Review: Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

A travel memoir like no other, Eat Pray Love tells the story of Elizabeth Gilbert's quest to find herself over the course of a year, staying in three very different countries and having very different experiences in each. The author has reached something of a crossroads in her life. She is in her mid-thirties, recently divorced and in something of a position of privilege with a good job and income--though she doesn't necessarily see how fortunate that last part makes her. Feeling somewhat unfulfilled she finds a way to work travel in with her career and sets off across the globe spending time in Italy, India and Indonesia. Her experiences in each country are unique--and often entertaining.

At the beginning of the book, author Elizabeth Gilbert is a bit of a mess and she seems to be basically honest about the fact. Where she shines, however, is in her willingness to travel and the beautiful depictions she makes about the places she visits, whether it be a restaurant in Italy, staying in a retreat in India or finding romance in Bali. On a personal level, I found the third of the memoir that depicts her time in India to be the most interesting--in particular her reactions to the Gurugita and how a misadventure helps her to grow spiritually.

Overall Eat Pray Love is a beautifully written memoir about time well spent and a reminder of the importance of taking time out for little things and seeking beauty everywhere.

Highly recommended.

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