Showing posts with label eat pray love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eat pray love. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Eat Pray Love (EPL) begins with Elizabeth Gilbert's admission about un-mendable cracks in her marriage, and her need to get away from the emotional wreck her life has become.
A fiercely independent, yet emotionally fractured Eliza finds herself on a suicidal mission; until, friends intervene and seek professional help for her.
Determined to find meaning to her wayward and unhappy existence, Eliza embarks on a one year journey to find pleasure (Rome), peace (India) and love (Indonesia).
This is all there is to this book.
*****
Having said that, EPL is one of the most well written books of recent times.
*****
Eliza's four month sojourns in Italy, India and Indonesia each, will resonate with every kind of reader.
After John Grisham's The Broker, EPL is another book on Italy, I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Staying across cities like Rome, Naples, Sicily, Venice, Bologna and more - Eliza creates a delectable experience and makes one feel more like a traveling companion, than a reader. This part of the book highlights her gastronomical indulgences and creates vivid and beautiful imagery of all things Italian. Her writing on the food she samples, is a delight for every foodie. It also helps that she is a seasoned traveler; and hence, infuses enough information on Italian people, culture, architecture and beauty - all, in a non clinical (Non Lonely Planet) sort of way.
She follows up Italy with a devotion filled stay at an Indian ashram. This part of her journey is supposed to be more inward looking. Her thoughts on religion and spirituality will draw you in a thoughtful discussion - irrespective of whether you are a believer or a skeptic. Having said this, her emotional upheavals also appear trite, a lot of time. Glorification of one's emotional tragedies isn't something I appreciate. However, I do think she did it with her eyes fixed on landing a Hollywood contract (Yeah, Julia Roberts stars in EPL's Hollywood version to be released later this year).
Eliza's stay in Bali, Indonesia is more of a relaxed and free wheeling vacation. Through this experience, she attempts to find love and companionship. The section also offers a very interesting look at the highly orthodox and suffocatingly structured Balinese society.
*****
EPL offers something to every type of reader - a food extravaganza, a look at a life in an ashram, and interesting tidbits for students of anthropology.
You will find many interesting anecdotes and facts on various people and their habits
I recommend Eat Pray Love - an elegantly narrated memoir.
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