Review: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Photo Credit: Walter Lim

Eat, Pray, Love
By Elizabeth Gilbert

Published January 30th 2007 by Riverhead Books
Paperback, 400 pages

This has to be the first book that I read after the movie that I still enjoyed after seeing the movie. I mean that I am NOT disappointed that I saw the movie first. I saw the movie in theaters in 2010 with about 10 female relatives, some of whom had read the book beforehand and some hadn't. We all came away feeling inspired in one way or another. I vividly remember wanting to rush out and get a copy of the book - a feeling I had never felt before after seeing a movie. Normally the film adaptation doesn't inspire me like that.

I finished listening to this book while on a road trip and I wanted to continue the road trip for another year. My destination doesn't necessarily matter, although I would love to go to Italy and South America. I have a lot of respect and appreciation for someone who can pick up and leave for a year and travel with no or little support from friends and family.

I think I related to this story so much because of the phrase in the description, "In her early thirties, Elizabeth Gilbert had everything a modern American woman was supposed to want—husband, country home, successful career—but instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed by panic and confusion." I am single, living in the country, and by my own standards have a moderately successful career and am filled with panic and confusion over not having what I am "supposed to have." I tell myself I'm happy, but am I really happy because I don't have what society tells me I'm supposed to have at this point in my life? Reading/listening to Gilbert's account of her journey to rediscover and explore herself for a year gave me the motivation I needed to do the same for me in my own way. I love her style of writing because she's telling a story as if to a friend yet she's writing for herself and readers, especially women, can relate to what she has to say.

This has to be the first book that I read after the movie that I still enjoyed after seeing the movie. I mean that I am NOT disappointed that I saw the movie first. I saw the movie in theaters in 2010 with about 10 female relatives, some of whom had read the book beforehand and some hadn't. We all came away feeling inspired in one way or another. I vividly remember wanting to rush out and get a copy of the book - a feeling I had never felt before after seeing a movie. Normally the film adaptation doesn't inspire me like that.

I finished listening to this book while on a road trip and I wanted to continue the road trip for another year. My destination doesn't necessarily matter, although I would love to go to Italy and South America. I have a lot of respect and appreciation for someone who can pick up and leave for a year and travel with no or little support from friends and family.

I think I related to this story so much because of the phrase in the description, "In her early thirties, Elizabeth Gilbert had everything a modern American woman was supposed to want—husband, country home, successful career—but instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed by panic and confusion." I am single, living in the country, and by my own standards have a moderately successful career and am filled with panic and confusion over not having what I am "supposed to have." I tell myself I'm happy, but am I really happy because I don't have what society tells me I'm supposed to have at this point in my life? Reading/listening to Gilbert's account of her journey to rediscover and explore herself for a year gave me the motivation I needed to do the same for me in my own way. I love her style of writing because she's telling a story as if to a friend yet she's writing for herself and readers, especially women, can relate to what she has to say.

I recommend this to anyone who is ready to do some self-discovery, travel the world, and is not happy about having what they're supposed to have and is panicked and confused by that unhappiness. Recommendations will also go to my book club.

Rating: 5 out of 5