Eat Pray Love

I just finished reading this book this morning. I very nearly finished it last night but my tired little eyes couldn't stay open for even one more page. I wanted so badly to finish it because I was SO enjoying it, much like I so badly want to eat an entire pizza because it tastes so good, but I just couldn't do it. Plus leftovers are always nice.

I received this book for Christmas after putting it on my wish list. I had very briefly seen the author and book on Oprah a while back, but like many books that I make note of, I didn't really know what it was about. Just thought it sounded interesting.

I'm not sure what I expected of the book, to be honest. I didn't really go into it knowing much about it, and even though Oprah loved it, there have been a few of her picks that really were a little too "out there". (Remember Gary Zukav? Ever try to read his book The Seat of the Soul? Agony.) So I kind of wondered if this book, which is about the author's quest for self-discovery and spiritualness, would be a little too "out there" for me.

I discovered from the very first page, really the first sentence ("I wish Giovanni would kiss me."), that I was hooked. The first leg of her journey starts in Italy, which I am in love with from afar, so naturally I devoured that section of the book. I wasn't sure that I would be that interested in the section on her experiences in India, but it was wonderful too and I came to admire her even more through her struggles and the honesty with which she wrote about them. And then she goes to Indonesia, specifically Bali, and that too was a thoroughly delicious adventure that I found myself wishing I could have a taste of. She is a wonderful story teller, and her personality totally comes thru in her writing. And while she does find the spiritual enlightenment and healing that she went in search of, the book is definitely NOT a heavy tome of religious wisdom that will bog you down. Her honesty and self-deprecating sense of humor saturate the book and make it immensely readable.

I'm very sorry that I've finished the book, but I'm so glad I read it. Alot of what she said and discovered rang true in my own heart, and I identified with her in a lot of ways. She honestly and humbly shares the lessons that she learned, yet you don't feel like you're being preached at. More like a friend casually sharing some pearls of wisdom, saying with a shrug of their shoulders, "This is just what worked for me."

If you've read it, or get a chance to read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it too.