Eat, Pray, Love - The End

Finish Indonesia and discuss general feelings on the book. How did it affect you?

Overall, as I have said in previous posts, I aboslutely lovelovelove this book.  I keep talking about connections, and that is important to me with a book, to connect with the content, with the words.  But my soul opened up and let this book in.  It planted a seed that is starting to grow ferociously into a giant tree.  I love it!

The Eat part started out very depressing, but it was the truths I needed to hear about my own feelings about myself.

The Pray part was a little text-bookish, but helpfully informative.  I loved this part a lot, but the least out of all the parts.  I still connected with it, but I haven't found the balance she speaks of, so it was hard to connect with that.  It also had a lot of comic relief mixed in.  Plus I really am looking for spiritual guidance through meditation and yoga and such, so it was interesting to learn about it.

The Love part was slower for me, but I loved hearing the stories of all the people she met in Bali.  I was happy to follow her on her bicycle rides through paradise, as well as watch her find balance and ultimately Love.


Will you go see the movie?

I will absolutely go see the movie, and already have plans for August 14th to watch it with a bunch of friends.


Will you read Committed which is Gilbert’s follow up to Eat Pray Love?

I was not aware (somehow) of there being another book!  I will be looking for it as soon as I'm done with this post!

***Edit***  I looked up this book and will surely be reading it soon!  I can't wait to see what happens when Elizabeth gets, *gasp*, married again!

What are some of your favorite quotes from the book?

"This part of my story is not a happy one, I know.  But I share it here because something was about to occur on that bathroom floor that would change forever the progression of my life - almost like one of those crazy astronomical super-events when a planet flips over in outer space for no reason whatsoever, and its molten core shifts, relocating its poles and altering its shape radically, such that the whole mass of the planet suddenly becomes oblong instead of spherical.  Something like that."
 
"...he did my laundry."
 
"Because God never slams a door in your face iwthout openeing a box of Girl Scout cookies (or however the old adage goes)..."
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There were more quotes, but I already lent the ebook to my friend from my nook, so I can't access all the quotes I saved.  Oh well I suppose, they will make their way into other posts.  :)
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Thanks to all for sharing so much of themselves with the rest of us while we went on this little journey together.  I know not all of you connected with the book as much as some of us, but I'm still glad you read it.  Happy Reading to all - I wish you all well!

EatPrayLove Book Club, Eat Part Over

Finish India, where she prays a lot. Richard is a major character in this part of the book. He really is a true friend and is brutally honest. I think everyone has a Richard, maybe write a post about that person in your life as well as any general discussion about this section.
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I feel like someone just ripped the bandaid off of my brain and showed me the truths I've always known but were too afraid to look at. I've also always wanted to meditate, but am afraid. Afraid of what I might find out about myself. I tried once, and it felt like all at once a thousand men with knives were flying towards me with ill intent. But even after that experience, and after reading this part of this book, I WILL try again. I must reach this level of calmness I so desperately am yearning for.

For me, this part of the book helped me connect to a part of myself that was different than the part I connected with from the Eat section of the book.  It renewed my need to find spirituality in my life.  The part where the poet/plumber gave Liz the instructions to read up on top of the ashram was one of my favorites.  To just be with yourself is a spectacular thought.  And an extremely difficult task. 

I do agree that parts of it were a little text-bookish, but I did learn a lot about Yoga and meditation. 

I REALLY enjoyed Richard from Texas, as he does remind me of a person in my life.  My crazy friend L. P. is amazing, and ALWAYS tells me like it is.  Which is what I think a true friend will do to keep you on track.  I can tell her anything, and she will hand me a gift of advice packaged in truth.  I have only known her for a short time, but I know we will stay friends for, well, as long as I can help it.

To sum this up, I still lovelovelove this book, and am highly anticipating to lovelovelove the Love part.  I am curious to see what else she has to talk about, and how this story culminates.


--Charlie--

Eat, Pray, Love Book Club - End of Eat Discussion

Having finished Italy discuss what the first phase of the journey has been like. Something fun could be that in Chapter 33 while sitting in an outdoor café in Rome, Gilbert’s friend declares that every city—and every person—has a word. Rome’s is “sex,” the Vatican’s “power”; Gilbert declares New York’s to be “achieve,” but only later stumbles upon her own word, antevasin, Sanskrit for “one who lives at the border.” What is your word? Is it possible to choose a word that retains its truth for a lifetime?

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Well, I felt inspired.  I related so closely to Elizabeth's fears and insecurities, that I started remembering mine so wholly, I started crying, literally, for my losses.  I however, felt inspired to change my sadness.  Now, I know I can't move to Rome to change everything, the military doesn't exactly let that sort of thing happen.  But I know something's gotta give.  I can't run around with this deep depression clinging to my back, creating a super massive black hole in my center.  One that I am just realizing I have been caking over with cement in hopes it will go away. 

Now I apologize for my seriousness, but that is how this book is effecting me: seriously.  I feel very connected to this book, as I have spoken about in our previous discussions.  However, her words are not only a reminder of my pain, they have made me realize how beautiful life can be.  One of my favorite things about this book is how she describes things in such detail.  Such as this:

"There I approached a tiny vegetable stall with one Italian woman and her son selling a choice assortment of their produce - such as rich, almost algae-green leaves of spinach, tomatoes so red and bloody they looked like a cow's organs, and champagne-colored grapes with skins as tight as a showgirl's leotard."

You can see these things as clearly through her words as if you were standing at that same produce stall, picking out your own food. 

So now onto the "picking a word" part.  Hmph.  One word.  Just one?  Maybe this: curious.  That is the trait that sticks out the most to me, and powers most of my endeavors.  Not sure if it's as powerful as "achiever", but it works for me.  If I had to just pick one, that is.  I'm not sure if it'll last a lifetime, as experience sort of shuts down curiosity sometimes.  But I am pretty sure I've always been curious.  :)

Anyhow, I lovelovelovelove this book.  Can't wait to see what lies ahead in the Pray part.  Happy Reading!!

---Charlie

Eat, Pray, Love Book Club - Week One Questions

After reading the book for a week what are your first impressions? So much of this part of the book is about Liz’s battle of modern v. traditional, where do you fall on the spectrum? Are you married with children or do you never want to get married, or like most I would guess are you somewhere in between?
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After a week of reading this book, I have to say I am really, really enjoying it.  I am loving following her journey, especially the way she describes everything!  I can feel her emotions oozing out of the pages.  I love it!  Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) I am connecting with this book on some higher level.  I was married before, at a very young age, and went through pretty much the exact same things she did.  Divorce, with the same emotions, the same jumping into someone else's arms afterwards.  This book has hit me right in between the eyes.  It has come at a perfect time, whether I like it or not.

As far as modern vs. traditional, I'd say I'm modern on the outside with a secret bit of traditional in the middle.  I like sharing my life with my boyfriend, not walking behind him.  But I still like the satisfaction in his eyes when I bring him a nice cold beer. :)

As I said, I was married once, no children, and I'm glad for that.  I don't know if I want to have children; I certainly do feel pressure from all my friends and family who are having them.  I am an only child and am still pretty selfish: daily afternoon naps, ice cream for breakfast, doing what I want when I want, etc.

Overall, I'm super glad we're reading this book, I need to hear its truths, no matter how much I hurt along the way.

Eat, Pray, Love Book Club: Day One

Today is the first day of the Eat, Pray, Love book club!  I'm so excited as this is my first time being in a book club, my first time reading a non fiction type book, and my first time telling people how I feel about it.  I'm also excited because I've heard so very many good things about this book, and now with it becoming a movie, the previews have ramped up my 'preconcieved notions' about the story.  I've heard it's uplifting, funny, and sad.  I've seen in the previews for the movie that this story can change lives, just as Elizabeth Gilbert changed her life.  I'm ecstatic to see what happens; what she goes through in her world travels, how she changes, and of course how it ends! 

Thanks to The Book Vixen for hosting this wonderful book club!