Book Review: Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert

Just exactly how does one find her true self? Well, if you are Elizabeth Gilbert-a.k.a. "Liz", you pack a few things and trek off to Italy, India, and Indonesia. Eat, Pray, Love chronicles her internal and external journeys seeking pleasure, happiness, and peace--not to mention her true self.

Fashioning the lay-out of her book after 108-bead japa malas (strings of beads) used by Buddhists and Hindus during prayers and meditation, Liz sets out to tell her story of loss, search, and discovery.

THE CONFLICT

The book begins with Elizabeth-a married woman and journalist--on the floor in the bathroom of her newly purchased home in New York state, crying hysterically. She is experiencing incredible angst, yet does not understand why. Her history of following along the commonly accepted pathways in life is catching up with her. Now married, she and her husband have agreed to have a family.

The conflict is that Elizabeth truly does not want to have a baby, and this fact confuses her. She has convinced herself that something must be terribly wrong with her. How could she not want what everyone else seems to want? Praying adamantly, she is suddenly filled with a peace that overtakes her. She ceases sobbing. Thus begins her process of separation from life as she's known it over the past 8 years.

Realizing she must leave her marriage, Liz was absolutely certain that she and her husband would amicably separate all their material possessions and money. However, this certainty was eventually blown to bits by her soon-to-be ex-husband's hurt and anger. He became uncooperative, manipulative, and demanding when Liz attempted to equitably divide their assets. The fight was on.

THE PLOT THICKENS

Complicating the picture is Liz's relationship with "David", a man with whom she had established a relationship as the demise of her marriage ensued. And so, she moves in with him. On the first night at his place, Liz made the acquaintance of an Indian Guru.

Finding herself profoundly affected by the meeting with the Guru, she began to meditate and study. Upon hearing the Guru had an Ashram-a spiritual community--in India, Liz was elated and began to focus on visiting such a community to seek harmony and self-understanding.

Liz's pattern of unhappiness continued to spiral downward after she moved in with David. She felt quite dependent upon him, which triggered his retreat. She clung, he pushed away. Ultimately, she didn't blame him and realized she needed to move on, at least for awhile.

Subsequently, she left for Bali, Indonesia on a work assignment. While there, she encountered a wise, old medicine man willing to teach her meditation. During an exchange, he told her that she will be returning to study with him someday. Little did she know that his prophecy will later come to fruition.

TURNING POINT

With her estranged husband finally agreeing to the proposed division of their marital property, Liz leaves her job, settles her bills, and sets off for Italy. Obtaining a tiny apartment in Rome, Liz begins salving her emotional wounds by devouring bountiful food, making voluptuous friends, and perfecting her Italian. Although it does not happen overnight, she gradually begins to feel better. Exploring Florence, Bologna, Venice, Sardinia, Naples, Sicily, and Calabria, Liz looks for answers to life's puzzles and how she will live out the rest of her life.

A lover of Yoga, Liz discovers that Italy is no place to be if you want to practice it. So, she heads off to an Ashram in India to indulge her spiritual side. A chaotic concoction of people from all cultures and walks of life, the Ashram's residents and Liz's encounters with them will delight and entertain readers. Liz grapples to find her spiritual way. She experiences great angst in trying to find her own mantra-and her own god. You'll have to read the book to see what she discovered during her spiritual quest at the Ashram.

"I WILL RETURN"

Liz returns to Bali, Indonesia lacking a plan of where she will go and what she will do. With no knowledge of the medicine man who prophesied that she would come back to study with him, Liz found a place to stay and began spending her days making acquaintances and seeking the medicine man. The varied hodgepodge of people she meets provides a most interesting backdrop to her search for grace, salvation, and self during her stay in Bali.

Liz's colorful and fascinating journey does eventually lead her to some illuminating conclusions. Sharing her odyssey, readers will experience joy, sorrow, and everything in between. They will feel her pain. More importantly, they will reach some conclusions of their own.

A compelling read, Eat, Pray, Love reminds us why we love to curl up with a good book. Enticing, enlightening, and exuberant, Elizabeth Gilbert reveals her own three steps to self-healing: Eat, Pray, Love.