This book was very good. It was insightful and raw. There were some parts that I found a bit dry but then again, so is life. I am in awe at what this woman put in this book. I did stop and wonder a couple of times if she was only insightful because of the journey she had taken. How different would this book have been had she stopped part way through.
This book was broken down into three parts and each part into 36 separate parts. What was wonderful about this book was that you could actually see her growing. The writing style stayed the same but the person was clearly different at each stage. I think it would have been a bit more interesting to see the progression as she was going through the process. However, not sure Liz (and I do feel comfortable using just this form of her name as she is referred in the book due to how much depth she puts into this book and her own personal experiences) was up for the challenge at the beginning.
In the very first part of the book you get the background. You get what caused this woman to go out in the world for a year and "rediscover" herself. Then you move into the infancy of it all. Italy is where her first steps take place. Really it's the best place for her because Rome is a bit more laid back than her recent months have been. And it is here that she learns the first steps of discipline and devotion, both in learning a new language and in food indulgence. She immersed herself into the culture 100%.
From there she goes to the Ashram in India. Here is where I felt like I was slipping away. I had to push myself to get through this part of the book. This is the 'dry' part of the book. However, at the end of this section I feel she grew the most. She learned the most about herself and really pushed past some issues in this part of the book. And it was only because of this step that she was able to be open up to what was to come in Bali.
The section on Bali tied for my favorite part of the book and in second place all at the same time for 2 reasons. Tied because things work out for her and I'm a sucker for a happy ending and the Medicine Man Ketut was great. All the wisdom that was shared in this book is most certainly only a nth of what she learned in Bali. The reason it is second is because I love all things Italy. Her stepping stones portion was by far the most entertaining book wise and all the traveling she did in Italy was interesting; the culture you learned. Overall, the cultural education for this book was amazing. The frankness of these cultures I found refreshing. I tend to be a person who doesn't like to play games and would rather have something straight forward and this is the kind of surroundings Liz portrayed. I don't know for sure that this is how everything fell into place, some editing is quite possible, but I honestly hope not.
There was on specific part in Bali that has stuck with me. Liz is talking to Ketut about meditation and heaven and hell. Ketut says that through meditation he has gone the seven layers to heaven and it's love. He then says he's also been the seven layers to hell and it's also love. This confuses Liz. She asks how both can be love. Ketut replies that in the end, we all end up in the same place, that heaven and hell are both the same. What he felt and saw during meditation was love. Liz then asks if they are both the same then how do you know which is which? Ketut replies simply the route in which you got there. I LOVED THIS! If you are going to end up in the same place, why suffer through life? Why do things the hard way? Why not be peaceful? Bali seemed to personify this, at least on the surface. Bali, so it would be, is not even immune to the corruption of the world...even if it is an island.
The personal information that Elizabeth Gilbert was willing to share amazes me. She opened herself up completely on this journey and then put it in ink for all to see. This in itself shows how much she had grown as a person because in the beginning she would cry on her bathroom floor in shame. Now she has more of a "I am woman hear me roar" sort of a feel to things. This trip helped her and it was a serious struggle. This woman had a harsh year but the end product was something she could be proud of in more ways than one. She is a the person she was hoping to be and on a professional standpoint she is also accomplished with this journey.
I recommend this book to everyone. I especially recommend this book to those who feel down and out; they just might find something in it worth holding onto. Enjoy!
