<p>While I enjoyed the passages dealing with travel I found her personally to be self absorbed to the point of being annoying. My book group usually has pretty spirited discussions but on this book we all agreed - Grow up already.</p>
<p>I also thought the book was over-rated. and self-indulgent. I enjoyed the Italy section and some parts of the Bali section… but dont see what all the fuss was about to warrant selling so many copies and for so long…although having been in publishing, I know how “buzz” gets created and takes on a life of it’s own. Not especially interested in seeing the movie immediately although I do like Julia Roberts and might be interested to see how she does interpret the character although I am sure the movie will emphasize the “wrong” aspects of the book to sell tickets.</p>
<p>I read it as a book about self-healing. I couldn’t figure out, personally, why she ever left Italy! It was amusing but why you’d want to make a movie out of it, I don’t know.</p>
<p>Yep, the main criticism I heard was that it’s self-indulgent. I’m sure we can “eat, love, pray” locally too though and for much cheaper.</p>
<p>I read it and this morning saw the movie (five bucks), to escape the heat. The good part of the book is the way it makes you want to learn Italian and eat there. The movie is full of beautiful on location shots in Italy, India and Bali. Not really a Julie Roberts fan here, but she is suited to this simple role.</p>
<p>Just bought the book today - should’ve read this first ;)</p>
<p>Barely got through the EAT portion. I just don’t understand the recent spate of self absorbed “womens” books revolving around Italy. I’ve lived in Italy and it’s the last place a woman should go for self discovery. (much too man-centered!)</p>
<p>I am an avid reader, though chick lit is not my thing, but I will try nearly anything as I am always looking for new books to order from the library.</p>
<p>I found Italy & India fine, Indonesia was tough to get through. It was self-indulgent, but I also enjoyed trying to put myself in her place and thinking about it all…but I was recovering from surgery, so needed an easy read and did not have anything in real life to be doing.</p>
<p>The best seller list means it was widely purchased, not necessarily widely enjoyed ;)</p>
<p>The movie, which I just saw today, was awful, awful, awful. She agreed. We have a history of enjoying bad movies together, so we weren’t TOO perturbed (cheapest matinee ticket available) but definitely not worth spending any money on.</p>
<p>I struggled through the first 30 or so pages, but figured it had such a huge following (NY Times Bestseller List, etc.), I would slog on. So I did. I never felt it was a “must read” but I could appreciate the appeal. Could not stand the self-absorbed portion at the start, but felt her change 3/4 through “pray”. </p>
<p>Part of me felt that I’d love to take a year (or more, or less) and find 3 places to delve into fully (or as fully as one can in 4 months).</p>
<p>I’ll see the movie. Definitely. The cinematography alone would be worth it, since they filmed on location. We have a $2 theater within walking distance. If I wait a few weeks it’ll be there. Nothing screams “get there now!”.</p>
<p>mythmom–do elaborate! A friend and I plan to see it next week. Is it really that bad?</p>
<p>Read the book for my book group–most of us agreed that it was an enjoyable read, but nothing profound and it wasn’t (as I gather many told the author when she was on Oprah’s show) life changing. I thought the section on India when she lived on an ashram was the most interesting part of the book. I’ll wait for the movie on Netflix.</p>
<p>Yes, I thought it was really that bad. Boring, shallow. The screenplay excised some of the most interesting parts of the book, and nothing happens. They just talk about things happening. I was not uplifted at all. Even the food didn’t seem as tasty as it did in the book.</p>
<p>I thought Julia Roberts was too old for the part, and many moments that should have been dramatized were just glossed over.</p>
<p>Javier Bardem did the most with his part, and Richard Jenkins.</p>
<p>I had to force myself to finish Eat, Pray, Love. She was so whiny in the beginning. I understand this was a book about self-discovery but I couldn’t relate to her problem. She didn’t do much to endear herself to me, the reader. </p>
<p>A previous poster asked why she left Italy. She was writing a book on this journey or self-discovery and getting paid for it!</p>
<p>I do plan to see the movie because I like Julia Roberts!</p>
<p>Maybe this should have been made into a movie in the 80s… the country is just not in the mood for this navel comtemplating stuff.</p>
<p>Some things in the movie made me think it must have been aimed at a fall release. So what happened to speed it to market?</p>
<p>I agree with mythmom on Bardem and Jenkins. Having just reread “No Country for Old Men”, when the Bardem showsed up in the movie, my thought was “Run Liz! He’s a serial killer!”</p>
<p>Interesting-- I saw it last night and really enjoyed it. I would recommend it. And I have seen a lot of awful movies lately (a friend has access to preview tickets so I’ve seen several pre-released movies). I really enjoyed the scenery, the powerful facial expressions of the characters, the bonds between the characters, etc.
I was amazed that I was able to relax and enjoythe movie, as there was a terrible storm outside asn jsut as the movie was about to start I got a call from my s and the alarm company, as we apparently had a lightening strike. Lots of electrical damage ( phones, computers, modem, router, garage door, circuit breakers, and much more). I am at the office to get on the internet-- may possibly not have internet at home, or a computer, for a while.</p>
<p>I love Javier Bardem.
I especially liked * The Sea Inside & The Dancer Upstairs*
Didn’t see No Country for old men however- don’t like violent movies.</p>
<p>Starting to wonder about Eddie’s taste- I knew he already leaned toward the sappy- * Last Kiss* is about my least favorite cover- but he usually recovers.</p>
<p>Maybe I will have to see it when it is on DVD to judge for myself.</p>
<p>Tourism is up now-
</p>
<p>looks like D went to India just in time- but my aunt ( who lived there for 40 years until retirement), is going there next month!
I will have to ask her about it.</p>
<p>I also like Javier Bardem, and haven’t seen him in the movies where he is a scary guy. I always get him [Javier</a> Bardem - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_Bardem]Javier”>Javier Bardem - Wikipedia) mixed up with Jeffrey Dean Morgan [Jeffrey</a> Dean Morgan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Dean_Morgan]Jeffrey”>Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Wikipedia) who played Izzy’s cardiac patient/love interest in Grey’s Anatomy. Anyone else get these 2 confused?</p>
<p>I’m glad to hear that others couldn’t get through the book. I borrowed the paperback from a friend at the time it was on the bestseller’s list. Had recently been in Italy so I really liked that section. But I just couldn’t get through the India experience. I ended up putting it down and forgetting about it. About a year later, I picked it up, skipped to Indonesia, and liked that part well enough. So for me, it should have been “Eat and Love.” </p>
<p>I’m mixed about whether to see the movie. I’ll probably wait until I can watch it on TV.</p>
<p>Oh, good-- looks like I wasn’t the only one to get these two confused:</p>
<p>[Separated</a> at Birth: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Javier Bardem | the TV addict](<a href=“http://thetvaddict.com/2010/08/12/separated-at-birth-jeffrey-dean-morgan-and-javier-bardem/]Separated”>Separated at Birth: Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Javier Bardem | the TV addict)</p>
<p><a href=“http://backseatcuddler.com/2008/01/07/javier-bardemjeffrey-dean-morganseparated-at-birth/[/url]”>http://backseatcuddler.com/2008/01/07/javier-bardemjeffrey-dean-morganseparated-at-birth/</a></p>
<p>[Jeffrey</a> Dean Morgan Totally Looks Like Javier Bardem - Totally Looks Like… Famous People and Celeb Look-A-Likes](<a href=“totallylookslike.com”>totallylookslike.com)</p>