Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything across Italy, India and Indonesia

Abstract

Review Of Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search For Everything Across Italy, India And Indonesia By Elizabeth Gilbert. Penguin Group. New York, New York. 2006. Elizabeth Gilbert reveals her innermost thoughts in Eat, Pray, Love, sharing personal experiences of her pursuit for pleasure, devotion, and balance. In an intimate, first person account, Gilbert invites other women to follow her journey. Gilbert's re-telling of her epic search for divinity, and peace with herself and the romantic relationships in her life gives a voice to modern women living in a time of expectations of the past. While Eat, Pray, Love begins with divorce, unsuitable rebound-love and crushing depression, Gilbert's story progresses into one of forgiveness, self-acceptance and an honest, soulful search for the Divine. A self-proclaimed Christian with a passion for yoga, and the desire to learn Italian, Elizabeth Gilbert candidly speaks to readers of any faith seeking to be whole with the self and the Divine. In Gilbert's Introduction or How This Book Works or The 109th Bead, the author explains the numerically symbolic construction of her book: 108 tales for the 108 beads on the japa malas, beads worn by Hindus and Buddhists for focus in prayer and meditation (p. 1). The 108 tales are evenly divided into 36 sections, contained in three books, broken down by the three different countries in which each tale takes place. Weaving the holy number of three into the very foundation of her book, Gilbert utilizes the power of trinity, present in many faiths, to create an intentional space for her quest to become one with the Divine. Written in her 36th year, Gilbert's account of a 30-something modern American woman looking to forge her own path gives a voice to women of any age who follow their dreams, even if it means disrupting the order in their lives. The Introduction is also the 109th bead (for thanks) on a japa malas, her time to thank those who have helped her on her journey. Book One or Italy or Say Like You Eat It or 36 Tales About the Pursuit of Pleasure is the story of Gilbert's quest for the enjoyment of life, rediscovered. After spending years in depression resulting from her divorce, Gilbert travels to Italy to learn Italian, a language she finds so beautiful that she must make it a part of her own. In Italy, Gilbert begins to unfold her history, showing glimpses of her former. Recounting her tumultuous existence in New York, and her desperate conversations on the bathroom floor with God, Gilbert sets the stage for her drastically different and decadent time in Italy. Infusing her story with the rich history of her host country, and spending four months exploring the language, culture, and cuisine of Italy, Gilbert emerges from the first third of her journey well rested, well fed, and ready to meet herself and the Divine in India. …