Eat. Pray. Love.

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert is a book that will take you on, not only a spiritual journey, but a trip through Italy, India, and Indonesia as well. You are given the opportunity to learn about the different prayers, food, and traditions that are celebrated in each country as Elizabeth travels to each place.

Elizabeth is in her early thirties, married, has many friends, and a successful career as a writer (you would think her life is perfect). A few years into her marriage, she begins to feel helpless and confused and ends up getting a divorce. Soon after, she starts showing symptoms of depression and this is when she turns to God for help by praying every night. She takes a year off to travel to Italy, India, and Indonesia in search of God, but little does she know, she also slowly begins to find herself along the way.

In Italy Elizabeth learns the art of doing nothing, all about food, and how to speak the language of romance; Italian. In India she prays and speaks to God every day through meditation. In Indonesia, she continues to pray to God and helps and learns from a medicine man about the balance needed in life.

This book was divided into 3 sections; one section for each country and what she learned there. The title (Eat Pray Love) also plays a huge role in how it was organized. Eat because in Italy she ate a lot of Italian food. Pray because in India she focused on her devotion to God. Love because in Indonesia she finds a balance between being fully devoted to God and herself as well.
I think this book was written in extraordinary detail and was written very-well when it came to her spiritual journeys. I would recommend this book to teens and adults. Overall, I think this is one of the best books that I’ve read in a long time.

Lines we love:

“The Lazio fans always stop at the bakery on their way home from the stadium to stand in the street for hours, leaning up against their motorcycles, talking about the game, looking macho as anything, and eating cream puffs. I love Italy.” pg. 92-93

“Where am I getting the brain space to store these words? I’m hoping that maybe my mind has decided to clear out some old negative thoughts and sad memories and replace them with these shiny new words.” pg. 93