Eat, Pray, Love

This is a brilliant book. It's a true story, written by Elizabeth Gilbert, telling about one woman's search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia.

It's about the writer, who was in her early thirties had everything a modern American woman was supposed to want- husband, country home, successful career- but instead of feeling happy, she felt consumed by panic and confusion.

After got a divorce and a crushing depressive, Gilbert set out to examine three different aspects of her nature set against the backdrop of three different cultures, pleasure in Italy, devotion in India, and on the Indonesia island of Bali, a balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence.

She travels for a year, 4 (four) months in every country (wow...what a brave decision!!!). First, Italy, where she studies Italian and eats a lot of good Italian food and also walks along the cities. She makes many good friends there and really treasures the moment there.

Next country is India. She has hard time there. Living in an Ashram. She has to concentrate and do the meditation. She gets best buddy there, Richard from Texas, who happens to give a lot of great ideas. Richard's presence at this Ashram becomes her great and amusing sense of security.

The last place to explore is Indonesia. She stays in Bali, where she encounters a lot of great things. She meets her old friend, Ketut Liyer, the medicine man, the new best friends, Yudhi, a musician who used to live in New York with his wife but after 9/11 tragedy was deported to Indonesia, and the last one is Wayan, a healer and a divorce lady with one smart little daughter. The most important person is Felipe, a Brazilian man, who finally declared as Gilbert's soul mate.

Reading this book is really enjoyable. The Italian part is fun, the India part is a bit 'serious', since she's looking for devotion here, the last part, Bali is fabulous. My favorite.

Many touching events occurs here, such as when Wayan badly needs a home to live, Gilbert collects donations from all of her friends and the donation amount is truly amazing, beyond their believes.

I quote Gilbert's writing about 'being single' or 'divorce' here, this is funny, if Balinese asks you, as a single woman who travels alone, a question such as, "Are you married?", the best answer is "Not yet", don't ever said "No", this answer will make them worry (page 303):
Even if you are eighty year old, or a lesbian, or a strident feminist, or a nun, or an eighty-year-old strident feminist lesbian nun who has never been married and never intends to get married, the politest possible answer is still:"Not yet."

Gilbert's writing is very down to earth, funny, smart and like the cool best friend you always wanted to be like. It's great journey.