Moments of like and dislike. She tends to ramble on and on. The book starts to get really good and just like that...it's over. Probably wouldn't read again.

EG shares her journey about the purpose of pleasure, spirituality and love in her life. This book helped me reflect on my own values. I will re-read it after enjoying the first reading so I can spend more time with the questions she raises in a most entertaining manner.

OMG .. what self-absorbed drivel. I am amazed at women who are impressed by this vapid piece of work. The author is a shallow harpy with whom I couldn't have less in common. I can't relate to any of her stupid observations or solipsistic epiphanies. I don't begrudge her not wanting children. It's probably best that women like this don't procreate. It was a massive waste of time to spend MY TIME with a woman whose world ends at the tip of her own nose. What a bore. Don't be fooled into thinking this is even a mildly well-written or amusing piece. It is a text book study in what's wrong with many so-called "sophisticated urbanites" today.

Don't even waste your time. I can count on one hand the number of books that disgusted me so much I couldn't finish them and this was one of them. The whining is unreal for someone with no real responsibility in life. The author is very melodramtic. This woman needs real problems and has WAY too much time on her hands. I really wanted to slap the selfishness out of her. Awful, awful book.

I think a lot of the people who have left poor reviews for this book have been a little harsh.
I read this book as a recommendation and I have to say I really enjoyed it. If you are looking for a yoga-how-to, or a deep philosophical spiritual journey with literary prose, then you are looking at the wrong book. However, if you pick up the book as a good summer read (as I did) and take away from it the easy humor the authors voice emulates I have no doubt you will enjoy it.
It is not as religious as it seems it is going to be in the beginning either, which again, was a good thing for me.
All in all, I think you have to look at why you are reading this book before you judge it. I found it cute and entertaining. I will read this author again.

I usually don't feel the need to write a review, but after reading all the horrible reviews it got, I felt I had to. This book is amazing and incredibly funny! About a woman going through a divorce and trying to find herself. She does have some issues, but who doesn't? And if you think you don't, thats an issue! This book says to me that one thing that sounds good to someone else isn't so great for another. Her marriage sounded great to the average person, but being caught in something you don't want or isn't you is very destructive. It's about doing what you want and not having to justify it. Don't listen to all the bad reviews by people who probably give everything one star because they think everything is bad! I completely recommend reading this book if you want to laugh, find inspiration and yourself!

great book nice short tales of her trips that made me want to travel great for vacation...bit of spirituality but noted in title not overkill more eye opening

Even if I overlook the fact that this book is NOT well-written, I have to agree with the previous post - the author really comes through as shallow and self-indulgent. She made me not care about her (character) or the other people she talks about.

One of the things that bothered me the most is that though she persists in talking about her 'spiritual teacher', and meeting yogis, etc., she also on the SAME page talks about eating veal. And she mentions veal several times in the first few chapters. This may seems like a weird comment to some but I know many Buddhist people and non-Buddhist people who are working on their paths through yoga and meditation, and NOT one of them who is on the 'path to enlightenment' and makes trips to their Ashram eats meat, let alone makes fun of a teacher who would suggest vegetarianism as a life choice, LET ALONE eat veal, as this author does.

Sorry, she comes across as shallow and false. Maybe she's not and maybe she did learn something. If she did, I'd be scared to read her bio BEFORE this 'spiritual quest'.

I got this book used for 5 dollars from New Zealand's equivalent of Amazon...(Fishpond). I was ordering other books, checked out their bargain area and there it was. Having read A Thousand Days in Venice (Italy) and Holy Cow (India) among a zillion other travel books, which is a genre I obviously enjoy I was looking forward to this one.

Good Lord! Gilbert whinges and whines and is incredibly narcissistic and shallow - minded. I feel for her husband and her boyfriend if this is how she acted...its hard reading it imagine listening to her go on and on and ON in real life. Having been through a truly awful divorce myself I know how hard this is. I also know that going on constantly to all and sundry is tiring and selfish. It can also become a convenient place to place all of the blame for everything that goes wrong with your life.

Nowhere does Gilbert appreciate the fact that she is being PAID to travel and write a book, four months overseas writing, OH the HARDSHIP! Loneliness and depression, I need my Wellbutrin. When you think what people go through every day and survive she comes across incredibly self-centred and immature.

I realise I'm concentrating on her tone in the book but that is what dominates it, much more so than the travel. Horrible, she should be ashamed of her behaviour quite frankly. Yes she can write, but its overshadowed by her emotional/personal narrative in which it is set.

I can't believe the last three reviewers took away nothing of importance from such a wonderful book. In fact, I'm not sure the three of them arent't the same person, considering how deeply they failed to see the value of Eat, Pray, Love. Let me say first that I read this book before Oprah touted it, and I could care less that she did. I don't follow her recommendations or watch her show. I read what I like, and I LOVED this book. I think if you pick up a book strictly based on some talk show host's recommendation, then you're probably a sheep, and not used to making reading choices based on actual research you've done yourself. IMO, a book like this needs to be felt as much as read. It is a journey for the senses, and not in the traditional travel-essay sort of way. It's an emotional journey, one I was glad to take along with the author. I feel sorry for those who spent time reading it and got no pleasure from it! That's a bunch of time they'll never get back.

My deep concern is for the impressionable young spiritual seekers who might read this work. Forewarned is forearmed; after that, it's up to them.

I heard much praise about this book and was eager to read it. To my shock,
it was crystal-clear (E.G. tossed us a boatload of clues which she would be foolish to deny) that the memoir was a public relations spiel for a specific yogic path, Siddha Yoga. I had left it long ago due to the scandals of each succeeding guru. I had been deeply involved --One year I had lived at that ashram in India, culminating in my certification as a teacher, and afterwards was a member of various local centers in America. It was an incredible expense of money and energy and time.

Ms. Gilbert says she doesn't want to name the woman-guru (Chidvilasanda, now Gurumai)-- but it seems to me it's because the author doesn't want to tell the entire truth (wasn't that a quote, the value of telling the whole truth, that she placed in the front of the book?.

Swamiji was actually Baba Muktananda, or "Baba" for short who died in 1982. The Ashram was Ganeshpuri, three hours from Bombay. Did any critical reviews uncover and mention this, I wonder? Baba appointed two siblings as co-successors. They fought over the throne, spread accusations about each other, taking it to the courts, and the sister, now known as Gurumai, won out then. From that day forward initiating an "Omerta" rule of silence, she forbid photos or any mention of her brother allowed. She is the "Guru" to whom Ms. Martin gave allegiance, mentions lovingly from the start of the book. Okay, so every family squabbles, even gurus -- yet it was much more.

Who is the author trying to impress, reach by her version? A New York (if memory serves, it was the New Yorker) magazine, as well as Yoga Journal, and other media sources through the years reported the scandals: the Swiss bank, the assertions by ex-yogis that they were threatened with or indeed physically harmed, the sexual abuse of young teen girl devotees, the ongoing secret police of the current woman-Guru. On Yahoo there is even a support group of ex-Siddha devotees who share their stories of agony, abuse. On that website, there are questions by current devotees who are having trouble leaving the organization due to the mental gymnastics that "leaving the Guru" creates (which only an ex-yogi can understand, one to the other).

So how did all this get scrubbed away in a travelogue-type memoir?
The SYDA (Siddha)officialdom of course would always deny all hint of wrongdoing --but too many people have come forward, and my own observations, painful experiences, and common sense confirmed to me that this was an unsavory path not to be trusted. Part of the challenge for ex-SYDA yogis was that the Siddha organization had, may still have, a well-organized p.r. department counteracting any alleged criticism.

In this day and age for such an "innocent" tale to be told by Ms. Martin, to such acclaim, without even alluding to the controversies, seems misguided at best, and insidious, at worst. I've heard the rebuttals already -- the organization has changed; things are different; Gurumayi was unjustly maligned. From what people with links to the organization tell me, I don't think anything has improved.

Yet I do allow the author her opinion -- Where the latter gets into trouble is this:
Writing this book, the focus of honesty is called into question. The author, to preserve her own integrity, should have at least acknowledged this background, presented her opinion as to why she does not accept such claims of Guru-sponsored brutalities, and allowed readers the important right of determining their own conclusions.

Instead, we were given a classic fairy tale, on the surface, touching, amusing, noble, delightfully human, uplifting -- How many seeds of longing did Ms. Martin plant in the minds of young idealist seekers, eager to replicate her experience by trekking to that exact Guru and locale?

This was a memoir not complete in the telling. And that is very, very sad.

By C.Giacobbe

I want my money back. I stayed up late reading this book so I could finish it as quickly as possible. This book is about Elizabeth Gilbert, an average American woman in her mid-thirties, who "claims" to have suffered a devastating divorce and cannot stop talking about herself. Reading this book makes you envy your shrink, who at least gets paid to hear people yap about themselves.

First of all, I couldn't believe how touristy and shallow her experiences were, considering how long she had stayed in each location. She claims to be an open-minded person, who can befriend anybody, even the dead. However, she fails to make genuine connections with locals, opting instead to hang out with expats and the few locals who cater to foreigners. My hopes went up everytime she met someone interesting, but Gilbert stubbornly keeps the attention on herself or her problems, making the book as dull as watching paint dry.

She did slightly better in the Indonesia section (though you have to get through Italy and India before that), where she finally allows some interesting locals to share the spotlight. However, the colorful stories these personalities bring to the book are always cut short by Gilbert's ramblings about her new Brazilian boyfriend. Reading pages upon pages of this woman's trivial thoughts and feelings was pure agony!

The last section of the book, which takes place in Bali, is definitely worthwhile getting to.

I was surprised at the many negative reviews of this book. To me, this book was a home run and presented a glimpse into what changes us. Yes,Elizabeth Gilbert may seem narcissistic and sometimes callous, but that probably is who the author really is (or was). What is surprising about this book is the humor and depth of introspection. I imagine some of this was very difficult to write. Most autobiographies tend to be self absorbent!

This autobiography of "finding one's self" is just so hilarious and full of irony. Time after time, Elizabeth found that the answers to her problems of unhappiness lay in overcoming what she thought were obstacles and in embracing life's crap rather than trying to divorce one's self of the unpleasant parts.

Although many may consider this a "chick" book, I would have been proud to write it as a man. It is full of truth.

I could not finish this book. The section on "eating" in Italy was interesting as far as hearing about the food and language. The "praying seciton" started to bog down. Not a page-turner book at all. Several friends just could not finish it either. I made it almost through the "praying" section, but other folks I talked with could not even get that far. She needed to write a book to make some money after her divorce. Her publishing friends supported her in her time of need and pushed all the buttons to get this book hyped. But that is all it was--hyype--no substance. Don't waste your money. If you want to try reading it, go to the library or borrow it from a friend and don't spend the money buying it yourself.

Though this book was entertaining at times and makes me want to visit Italy, I found her very selfish and emotionally immature woman. It is just disheartening that in her bathroom she had God talking to her and not a woo woo guru. But did she turn to God, and ask for guidance, no! She went for the feel-good religion of the liberals and the misguided. Let's take a look at things from a realistic perspective. She didn't get onto anti-depressants until after destroying her marriage. What if she got counseling and anti-depressants before her divorce? I don't think I will finish the story, but from the other reviews it looks like after running around the world she is still lost. "I am the way and the truth and the life." John 14:6 Maybe if she turn to God instead of worldly endeavors she may have discovered something. Unfortunately, Christ isn't cool and sheik and Eastern religions get a free ride.

I loved this book (on CD).

I felt like I was along for the ride; walking through the streets of Italy or scrubbing a tile floor in the Ashram.

I don't know that I would have enjoyed the written word as much I enjoyed her narration of it. She imparted feeling as she read it that might not have come across

This book was written by an unhappy narcissistic woman who is an utter bore. Another classic example of many of the women I encounter daily. We are living in a society where being totally self-absorbed has become the norm, it is so sad we have come to this. After mentioning she was not going to talk about her acrimonious divorce, she continually brings it up time after time. How pathetic that this book has good reviews when it is clearly a tale of self-indulgent whining and moaning about her lot in life. It is disheartening that this book has achieved good reviews when it is clearly a prime example of our generation of women in our society who could make a difference, but prefer to be extremely self-absorbed and focused on material goods, prestige and the "me-me-me" syndrome. This book is not worth the money and is boringly pathetic.

As a certified life coach, I can attest to precisely how much growth, insight and self-development was achieved by Ms. Gilbert in the journey she documents in this marvelous book. Of course, that self-awareness and discovery was begun years ago but it reached a pinnacle in India when she was able to feel fully surrounded by the love of her personal vision of God which was a beautiful and memorable experience. The greatness of this book just continued further as she was able to journey to a place where she opened herself up to the possibility of loving another person. Elizabeth Gilbert has learned the lesson that so many struggle with in their own lives and often never fully understand; in order to love someone else we must first learn what it is like to love ourselves.

This book was a beautiful read. The writing is fantastic and her insights are deep and thoughtful. I admire and praise her for her ability to take a year to and for herself and to do what she needed to do during that year in order to rediscover her true identity and to cultivate her relationship with God and the spiritual side of life. One can sit and stare at the problems of the external world endlessly, but it is not until we are able to cultivate salvation and solution within ourselves that we are truly able to begin to help others, or the world on the whole. A journey like this took courage and conviction and I for one am thankful that Ms. Gilbert has both the courage and the conviction to undertake such a journey and the fantastic talent to be able to share it with the world. I am grateful for this book and will read it many times.

Thank you for writing it, it was a blessing to me.

This book was amazing. I have read many reviews that say the Liz Gilbert came off as selfish. I would have to disagree. This book is about Liz finding herself and I appreciated that the novel focused solely on her. I found this book motivational and inspiring. There are tons of greats "food for thought" moments as well as quotes that were really meaningful. A+ book.

This book is incredibly well written, the writer has the gift to connect whoever reads the book with the story. It does not matter if you are religious or spiritual, you will connect with her in so many ways. Best book I've read in a very long time and you definitely walk away with something at the end, no doubt.

This is a book about ecstatic experiences -- eating, feeling infused by God, and falling in love. What's not to like about it?

Gilbert does get a bit sentimental at points, and her multiple, vague uses of the "God" notion do annoy a tiny bit -- and she also uses "so" in place of "very," as in "I loved it SO much," which hit my buttons as an English teacher -- but boy, are these small complaints about a book so full of heart that it makes you feel like you're with a friend the whole time you're reading it.

I know everyone on Earth has probably read this book already, but if you haven't, give yourself a treat and pick up a copy. I just loved it.

I am an avid reader so I joined a book club. This book was on the list so, I bought it. I have had a hard time getting into it even though, I too, after my divorce went with a friend to Italy. It is probably just not my type of book, very slow, really boring.

Very insightful bits in it, but mostly a "chick flick" if it was turned into a movie. However, being a chick, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think a lot of people are like, "she's surrounded by poverty and all kinds of depravation and all she can think about is herself." Well, so what? It's like another reviewere said, just because there are starving kids in Somalia doesn't mean I can't worry over my sick child. sometimes you have to take care of yourself first, and that in itself can be a hard thing to do at times. The story was capturing and despite everything else, still had a lot of good insight and inspiration. I would only wish we all had that kind of money to go soul-searching whenever we needed to.

The friend who lent me this book worried that I might not love it as much as she does, because I'm a guy and it has a feminine focus.

A few pages in, I began to see what my friend meant, but I'm flexible. OK, so I find someone who hated being married to her husband, for reasons she declines to share, and who could not sustain the next relationship either. So she takes off to spend a year abroad to find herself -- leaving the rest of us, who have also had our problems, to imagine it must be nice to have such options. No need to speculate: She's going to tell us.

The first third of the narrative, which has her flitting about in Italy, is the best. It's travel writing, which she does well. I especially enjoyed her description of devouring the world's best pizza in Naples. I think that page or two almost justifies the whole thing. Then, quite abruptly, she changes gears and is soon chanting for hours on end at an ashram in India. She dwells on her difficulty with fitting in there, and in fact the image she gives us -- of a rather thick-headed novice in the company of more advanced souls -- reminds me of those Carlos Castaneda books that were popular in the 1970s. Then she's on to Indonesia to see another spiritual guide, but by this time celibacy is becoming a burden. The story concludes with her in a new, happier relationship and the promise of a sequel that will tell us all about it.

My friend, to whom I must now return this book, pointed out that the author is on Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people. On the basis of this book, I cannot imagine why. Is this self-absorption really what our society finds influential? Surely my failure to connect with it isn't just because I'm male?

But a comparison is in order. Before finishing this one, I began reading a very different travel memoir, Cold Beer and Crocodiles: A Bicycle Journey into Australia (Adventure Press); and quite frankly I'm enjoying it much more. Why? Because that author remains focused on the landscape he's moving through and the people he encounters. He makes them attractive in their own right rather than as resources that might enhance or validate or soothe his personal needs. Is that difference due to gender, or Gilbert's privilege and narcissism?

Getting to a good space in life, finding inner peace, finding that special person -- this is important stuff. And I think Gilbert could have had a much better book with the right editing. She should have let someone tell her about the points where she starts to sound loony. As an example, I was brought to a complete halt by her gratuitous observation that "the Taliban and the Christian Coalition continue to fight out their international trademark war over who owns the rights to the word God." Not only was that unrelated to her story, but it's simply untrue: Nobody is fighting the Taliban in order to spread Christianity. But every now and then she takes these little pot-shots at the U.S. -- or our government at least -- just as she does at the husband she deserted -- without justifying them. The reader is apparently expected to take those observations as a given. What I've taken away from the book is that the author is so alienated and spoiled that, no matter where she goes in the world, she sees only herself.

Wow...what a let down! I was very excited to read this book based on the fact that it's a memoir and involves some travel to three different countries. It starts off okay with Liz explaining how she came to travel for a year- a failed marriage followed by a failed rebound relationship. But then we keep hearing about it, and keep hearing about it, and keep hearing about it and keep...ok you get the picture right? Liz Gilbert is unlikeable in this book. She is self-centered, whiny, negative, and just completely dwells on her failed relationship....I mean...really? I thought this book was going to be about some amazing experiences, and people. But it's all about this whiny rollercoaster of relationships that she can't get over, thus you can't stop hearing about them. There are no phenomenal insights to the culture of any of the countries she visits, no excellent and amazing adventure stories. The characters she introduces you too are more judmental cliches about people that seem far-fetched and unrealistic. The only importance of anyone is their relation to her and their attempts to snap this whiner back into existence. You don't get a feel for any of these characters. It's dull, boring, all about her, and even then it's about negativity and a weak character that frankly I got tired of reading about before she ever got out of Italy. Don't read this....you'll be disappointed.

Overall, this book is just a little better than average. It didn't really capture my attention the way I'd hoped.

Elizabeth Gilbert is a phenomenal author. She can talk about very mundane things and somehow they sound interesting. That is pretty much this book in a nutshell. Typically the person who's traveled is much more interested in their stories than the people listening. Especially when you name-drop cities no one else has been to. It takes a skilled storyteller to describe unknown places and make us care, which the author skillfully does. She tells funny, meaningful, and interesting tales that each relate to her ultimate goal in traveling- to find out more about herself and become more comfortable in her own skin. It's a memoir for sure, but a spiritual life journey we can embark on with her without getting bored.

It was hard to put this book down, until the final third. Gilbert's description of the end of her marriage, followed by her determination to recover in Italy, India, and Bali were engrossing. The descriptions of her experiences in Italy and in the ashram in India, whatever their limitations, were enlightening and even charming.

The problem, and probably the source of some of the reviewers' criticisms, is the book's final phase in Bali, where the author inexplicably shifts from appreciative descriptions of people whom she likes to a kind of cutesy "look at me, aren't I just amazing" literary voice. The change is a disappointment, and some of your reviewers have reacted badly.

I found the style of this book to be challenging and different but appealing and satisfying as I read along. It reawakened some spiritual places within that had been laying dormant for some time. I enjoyed her journey with all its twists and turns. I recommend this book to all who are serious spiritual voyagers. Peggy Touchtone Sholly Down Home Delicious

I ate this book up! It was fantastic. Gilbert has an amazing gift of writing, digging into the heart of things, being honest, and truly discovering one's self. This book isn't going to be for everyone. But it might just be the best book for you at the best moment. It was for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was sad, funny, very spiritual, searching, and deeply honest. One woman's couragous journey to find her authentic self. I have given the audio version of this book (on CDs) as gifts to my friends who had not read it. The verdict has been unanimous - excellent read!! By the way, we are all spiritually minded - perhaps that is why we loved it so much. This is a REAL love story - and she found the love she was searching for in food, God, herself and a good man.

I really enjoyed this book, in the being i found myself judging the character a little bit; but once I got deeper in the book and her journey it just opens your mind a little, how many people often settle for where there at, it was inspiring to see her just make those changes and share are experiences with her; i really enjoyed the final trip indonesia, it had a great combination of humor.

Some of you have completely missed the point. Society does put these standards in your face about marriage, children, how one should live his or her life. When someone deviates from that path, other people freak out/judge. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with not being traditional: married, kids, blah, blah, blah. If that's what you want, great. If not, that's great too.

Some of you seem to be traditionalists which= close-minded. Sorry to offend, but hey, not everyone is the same. That's what makes life special. I grew up in the deep South, very "religious", conservative, close-minded people who see life as one path. God forbid if you follow another path. I believe in one God, BUT if someone doesn't believe in one God or no God at all, who am I to judge?

I think it's wonderful that she found inner happiness without comprising. We should not live for other people's expectations. I loved this book, but I can see very traditional women becoming upset. Maybe this book strikes a nerve into some buried feelings about your own life. Are YOU truly happy? Have you fallen victim to society's standards?

And about the author not acknowledging the poor in India. How many of you acknowledge the poor in your OWN country? How many of your have been to poor ghettos/barrios/trailer parks in the United States and given back? I'm sure if you have, the time was minimal and at the end of the day you went back to your comfortable lifestyle.

I also think that some of you may be jealous because you wish you had the nerve to do what she did. I'm sure many of you are happily married, but I guarantee that some of you are not. Instead of doing anything about it for fear of being alone-labeled and/or judged as self-absorbed, you stick it out, because society says you should. Who says you always have to think about other people-don't assume that everyone does or should believe in your values/morals.

I really enjoyed Eat Pray Love, Gilbert's writing is wonderful. I ate the book up in less than 5 days.

I am almost finished reading this book and thought someone needed to throw in a positive comment since most of the recent ones are so negative.
I have read reviews on other sites as well and a lot of people, myself included, have said they could really relate to some of her relationship experiences and were truly inspired by her journey and travels. This is her life for crying out loud, so to be so opinionated about her experience is baffling!
How can you fault her for her "American self -absorption?" Of course we have a different perspective that other countries. And I'm not saying that's a good thing, it just is. So, if other cultures have a better outlook, why not travel and learn other better ways to be?
She readily states that she was in a time of deep emotional crises and so like most of us, keeps having all the repetitive "Why me's?" that keep coming up at times like these. Yes you question yourself, over everything, over and over and over again. It's the human condition, people.
And so, whoever finds fault with the process she had to go through, well, "Congratulations on the Enlightenment, Sister. Happy for ya!"

I have been studying Buddhist meditation for 3 years. It is a hard thing to do and not just some woo-woo, hippy-dippy dancing around the Maypole exercise. Sitting with your thoughts in silence for days on end is not pretty. It is hard, cathartic, and can be liberating if you are dedicated to the practice. I'm betting most of these naysayer's wouldn't last 5 minutes attempting this!

It's too bad the folks who didn't bother to read past the first few chapters, as they missed her passage into peace, happiness and compassion.
Of course, it was all directed inward at first that was the whole point! That was her inspiration for setting off on this journey and the fact she was already a successful writer and was given a book advance gave her the means to do this. Which she says was the not case with her travels in the earlier in her life.
Just prior to this I read "Three Cups of Tea" a truly amazing book about another person's experience coming through trials and tribulations to a place of peace and helping others. The co-author David Relin, was also criticized for his writing style which myself and others found to easy to read, considering all the drama Greg Mortenson found himself in.
I cans see that her writing style can be almost too conversational at times, with lots of things in parentheses and caps, but again she was emphasizing her life and the torrent of thoughts during this time.
It's one thing to just not have an interest in the storyline but quite another to be so ruthless about someone sharing their innermost journey.
I'm betting all those nasty folks would never have the balls to publish their life story and then have your personal struggles bashed by the whiny self-righteous public!!
Go back to reading trite bodice-ripper's if you don't want to hear all the raw, messy, beautiful stories of another person's REAL life!

So many of these reviews have been missing the forest for the trees. Ms.Gilbert is excellent at doing exactly what she has promised to do: describe HER story of her travels over the course of the year. I personally found the story a wonderful read, with excellent, rich descriptions of her experience. Yes, at points, I found her narrative to be a bit too self-involved, but getting past those points, I did thoroughly enjoy the rest of her story. I definitely reccommend it to anyone who can focus on the story she shares, not what they expect the book to provide.

I could relate to this memoir - everyone is dysfunctional in their own way, but Gilbert isn't afraid to put herself out there. I admired her writing style, her wit and ability to laugh at herself. She is poignant about issues that many people face everyday. Interesting perspectives on three different cultures which richly contrast with American life.

I can't figure out what people got out of this book. The author should have made it a short story of Italy. It was boring.

i thought it was both comical and insightful. allows you to take a step back and not take everything too seriously. easy read, i'd recommend it especially to women.

I would compare this book with the Stock Market.
So, at the beginning I was an enthusiast so let's say `HI STOCKS'
In India they went very low( very hard to accept totally exclusion from the real life...what a hoof) then my hopes raised again by the beginning of Bali... and ended extremely low with the Love Story ( I hope it all hold well, but it smells more like an typical American love story....) .
Blah Blah Blah

But I am not expecting too much from the average American traveler.
Good lecture for the Babies divorcees out there running for meaning ( OH, there may be something else to LIFE, I see!!! Ha Ha Ha)

I would only recommend this book to women who can relate to the author's personal life. If you are happily married suburban soccer mom, don't read it. You will find it it irritating and narcissistic. Gilbert doesn't try to put down marriage, she only says that it didn't work for her anymore, which is very personal. And that is the book's tone - subjective and personal.

So if you don't view life in black and white tones and have been through a traumatic experience (I would consider divorce to be such), I would definitely recommend it to you.

...because if you could, this tome would get it. As voiced so well by other readers, it is a vapid, self-centered, incoherent narrative.

The author should have her medication adjusted.

Everyone I know has loved this book, so I was shocked to read some of the truly hateful reviews. Each to her own I guess. I found her insights accurate and her personality endearing. Her writing was excellent and made her story come alive. I wanted to move to each of the places she described! Her take on spirituality was interesting to me as well as I've been searching for a non-religious way to be spiritual. I highly recommend this book, I couldn't put it down and learned alot from it.

This author is clearly talented and I enjoyed the beginning of the book but like other reviewers found it became way too tedious. I read over 200 pages but then simply could not bring myself to finish. I got tired of the constant whining. And yes for somebody seeking enlightenment, the self obsession is hard to take. After a hundred pages or so, it becomes very repetitive. My girlfriend wanted to borrow it when I got done. I'm afraid I'll have to tell her not to bother with this one

Very long, very dull.The story is about a very self centered,self indulgent lost woman, looking for love in all the wrong places. Is it any wonder why we are such a lost society, when we do not believe in the one true God, but look for substitutes.

Funny, irreverant (and reverant.) Spiritual, personal...I cried, I laughed. I'm sure there is a moving in the making, I just hope it can do it justice.

Elizabeth Gilbert's audio CD brings to you a wonderful sense of Elizabeth's spiritual journey. Her realness touches you as she shares all the human emotions freely without being afraid of judgement. She trusts her listeners with every fiber of her being.

As Elizabeth travels from America, to Italy, she is going through some very difficult times. Having just gone through a very painful divorce and she quotes;"One never knows who one has married until one divorces that person". Elizabeth had always wanted to study the Italian language and she decides this would be a good opportunity to gather herself (what was left of her puzzling life) and travel around the world.

Elizabeth moves onto India and studies with a yoga master. She learns the art of centering and finding her true self (soul).

In Indonesia she has many friendships and also teachings from a master swami. She helps a poor woman and daughter find a home, through the help of her friends thoughout the world. She finds romantic love through a Brazilian man and they have made promises to keep the relationship ongoing.

At the end of this journey, Elizabeth realizes that she has found love within herself and it has been tested to withstand any challenges that will incur on her journey.

Elizabeth has built her house on rock and not sand.

Other books for your spiritual journey for your consideration:

Entering the Castle: An Inner Path to God and Your Soulby Caroline Myss

The Interior Castle by Teresa of Avila

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Oprah's Book Club, Selection 61)by Eckhart Tolle

I enjoyed this book tremendously. It is a story about "self" so the author does discuss her feelings about everything. Ummm...that's generally what autobiographical books do. I'm rather surprised by some of the bad reviews. I can't imagine any woman wouldn't find something enjoyable or interesting to relate to in the author's journey. I recommend this book to all of my friends who are interested in reading and it's one of the most enjoyable stories that I've listened to in a long time.

I can't say enough great things about this book. I am recently divorced and could completely relate to her situation, her fears, her journey overall. Not only that, I think Gilbert is an amazing writer! She's not afraid to just put it out there and she's hysterical while doing it!

I had a hard time beleiving that people actually did not like this book, but maybe you need to have a certain sense of humor and sarcasm to full enjoy it.

I recommend it to everyone I know...haven't had anyone come back dissapointed...yet!