When I learned Eat Pray Love was a book, I knew I had to read it. This review was first written in 2014 for Amazon. I edited it and posted it here for you all as the sentiments expressed are pretty much still the same. The book came back to my attention when doing readings with the Chrysalis Tarot and learning that The Visionary in the deck was based on Ketut from Eat, Pray, Love. When I pulled it one day in a daily reading, I was spurred into an Eat, Pray, Love marathon of book and movie and had to share.
I need to go ahead and get this out of the way.
Most books are better than the movie. This is a well known and constantly repeated fact. There are a few exceptions to this rule - Witches of Eastwick, Chocolat and Practical Magic being three of those exceptions (sorry ladies who love the books, they bored the hell outta me and totally not what I expected after such imaginative movies).
This movie and book were not exceptions.
If I was enamoured with the movie, I am deeply involved with the book...
I'd wear its Letterman jacket, or ring...we might just get matching tats.
I need to go ahead and get this out of the way.
Most books are better than the movie. This is a well known and constantly repeated fact. There are a few exceptions to this rule - Witches of Eastwick, Chocolat and Practical Magic being three of those exceptions (sorry ladies who love the books, they bored the hell outta me and totally not what I expected after such imaginative movies).
This movie and book were not exceptions.
If I was enamoured with the movie, I am deeply involved with the book...
I'd wear its Letterman jacket, or ring...we might just get matching tats.
I won't complain about the movie here - though I do wish I could have seen on screen some of the amazing people the script omitted but were beautifully described in the book. I do understand partially why the screenwriters and directors omitted the political discussion on America's immigration policy and the war in Iraq as such a view could make the movie more about politics and less about this woman's journey - but man I would have loved to "meet" Yudhi and hear his guitar.
I smile immediately at the intro that explains how this story, with its 3 main sections and its 108 parts, like the beads of a mala with this 109th bead being her section of thanks. It was such a beautiful, thought-provoking explanation. I hadn't ever read a book set up in such a way. It was introducing me to a friend for the first time, it seemed, after its reputation preceded and we had eyed each other from across the cocktail party. Hello. It also made me get out my mala after it had been put away for a few months.
I smile immediately at the intro that explains how this story, with its 3 main sections and its 108 parts, like the beads of a mala with this 109th bead being her section of thanks. It was such a beautiful, thought-provoking explanation. I hadn't ever read a book set up in such a way. It was introducing me to a friend for the first time, it seemed, after its reputation preceded and we had eyed each other from across the cocktail party. Hello. It also made me get out my mala after it had been put away for a few months.
When you first start to read this amazing story, which begins in Italy, I suggest having some sort of snack near at hand. This first part will make you starve. This week I indulged in Olive Garden five cheese ziti and Great Alaska Pizza Company pepperoni pizza, which are both things I normally try to avoid. I also finished off a tub of triple chocolate gelato. I don't know if my thighs will forgive my reading this book.
One of my favorite characters is in this part of the book is Luca Spaghetti. This is a man who I would invite out to eat just to hear him talk about food and people and life. I think they did a good job casting for him in the movie but this character, I don't think, could ever really be captured on film.
One of my favorite characters is in this part of the book is Luca Spaghetti. This is a man who I would invite out to eat just to hear him talk about food and people and life. I think they did a good job casting for him in the movie but this character, I don't think, could ever really be captured on film.
In the second part of the book...the reader, or this reader I should say...I felt like I was reading a very different book and story. In fact, Liz could have easily written her story in three books without causing the reader to feel something was missing after each adventure.
We are quickly transported from Italy to India...from the world of laid back, amused pleasure to a universe of calm, spiritual, focused concentration.
As much as I wanted to visit Italy after reading part 1, I am dying to visit India after reading part 2.
The idea of spending 4 months in an Ashram, where my only focus is meditating, yoga, the Geet, and getting in touch with the Divine...sounds...well, divine!
Liz is honest about the experience though. There are difficulties such as malaria carrying mosquitoes, being surrounded by poverty, the rough days of getting up at 3 am to meditate, do yoga and attend what is called the Geet all before breakfast at 9. I know myself well enough that a week of that would either make me or break me.
We are quickly transported from Italy to India...from the world of laid back, amused pleasure to a universe of calm, spiritual, focused concentration.
As much as I wanted to visit Italy after reading part 1, I am dying to visit India after reading part 2.
The idea of spending 4 months in an Ashram, where my only focus is meditating, yoga, the Geet, and getting in touch with the Divine...sounds...well, divine!
Liz is honest about the experience though. There are difficulties such as malaria carrying mosquitoes, being surrounded by poverty, the rough days of getting up at 3 am to meditate, do yoga and attend what is called the Geet all before breakfast at 9. I know myself well enough that a week of that would either make me or break me.
I really like Liz's explanation of Kundalini rising. Having experienced this myself, I feel she has best put it into words and congratulate her for that because most books do not explain the sensation very well beyond an energy like a snake rising from base chakra to crown - an explanation that is as dry and non-descript as any textbook. I also loved how she wrote about it from several different religious points of view from Hindu to Catholic. I feel like just that could be a great talking point for a World Religion class lecture.
I also think many of us can completely relate to her difficulty of meditating while the brain or mind keeps distracting you. I do want to point out that she does overcome it and this type of meditation, the clearing of the mind, has been said to be one of the most difficult for those of the Western world to practice.
It is in this section that I cried. Please, if you never read this book...please pick it up at a book store and read pages 157-158. I fell in love with her argument between mind and heart and the heart's response...made me cry joyfully.
But before I give too much away...
I also think many of us can completely relate to her difficulty of meditating while the brain or mind keeps distracting you. I do want to point out that she does overcome it and this type of meditation, the clearing of the mind, has been said to be one of the most difficult for those of the Western world to practice.
It is in this section that I cried. Please, if you never read this book...please pick it up at a book store and read pages 157-158. I fell in love with her argument between mind and heart and the heart's response...made me cry joyfully.
But before I give too much away...
Part 3 in Bali sounds cool enough but unless a guy who looks like Yoda gives me a prophesy, I don't plan on visiting. I feel this part of the book is so much more about the people than the place and I would so love to meet Ketut Liyer, Wayan the healer and her 3 girls (yea she has 3 in the book, not just Tutti), Yuhdi, and Mario the Italian/Indonesian.
Of course, if you've seen the movie, you know that this is where Liz finds love in a Brazilian man named Filipe. Their story is actually continued in the book Committed. So if you fell in love with Felipe too, you might want to check that out.
Of course, if you've seen the movie, you know that this is where Liz finds love in a Brazilian man named Filipe. Their story is actually continued in the book Committed. So if you fell in love with Felipe too, you might want to check that out.
While I loved the romance of it and am super happy that Liz found a champion that made her believe in love again, I was more in love with the ending concept.
In Bali, Liz focuses on Balance.
How do you balance a life between pleasure and devotion?
I have this question too. Should I be an Epicurian? Experience everything life has to offer? OR should I cultivate a life of meditative devotion to the divine? I think I chose my pagan ways because it has this balance. For Liz, this balance was found in practice of her meditation, her yoga, her relationships and her love. She found no reason to give up any of these things. All she gave up was attachment to misery that is guilt and shame and worry. I love that.
In Bali, Liz focuses on Balance.
How do you balance a life between pleasure and devotion?
I have this question too. Should I be an Epicurian? Experience everything life has to offer? OR should I cultivate a life of meditative devotion to the divine? I think I chose my pagan ways because it has this balance. For Liz, this balance was found in practice of her meditation, her yoga, her relationships and her love. She found no reason to give up any of these things. All she gave up was attachment to misery that is guilt and shame and worry. I love that.
I give this book 5 stars, and a witchy nod of approval.
I have recommended it to all of my friends and read it aloud to Damon, whether he wanted to hear it or not, hah! I recommend it to you, too!
Book Blessings,
December
I have recommended it to all of my friends and read it aloud to Damon, whether he wanted to hear it or not, hah! I recommend it to you, too!
Book Blessings,
December