"Eat Pray Love" Pre-Reading: Suggestions?

[hmorba]

I'm just about to start Elizabeth Gilbert's bestseller, "Eat Pray Love". I was just wondering if there's anything I should know beforehand, or research I should do to fully appreciate the book when I read it. I hear really great things, but one friend told me they couldn't get past part one which made me nervous. So I guess I'm also posting to hopefully allay my fears. Thanks in advance for your help!

[Amarie]

I was going to read the book a couple of months ago, and I decided not to read it because one of my co-worker told me that she couldn't get past part one as well. That just really made me nervous, and I didn't want to really waste my time. On the other hand, I have heard great things about the book. I guess you can say that I was torn between both the negative and the positive feedback. Once you are finished (or while reading the book), if you wouldn't mind, I would like to hear your view/feedback/thoughts on the book. Indulge!!!!

[meliamom]

I know this is an old post, but I wanted to comment. I think most people can't get past the first part of the book because the author/narrator seems so self-pitying and ungrateful. She spends most of the first part whining about how much she hates her life. But press on. The stories are entertaining and interesting, and I liked it because I like to travel. Most people who don't like it cite that she is irresponsible for leaving her husband on her quest to "find herself" and she treats religion like a buffet table - a little of this, and a little of that. I'm interested to see how they will approach the movie, and I hear Julia Roberts is set to star.

[bookwormservice]

The movie does star Julia Roberts.

This book is heavily promoted, so that doesn't necessary make it good. It is also part of a series, the first I think. The other book being "Committed." Publishers love to promote series books.

Ill post a link to the book review that may help.

nytimes.com/2006/02/26/books/review/26e ... 6egan.html

[Veneer]

I read EPL and I enjoyed her trip to India. I agree she was terribly whiney in the beginning and the Italian portion of the book did little for me. Many of her religious observations parallel my own, although I am not into Gurus and swamis per se.

I am currently reading Committed and I find her more mature take on life far better than EPL. I am not sure why EPL got the praise that it did.

[meliamom]

I read EPL and I enjoyed her trip to India. I agree she was terribly whiney in the beginning and the Italian portion of the book did little for me. Many of her religious observations parallel my own, although I am not into Gurus and swamis per se.

I am currently reading Committed and I find her more mature take on life far better than EPL. I am not sure why EPL got the praise that it did.

Veneer, let me know what you think of Committed when you finish. I'm interested to see how the author approached marriage for a second time after she was so against it in ELP.

[Veneer]

I am just about finished. Committed is a different book than EPL. One, she has a much more serious voice. She reviews the marriage customs of other cultures and of history. She is still very much undecided about it but their hand is being forced by the Homeland Security. If she wants a future with Felipe in the US she must marry him, otherwise he will not be allowed back in the country. Actually neither of them want the marriage, and would prefer to remain living together as a monogamous committed couple without the legal yoke of marriage.