9/15: Finished reading this last night! I let Bali drag out over the weekend because it was harder for me to read than the other parts - it wasn't my favorite. I am a hopeless romantic so I was definitely a Felipe fan. I also loved how the whole "fairy-tale ending" actually happened in real life because it's so inspiring to the readers. The whole idea of loving yourself and taking care of yourself before you take care/love someone else really is true, and Liz Gilbert proved it. I think Ke Update 9/15: Finished reading this last night! I let Bali drag out over the weekend because it was harder for me to read than the other parts - it wasn't my favorite. I am a hopeless romantic so I was definitely a Felipe fan. I also loved how the whole "fairy-tale ending" actually happened in real life because it's so inspiring to the readers. The whole idea of loving yourself and taking care of yourself before you take care/love someone else really is true, and Liz Gilbert proved it. I think Ketut was my favorite character in this part! I just wanted to hug him.

As for the whole book, I really loved it. I loved how real it was, how the author made you laugh and how open she was with her rawest emotions. That had to be therapeutic in itself, to write the book. It was admirable and inspiring. I think we've all felt, at some point or another, that we want to escape from our realities. I felt like she escapes from all the negative energy to actually face her realities, not hide from them. There was something deeper she needed to deal with. I enjoyed Italy the most, because she found self-love there, and I think that's so important. I agree with other Goodread's reviews that she was incredibly high-strung and probably always will be high maintenance, which did annoy me at times - but in the end, she wasn't a perfect made-up character, and still got her fairy-tale ending. I appreciated that more than anything.

This is definitely a book I'll refer back to again and again - I borrowed it, but I may need to buy my own copy!

Update 9/12: I finished Book 2, "India," last night on the way home from work. I definitely had to read everything a little more carefully - there was a lot of historical information about Yoga and meditation to take in. I've never been the type to get into yoga, or meditation, but honestly, the way the author writes, you WANT a Guru, and you WANT to feel what she learns to feel. I can understand her frustration, because there are many times in Temple when I'm frustrated with myself for not feeling what everyone else seems to be feeling when we pray as a congregation. I have had those breakthrough moments though, just like Liz did, so that made me feel like I could identify with her even further, when at the beginning of this book we had nothing in common. I think I may have gotten a little annoyed at how she insisted she make friends at the Ashram and turned it into her own little social group during meals and stuff, I think I was looking for her breakthroughs in meditation more than who she ended up meeting - although I did love Richard from Texas! It annoyed me how she put the problems from her divorce on Richard, and her other friends. I hope Richard actually got something out of being in the Ashram besides Liz's issues! I also learned a lot about being alone with myself and really appreciating the loneliness, a kind of meditation in itself. I don't know how to do that - every time I try to have quiet time (which is extremely rare), I feel guilty if I'm not doing something on my to-do list. I really liked this section, but I liked it a little less than Italy.

Update 9/10: I just finished Book 1, or, "Italy." I have to say, I was kind of worried about reading this because in the beginning, the author kinda lays it all out there about her motives for going on this journey. Not that I don't agree, but I personally cannot identify. The author wants to get out of her marraige and does not want the things her current life has given her/could give her, like a house in the suburbs, a husband, and babies. I completely salute anyone who does not want those things getting the heck out, and I don't believe it's selfish, but personally, maybe because I'm too young, I don't feel the same.

But, once she got to Italy, I really thought that even more than "Eat," this section was so much about self-love, forgiving yourself, and enjoying who you are as a person, flaws and all. Everyone can relate to that and everyone needs to learn it, whether you're happily married with the white picket fence, or you're just like Gilbert. There's a part where she's praying on her Rome apartment floor, and she's listening to the voice inside telling her that she loves her, and she'll be with her forever. I'm tearing up again just thinking about that part, it was beautiful. As for the language, sign me up for Italian classes! And the food?! I had to have pizza last night as I finished up the chapter. There's no denying the author is a really great writer that pulls you in, inspires you and humors you at the same time. I'm excited for India and Indonesia now! ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 08, 2007 Yelena Malcolm rated it it was ok

I picked this book up because I noticed my friend Melissa had recently read it. From the start I harbored great skepticism since the author is up-front about how her work is a chronicle of her spiritual journey and I'm just not a spiritual journey kind of person.

If I could I would have given it 2.5 stars. I didn't really like it, but it was probably better than just ok. The story, if you could get past the truly endless prattle about her religious metamorphosis, was a good one, if neither unique ...more

Like · see review

Nov 08, 2007 Ann M rated it liked it

Shelves: nonfiction

Although I liked this book and gave it four stars for how engaging and well written it is, it really is an example of spiritual tourism. The author goes on a personal journey, but emerges much the same as when she started, just in a different marriage. The first two thirds of the book move along really well, have a forward momentum, but in the third, the author seeks to re-make the life she had, a successful, materialistic life just like what most of us want, and in the end, she gets it. So ther ...more

Like · see review

Jan 04, 2008 Lori rated it did not like it

Shelves: didnt-care-for

I had to stop listening to this one - BORING!! It was putting me to sleep which is NOT a good thing since I listened to it in my car on my way to and from work! I guess I just prefer "lighter" books for my commute times! ...more

Like · see review

Dec 19, 2007 Amanda rated it it was amazing

love, love, loved this book... it's the kind of book that everyone I talked to while reading it, I would ask "have you read eat, pray, love??" ...more

Like · see review