Not Much Found in Gilbert’s ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ – Review
The Lit Ladies met this week to discuss the New York Times Bestseller Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Unfortunately, it’s hard to discuss a book that more than half the group couldn’t even finish. That is rare for our group and I dare to say it is due to one or all three of the following:
1. Boredom with the story
2. Distaste for the main character
3. A lack of desire to find out what happens to this lady
Basically, not one of us could relate to Gilbert. We didn’t really like her or care much about her self-indulgent memoir. This woman is desperately trying to make you like her, and that’s such a turn off. A few threw the book a bone and mentioned that they liked her writing “style.” It’s kind of like labeling a food nutritious. No one said it tasted good.
With that said, I can somewhat proudly say that I was one of the few that finished the book. I found some nuggets of goodness. Though I never bought into her spiritual growth in the memoir, I did enjoy some of the history and details of the people she meets and the places she roams. Post divorce, Gilbert seeks to “find herself” by spending 4 months in Italy, 4 months in India and 4 months in Indonesia (Bali specifically). She manages to find some very good teachers of life in all three countries. People with very thoughtful perspectives on what I would call universal acceptance. That acceptance includes ourselves, our friends, our family, our enemies and all of their strengths and weaknesses.
Gilbert seems to absorb some of her own message, but I do feel that even at the end, she is motivated by the need for everyone to like her. She even picks a man based on the fact that he worships her. She doesn’t have any strength in her convictions. She never argues, never stands up for anything. She bullies herself into meditation so that she can be less of a downer and more people will be drawn to her. She brags many times about her gift for making “friends.” I’m thinking that if she had fewer, better, deeper friendships, she may have not gotten so lost in the first place.
I can’t recommend the book. I managed to get something out of it, but I think when only 3 out of 12 women can even finish it, there’s a big problem.
