3.75

5

Mar 10, 2016

Full disclosure: I am biased reader because my essay is part of this collection. I really did enjoy reading it though. The introduction by Elizabeth Gilbert, like every word she ever writes, is perfection and nails the common theme that runs through these diverse essays. I have always taken Eat Pray Love pretty literally because my experience was pretty similar - go through divorce that was of my own choosing and then travel the world finding myself. But this collection of essays reminded me Full disclosure: I am biased reader because my essay is part of this collection. I really did enjoy reading it though. The introduction by Elizabeth Gilbert, like every word she ever writes, is perfection and nails the common theme that runs through these diverse essays. I have always taken Eat Pray Love pretty literally because my experience was pretty similar - go through divorce that was of my own choosing and then travel the world finding myself. But this collection of essays reminded me that many women (and a few men) took her experience and applied it to their own lives in very different ways. And at its core, Eat Pray Love is just about realizing that you have agency in making your life look the way you want it to. I hope this book can inspire a whole new generation of Eat Pray Lovers, just the way it inspired me so many years ago. ...more

2

Mar 28, 2016

I had high hopes for this, but I wasn't very impressed. There are a lot of short essays which almost all say the exact same thing (aka Let me kiss your butt Liz Gilbert as you and massive amounts of travel complete me). I'd much rather have seen fewer essays that go more in-depth and that are diverse in what people did.

5

Dec 23, 2015

I am biased since I do have an essay in this collection, however I do believe this book is a beautiful testament of the resilient human spirit! These are stories from people that were inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert's beautiful journey in Eat, Pray, Love... But no matter where the motivation or inspiration comes from it is always touching to read vulnerable stories of people deciding to get back up, dust off, and start living again! <3

3

Feb 28, 2019

This was adorably nostalgic, even though I didn't like the original book. I loved the idea that a small book with an idea inspired so many other people to change their lives - big or small. I love how it was broken in to small stories. It made it easier to read and really quick. There were some stories I liked more than others - but that is the fun of short stories, you can really appreciate each one for it's own voice and theme. I'm glad I gave this one a try

4

Apr 25, 2016

Like all of the writers who contributed to this book, Eat Pray Love also made a big impact on my life. I read it during the months soon after i left my ex-husband, and i remember exactly where i was sitting, and the way the light in the room looked, when i devoured it's pages. It was definitely a comfort to me during a very confusing, difficult time in my life.

AND who knew that so many of us cry curled up on the bathroom floor??!!

2

Apr 05, 2016

I feel like they're all trying to sound profound and they're just a little meh. But I also wasn't captivated by (though I did enjoy it) the original book. Still this would be good for someone who needs encouragement to leave a confining situation or the confidence to feel secure in their own skin and independence. Two stars because... still meh.

5

Aug 14, 2016

A few days ago, while going out for iced tea and some air, I entered one of my favorite bookstores to find this book. I held it close to check the cover because it had 'EAT PRAY LOVE' on it; I wasn't sure if it was by the same author or a book written about the memoir. I flipped the first pages and read the introduction by Elizabeth Gilbert. The book is a celebration for ten years have passed since it was originally published, it's about real women and men who were deeply affected by this book A few days ago, while going out for iced tea and some air, I entered one of my favorite bookstores to find this book. I held it close to check the cover because it had 'EAT PRAY LOVE' on it; I wasn't sure if it was by the same author or a book written about the memoir. I flipped the first pages and read the introduction by Elizabeth Gilbert. The book is a celebration for ten years have passed since it was originally published, it's about real women and men who were deeply affected by this book that they changed their lives after reading it. Nearly 48 stories.



Elizabeth was wondering why her book was this popular though there was many other books dealing with self discovery, to me, the book captured my attention for two reasons the first time I saw it, the title and the design of the cover struck me, it was so attractive. Also, I loved that the author wasn't telling us how to live, but only sharing her story, simply honest whether you like it or not.



Now that I read the whole book, I cried tons, felt so much love, pain and hope within these pages. I LOVED all the stories though a few I read more than once because they meant so much to me, like 'Happy Wife, Happy Life', 'A Bonk on the Head', and 'Fall Risk'. But seriously, ALL the stories were amazing and very human. It reminded me that this world is very vast, and there are many individuals with different stories and destinies, all searching for God and love. I hope we all find them.

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2

Sep 02, 2016

I only enjoyed 1/4 of the essays in this book. The rest were prertentious and repetitive. The number of women who wrote that after reading Eat Pray Love they had the courage to divorce their husband was disturbing. The nunber of women who after reading Eat Pay Love quit their jobs and became artists/writers/creatives was unsustainable (I'm sorry but the world can't function if everyone can just quit their 'boring' job and become full time authors). The number of women who after reading Eat Pray I only enjoyed 1/4 of the essays in this book. The rest were prertentious and repetitive. The number of women who wrote that after reading Eat Pray Love they had the courage to divorce their husband was disturbing. The nunber of women who after reading Eat Pay Love quit their jobs and became artists/writers/creatives was unsustainable (I'm sorry but the world can't function if everyone can just quit their 'boring' job and become full time authors). The number of women who after reading Eat Pray Love backpacked around the world was frightening (um hello global warming and the fossil fuels comsumed from plane travel...Yikes ). I *think* these essays were meant to be inspiring but to me they were depressing. I loved Eat Pray Love, I really did. And it inspired me. But thankfully it didn't make me drop everyhing and do some far away soul searching, nor did I think Liz wanted me to. I think you can find yourself and have a purposeful and meaningful life without doing anything drastic. ...more

2

Jul 12, 2016

Eat Prey Love Made Me Do It is a compilation of almost fifty stories by people who did more than just imagine what it would be like to live like Elizabeth Gilbert (EG). They used the memoir as inspiration and after reading Eat Pray Love (EPL) took steps to change their lives.

I liked the concept of this book but for me this book just missed the mark. The stories aren't very long. Each one is only a couple of pages which for the most part isn't enough time for me to feel vested in their lives. And Eat Prey Love Made Me Do It is a compilation of almost fifty stories by people who did more than just imagine what it would be like to live like Elizabeth Gilbert (EG). They used the memoir as inspiration and after reading Eat Pray Love (EPL) took steps to change their lives.

I liked the concept of this book but for me this book just missed the mark. The stories aren't very long. Each one is only a couple of pages which for the most part isn't enough time for me to feel vested in their lives. And there is a distinct feeling that most of these woman (all the authors were female except for two - one of which wrote a story which confused me incredibly) were not merely inspired by Liz but wanted to be her.

I understand that in order to be happy, there is a need to nourish ones body, mind and soul. But I don't believe that travelling overseas, indulging in eastern religion and becoming yoga enthusiasts is the only way to do it. So many of these stories seemed to be penned by people who though of EG as some kind of deity and had her up on a pedestal. Referring to your copy of EPL as your bible and following her path exactly probably isn't the best way to happiness.

There was a sense in some of these stories that the authors were using this compilation as a way to help them to published authordom. Some of the anecdotes felt like the writer merely inserted some EG and EPL name dropping to make them more appropriate for the book and wonder just how much the Eat Pray Love philosophy really featured in their journey.

I liked the stories who took EG's Eat Pray Love message to mean they needed to achieve balance physically, mentally and emotionally. The ones who took it too literally and actually followed in EG's footsteps just seemed like deranged fangirls. I loved the ones who found themselves on their own path and were inspired by the fundamental principles. They already knew something needed to change to achieve happiness.

EPL seems like a beacon of hope to women who don't want the planned out career, marriage, kids and white picket existence. In fact - this book seems to be full of stories of people who had all that, read EPL and realised that there was more to life. The book showed them they were allowed to want something different because EG did and she emerged out the other side as a happier, emotionally healthier person. In many ways what EPL gave these readers wasn't inspiration but rather PERMISSION to not want the life society tells them they should strive for.

There is some variety over the course of this book. You get stories from the passionate devotes who bow before the EPL alter, and those who weren't immediately sucked into Liz's life-transformation story. They were the people who flipped over the pray section and scoffed at the love but came around in the end. There's a broad range in ages from teenager to elderly but for the most part these stories were written by 40-ish women living in North America. It wasn't as broad a cross-section as the blurb might suggest but I do think it is these women in Liz's demographic who were probably most moved by her story.

People who loved Eat Pray Love will probably love the intro to this book by Liz and find kindred spirits in the stories which follow.

The themes of achieving joy and feeling empowered which resonates through many of these stories and I think its amazing that these writers found happiness for themselves. I also thought the cover was gorgeous... I kind of want a cake like that. And it seems like ashrams everywhere have Liz to thank for increasing their numbers.

Ultimately this wasn't my kind of book. It was a little too in love with Elizabeth Gilbert. But I did enjoy some of the stories especially the following quote:

"Eat Pray Love did not make me bigger, better, more. Some days reality is all too real. Some days I can be impatient. I fret intermittently over my square toes. The difference is, nowadays I can live with myself."



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3

Oct 27, 2018

This was a wonderful night time read. A lot of stories resonated with me and felt empowering but there were also a lot that I couldn’t connect with hence the lower rating.

5

Jan 13, 2016

I may be a little biased since a) I LOVE Elizabeth Gilbert, and b) I have an essay included in this book. I love the transformative tales told by such a wide array of people from vastly different backgrounds. If you're looking for a dose of inspiration in your day, this is it!

3

Jul 08, 2016

As someone who loved the memoir, "Eat Pray Love", I was very excited to see this on the shelves of the library. I couldn't wait to read of how people became inspired and transformed their own lives after reading about Elizabeth Gilbert's journey.

This compilation of essays was not a disappointment. Each story was inspiring and it was interesting to read of each individual's "moment" when they knew that they had to make a change.

This book has made me want to reread Eat Pray Love and read more As someone who loved the memoir, "Eat Pray Love", I was very excited to see this on the shelves of the library. I couldn't wait to read of how people became inspired and transformed their own lives after reading about Elizabeth Gilbert's journey.

This compilation of essays was not a disappointment. Each story was inspiring and it was interesting to read of each individual's "moment" when they knew that they had to make a change.

This book has made me want to reread Eat Pray Love and read more memoirs of those who have had transformational journeys. Definitely an inspiring read! ...more

2

August 17, 2016

Grateful readers tell why Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir became such a phenomenal success. After Eat Pray Love was published in 2006, the author was overwhelmed by readers who told her that the book had ...Full Review

5

Apr 11, 2016

I'm not biased at all. Ok, perhaps a tad, as an Elizabeth Gilbert fan. I thought the collection was an invigorating reminder of what the book we all love has been able to help us achieve, understand or overcome. The essays were all well-written, touching and mostly relatable. It was interesting to read this perspective, to know there were people moved by someone's genuine experience to the point where they could rise and take control of their lives. I was moved. Thanks to all the people who I'm not biased at all. Ok, perhaps a tad, as an Elizabeth Gilbert fan. I thought the collection was an invigorating reminder of what the book we all love has been able to help us achieve, understand or overcome. The essays were all well-written, touching and mostly relatable. It was interesting to read this perspective, to know there were people moved by someone's genuine experience to the point where they could rise and take control of their lives. I was moved. Thanks to all the people who opened up to share their stories. ...more

2

May 18, 2016

I loved Eat, Pray, Love. This book had an interesting concept and some of the stories were good. Unfortunately, about halfway through I got really tired of reading it. A lot of the stories were boringly repetitive. I ended up skimming quite a bit because I just didn't care that much anymore.

2

Jun 14, 2016

I really thought the stories were great for about the first 80 pages and then it was so repetitive. They all found their way, met a Brit/Aussie man and had a great life. No specifics on what they did. anyway, it was inspirational but you only have to read the first 50 pages or so to get the gist.

3

May 08, 2016

Much like Dan Savage's book, It Gets Better, I feel like this book is probably very important for a certain audience having existential crises. It's also proof of how powerful words and books can be-- Elizabeth Gilbert's words changed so many lives, seemingly for the better. I loved her venture into fiction but wasn't enamored of Eat, Pray, Love (except, predictably, for Eat), and so I couldn't really get into the stories in this volume. Different books at different times of my life, though, Much like Dan Savage's book, It Gets Better, I feel like this book is probably very important for a certain audience having existential crises. It's also proof of how powerful words and books can be-- Elizabeth Gilbert's words changed so many lives, seemingly for the better. I loved her venture into fiction but wasn't enamored of Eat, Pray, Love (except, predictably, for Eat), and so I couldn't really get into the stories in this volume. Different books at different times of my life, though, have saved me in some way (however small or big), and as Roxane Gay writes, "Salvation is certainly among the reasons I read." ...more

3

Mar 01, 2016

I liked Eat, Pray, Love well enough. I didn't find the mega-bestseller absolutely profound and life-changing like the contributors to this essay collection did, but I still enjoyed it and found Liz Gilbert's personal struggles relateable. My one real issue with the original EPL is that there are lots of people in Gilbert's position--or much worse--who don't have the money or resources to go find themselves on a global adventure. So I was very intrigued when Gilbert announced the idea for this I liked Eat, Pray, Love well enough. I didn't find the mega-bestseller absolutely profound and life-changing like the contributors to this essay collection did, but I still enjoyed it and found Liz Gilbert's personal struggles relateable. My one real issue with the original EPL is that there are lots of people in Gilbert's position--or much worse--who don't have the money or resources to go find themselves on a global adventure. So I was very intrigued when Gilbert announced the idea for this collection, as it seemed like it would address this issue. I was curious to read about how people reacted to the book and how it inspired them to change their lives.

In this collection's introduction, Gilbert wrote that EPL was never really about eating pizza in Italy, meditating in India, etc., but rather about reaching the realization: my life doesn't have to look like this anymore. This concept was why I liked EPL, and it was explored in various ways in the essays. There were people who left bad marriages, dealt with heartbreak, struggled with life-threatening illnesses, or just found the courage to do something they had always wanted to do. Of course there were lots of travel stories, but there were also stories of people who made changes in their everyday lives without ever leaving the country. It was these stories I liked the most, because they showed how individual and unique each person's journey really was. The constant worshipping of EPL and Liz Gilbert did begin to get on my nerves after a while, although since this is a story collection inspired by EPL, I can't say that wasn't expected.

That being said, I don't think reading EPL is a necessary prerequisite for this book. (Although honestly, I don't see someone picking up this book if they haven't already read EPL.) The essays are written in varying degrees of skill; some are quite strong while others read awkwardly, like they're trying too hard to be dramatic and profound. The collection overall was average, with strong hints of Chicken Soup for the Soul, so perhaps if you like that series you will like this collection. It was a very quick read as well. Three stars because it provided me with a couple of hours of entertainment while waiting in a train station. ...more

1

Mar 18, 2017

This is the most mediocre book I've ever read. Sure, good for those people that they turned their lives around but it's written very poorly (duh, those are random people, not writers) and it's painfully average. None of the stories really stayed with me, I was listening to it as I was running some errands, drifted off with my thoughts a couple of times and after refocusing wasn't able to say if it's still the same story or a new one. They're all so similar! They mostly say "I was stuck in my This is the most mediocre book I've ever read. Sure, good for those people that they turned their lives around but it's written very poorly (duh, those are random people, not writers) and it's painfully average. None of the stories really stayed with me, I was listening to it as I was running some errands, drifted off with my thoughts a couple of times and after refocusing wasn't able to say if it's still the same story or a new one. They're all so similar! They mostly say "I was stuck in my safe job while I had always dreamt of being an artist, I read the book and it gave me the balls to be the artist."
I'm 27, still secretly dreaming that in a couple of years I'll take a 3 month sabbatical from my desk job as a data analyst to go Farsi in Iran and have my "Eat, Pray, Love" break covered with hummus and filled with culture and self-discovery. We all have those kind of dreams and some of us choose to follow them with determination. But we live in times when everything is labeled "courage", it's not, it's life and hard work and motivating yourself to do more than just watch Netflix all day long. ...more

3

Oct 22, 2016

No one in this collection received a writing advance to change their lives and improve their self concepts, which immediately put them in my good graces. I now understand the movement that is Eat, Pray, Love, but maintain my loathing of the book itself.

5

Jun 09, 2019

I wasn’t a huge fan of the book Eat, Pray, Love itself per se but I found this (surprisingly) refreshing and inspiring

3

Jun 11, 2019

Eat, Pray, Love is one of my favorite books of all time. I had high hopes for this one, but found that there wasn't much variation in the stories and the plot lines started to feel predictable.

5

Apr 04, 2017

Loved hearing from others on how "Eat Pray Love" motivated them in their own lives.

3

Mar 26, 2016

This is a cute and interesting concept for a book: a collection of essays from real readers, those who made it the best seller. The book collects stories from those who were so moved by Eat Pray Love, it “made” them resee their own lives and take action. (I would love to see such a collection for other authors: Toni Morrison Made Me Do It).

So many of these pieces individually deserve a four or five star rating. They have a clear tone and structure. They are well crafted in their specificity and This is a cute and interesting concept for a book: a collection of essays from real readers, those who made it the best seller. The book collects stories from those who were so moved by Eat Pray Love, it “made” them resee their own lives and take action. (I would love to see such a collection for other authors: Toni Morrison Made Me Do It).

So many of these pieces individually deserve a four or five star rating. They have a clear tone and structure. They are well crafted in their specificity and thus their universality. Some of my favorites that fall into these categories, that have such a sharp, particular voice: Russell’s “Garden State,” Donvito’s “Reaching My Boiling Point,” Belmont’s “Pepperoni Epiphanies,” and Granieri’s “Good Enough.”

However, others read more like diary entries, involving lists of what was done. Since these “lesser” (for lack of a better word) stories hit the same notes that other stronger pieces did, they got a bit boring.

I also gravitated toward more toward the essays that drastically differed from Liz’s to avoid more redundancies—the ones that didn’t focus on divorce or a decision to not have children or a big trip of some kind. These can be important, influential topics for women, but because they get repetitive (since it’s a collection in response to a book about divorce/babies/travel), they lose some of their power here. On the other hand, the stories on sickness or mourning, mental illness or abuse; the stories revolving around people of different cultures, classes, sexualities all sparked more of my interest (and I wanted more of them--a better balance of stories and strong voices would have bumped this book up a star or two). Not because one type of suffering is greater than another, but because it is powerful to see how all suffering is so interconnected. It shows how we can help others through our own stories even when we are so drastically different. Seeing someone of a different class take lessons from Eat Pray Love and apply them in a way that is more fiscally available is the power of literature.

One more note on repetition: because the essays were all written in response to the prompt: what did Eat Pray Love make you do, the collection as a whole repeats that line quite a bit. Many of the essays also end with “Thanks, Liz” or some version of that. I would’ve wanted the editors to condense or vary some of that overlap—asking their writers to make changes after acceptance now that it would be part of a collection. Overall, this book is not really one you sit down and read all at once because of the various forms of repetition. However, it’s a nice book to dip in and out of, and some of these essays are well worth that dip.
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2

May 19, 2017

A collection of inspiring stories that came from the Eat Pray Love (EPL) franchise. I enjoyed the stories, but I wasn't really impressed. I can understand how these stories (and Liz's) could inspire someone who was struggling through a tough situation, but it didn't do that for me.

Most of the stories were written by writers and the stories were all very similar, ie: leaving a bad/sad marriage, traveling all over the world, Liz Gilbert is a goddess. Most of the stories were only a few pages long A collection of inspiring stories that came from the Eat Pray Love (EPL) franchise. I enjoyed the stories, but I wasn't really impressed. I can understand how these stories (and Liz's) could inspire someone who was struggling through a tough situation, but it didn't do that for me.

Most of the stories were written by writers and the stories were all very similar, ie: leaving a bad/sad marriage, traveling all over the world, Liz Gilbert is a goddess. Most of the stories were only a few pages long and didn't capture me enough to really root for them through their struggles. It's a book of kindred spirits, for women who loved the original EPL story and felt that they needed to follow in Liz's footsteps to find their peace in life, and accept that the path they felt pressured to take in the first place wasn't for them. ...more