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I had planned to read it but now that I have seen the commercials for the movie I have abandoned that plan. I despise Julia Roberts and now her horse face is in my mind and I can't even think of reading the book or seeing the movie.

I'm about 80% done with the book and I am loving every page. I can truly relate to her search for spiritual truth.

Some have questioned how she could afford it but she tells you in the beginning that her publisher paid her in advance to write this book about her journey.

But layla, I agree with you. I am so glad I didn't see the commercials for the movie before I started reading the book, that would have turned me off too.

After hearing how much everyone loved it, I bought the book with the highest expectations.

I think she has an engaging writing style. But, I did end up a bit exasperated with it all. I know it is a memoir, and the narcissistic focus is kind of the point. But, it started to grate on my nerves.

When I read about the end of the marriage, my Theres More To This Story Than She Wants Us To Know radar went off. I had a really hard time feeling bad for her about the divorce, even without knowing the truth.

Imagine my delight to find out that her ex-husband, one Michael Cooper, has his own memoir coming out this fall. He took to the road also after the divorce. Only, I think his time abroad was a little less self-involved. And he ultimately remarried and has children now. I'm pretty sure she cheated on him. I've read some things on blog comments, written by an "anonymous" person, who defended him, and the comments sounded very believable and made me feel very sympathetic towards him. It sounds like she basically abandoned him, and he was devastated. He did receive a percentage of royalties on her first two books (that she wrote during the marriage), not because he's a sh*t like some would make him out to be (taking that poor woman's money), but because he made significant concessions to his own career so she could write the books. (Sounds fair to me.)

I think I will probably be much more sympathetic to his plight than to hers. And I'm tickled that he has found a new love and rebuilt his life.

Oops...I forgot...

The title of his memoir is...

"Displaced"

Really!

bump.

There's another thread around on this book as well that I'll try to find.

I'm still working on this book. It got put on the back burner when I got my detox book...but I definitely have to finish it before I go see the movie!

Her exH has a book coming out this fall. His name is Michael Cooper, I believe. The book title is "Displaced."

It is his story of his travels after the D.

FWIW, I read in an article that he did not try to get a cut of earnings on future writing, but he did seek and get a cut of future earnings on books she wrote during the marriage. His reason: He made significant sacrifices in his own writing career to support her career. If that was the case, it seems reasonable that he should get a fair share of those earnings.

I am looking forward to reading his book.

I believe his book was canceled: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/22/eat-pray-love-ex-husbands_n_655769.html.

I bought the book last week and got into it but have not had time to sit and read because I've been so busy...going camping next week so maybe get some reading done then.....it's a book/movie that intrigues me so I will take the time to read it before I go see the movie...usually i'm disappointed in the movie once i've read the book (like I was with "Twilight")...they never quite capture the characters the same..but then maybe it's just my interpretation of them that's different.....

<<<I believe his book was canceled>>>>

Darn! I was looking forward to it.

Got this book a couple months ago and I still have about 50 pages left. At the beginning I sort of felt for the author but with only 50 pages left, I feel for her ex-husband. What a self centered,narcissist. I started to feel this way when she "found" Felipe. Liked the Eat part, but started to lose her in Pray and could care less by Love. It's a gift to be able to take off and find yourself without the burdens that keep most people from making this journey. I sort of thought she was a person who jumped from self help group to self help group. OMG, I'm on the SI board and I just said that.....hmmmm. Anyway, I'm reading Carl Hisssen's new book and finishing up the Steig Larsson trilogy. Love Lisbeth and think that Blomqvist is like every middle aged man's wet dream. I will get those final pages of EPL read this week, though. Have never been able to not finish a book, it must be some sort of OCD. I even finished Middlemarch which was a real feat.

I like how she talks to God. And He (she?) talks back.

I'm interested in that.

Am still on Eat. I really am interested in the language thing and her anecdotes about Italian and the culture are intriguing. I love the art of doing nothing. I understand why it's difficult to relax and be. To know what joy is.

I'm all for exploring joy.

pleasure and joy are not the same thing, but I think sometimes you have to start where you are.

I think the idea of not having an identity apart from a man is something a lot of women experience and not many women really face it. I think it is good she is trying. The selfish narcissistic thing... well, she's kind of going for raw, honest and if I am honest? many times I know I'm narcissistic and selfish and immature more than I care to admit. But saying it, getting it on the page has been a big huge part of facing it and changing. I know it is changing as I grow... but my mid thirties? oh she is light years from me then. and growing. that is the big thing, is she growing? I think she is. Either way, it took kahunas to put herself out there. Without anonymity.

would dwelling on self-hatred have been helpful? because she does wrestle with it. Thats what despair and loneliness are. where they come from. I'm finding it more interesting, the things she leaves out..than the things she says.

really enjoy her sense of the absurd. The blog the dude wrote, the review... read it, understand it... kind of see the point, maybe he is right, but ...well. He's still a dude.

I like anyone who is honest, or trying really hard to be honest. Tend to. I've found this worth it so far. may hate it when she goes to India. dunno.

I haven't been able to read the whole book...Im still in Italy...

What I took from the beginning is that she felt trapped in the marriage. It wasn't working for her and it DID blindside her now ex-h. But having an a? From my point of view, if one is in the middle of a divorce and at that time begins having a relationship its not an affair, though possibly not a good idea as the person divorcing is still emotional.

Trust me, this woman is far from being self absorbed. She has a very calming demeanor.

And she DOES work besides write.

Just as all books, its all in the interpretation of the reader. Some will like it, some will not like it...or even hate it.

Im not one to see movies made on books because every time I have, the movie was a let down.

So far I like the book. Just my preference.

I, too, would like to be able to travel freely. I guess I have to do it through someone else's experiences

Darn, I was looking forward to reading his book as well.

I actually just finished Eat (Italy). I know, it's taking me forever, but I keep getting sidetracked. I'm very much enjoying the book. I do like her approach.

I like how she talks to God

Maia, I like it as well. I felt I could very much relate to that moment of complete and utter desperation where you breakdown and don't really know what else to do...but turn to God. And actually *speak* to God. Not just to say a prayer and be on your way.

Hopefully I will enjoy the rest of the book as well (since some of the comments about it don't seem too promising). I'll keep you updated!

I loved the book. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but understood it. I just saw the movie and really liked it. I rarely see a movie after I read a book because the movies are such disappointments. But this movie wasn't disappointing at all. They did a very good job. Of course, the food and scenery were amazing.

I didn't see her as any more self absorbed than any of us who were/are in a difficult relationship. These things take time to work out. And anyone who has been through a breakup and isn't self-absorbed, imho, wasn't really "in" the relationship.

I saw the movie yesterday. I loved the book. The movie was not as good as the book (of course), but I liked it.

I am not a big Julia Roberts fan but I enjoyed her in this.

I agree with Skye, I think the character worked through her stuff the way she needed to. I think she was honest about herself, her faults, etc. I liked the messages in the book and movie.

I am reading it for the third time. I refer to parts of it often. It is dogeared.

Some quotes I love:

Happy thoughts make me happy, but - whoop - how quickly I swing again into obsessive worry, blowing the mood; and then it's the remembrance of an angry moment and I star to get hot and pissed off all over again; and then my mind decides it might be a good time to start feeling sorry for itself, and loneliness follows promptly. You are, after all, what you think. Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions."

"I see marriage as an operation that sews two people together, and divorce is a kind of amputation that can take a long time to heal. The longer you were married, or the rougher the amputation, the harder it is to recover."

And my very favorite. I referred to this quote over and over as I went through my separation/divorce:

So miss him. Send him some love and light every time you think about him, and then drop it. You're just afraid to let go of the last bits of David because then you'll really be alone, and Liz Gilbert is scared to death of what will happen if she's really alone. but here's what you gotta understand, Groceries. If you clear out all that space in your mind that you're using right now to obsess about this guy, you'll have a vacuum there, and open spot--a door-way. And guess what the universe will do with that doorway? It will rush in--God will rush in--and fill you with more love than you ever dreamed. So stop using David to block that door. Let it go."

Enjoy the book.

do

I loved the book. I'm planning on seeing the movie this weekend. The book has inspired me to try and find myself again. even though I can't go running off to Italy, etc. At least not yet. But I am up for my own journey.

I liked the book.

The movie in my opinion she seemed like a remorseful WS and her XH acted like a BS.

The movie said she got involved with actor guy after filing for divorce and after the marriage was over, who knows.

Too bad about Cooper's book I would have liked to have read his story.

One more thing: the men in the movie were all smokin hot!