Eat Pray Love

This memoir was one of the most annoying books I have ever read. I still can't believe I finished it. And now I've just read this was on Oprah's book club. RLY OPRAH?

I completely disliked Gilbert. Everything in her travels somehow led back to how it inconvenienced her. Even after the "praying" section which is supposed to be about an excursion to India where she learns to be accepting and non worrying--she ends of the section worrying about how she looks to other people. She continues to gossip. She continues to think about the man she CHEATED on her husband with (which she doesn't mention, but is obvious from how fast she went to this man after dumping her husband- and she mentions they were "close" during her marriage). I understand it's a "memoir" but when the narrative voice is a brat (who only went on this trip because she had a 200,000 ADVANCE from her editor), it's very hard to take her seriously.

I read a review on Amazon..and this pretty much puts into words what I also felt (this is it, in part):

"While I was reading this book I was genuinely surprised by the lack of empathy Ms. Gilbert had for anyone. Every situation, every comment, every sidestory pointed squarely to herself and her personal problems. I was shocked that she had lived in Rome and India for months and had not been affected by the poverty and corruption. I suppose if you are so caught up in your own problems and all your own shopping and eating that it's difficult to understand that other people around you have far worse problems. Maybe, just maybe looking outside of yourself and giving of yourself you will find self-worth and purpose, self-worth that goes beyond buying new underwear or eating a gorgeous meal or bragging about having a meditation high."


Instead of taking in where she was, some of which were very impoverished or corrupt..she learns nothing. It's all about her. She doesn't mention ONCE how she is humbled by real suffering instead of her self created "problems". The only time she mentions the people she has met is when they have done something that she thinks will be interesting to her or the book...and it's damn obvious. I know the movie will make her look like less of an ass. They have to, or no one would like it.

I picked this up because I'd heard good things about it. And that it was going to be made into a movie. That led me to believe that this would be interesting. A learning experience for perhaps me too. But it was far from it. One of my coworkers loved it, another co worker said she had to stop reading it because she found Gilbert to be callous and self absorbed. She ends up seeming to forget everything when she meets an older Brazilian man in Bali. She has so much sex that she gets a vagina infection (thanks for sharing). Then she prides herself on raising money for a less than lucky "friend" to buy a house. But this friend all of a sudden becomes a "con-artist" when the house isn't bought in Gilbert's pretty little time frame. And she lies to her friend and tricks her friend into buying a house faster. What is that? Be honest if you feel your friend might be trying to screw you out of more money. She learned nothing about humility, honesty, and true human connections when you feel the need to bullshit your way out of difficult situations. Mature, Ms. Gilbert is not.

This was no journey of discovery. This was the journey of blah, blah, blah, me, me, me, let's shop, let's eat, im still hot, blah blah blah, I'm getting paid for this.

Bite me, rich lady.