eat pray whine

I was among the 6 people out of the 4.5 million (give or take) that did not enjoy the memoir Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. There. It's out in the open.

The book had no chance after she started referring to her "friend depression." No one who has suffered from depression would ever refer to it as a friend, not even in an ironic way. Depression makes it physically hurt to get out of bed, sucks the joy out of everything in life even what you usually love, makes eating such a chore that isn't always worth the effort. I suppose not everyone's experience is the same, but there is a difference between depression and the blues. And if you haven't had depression, you have no idea. And if the author had actually suffered from depression, there is no way she could have traveled a year in new places.

That aside, I didn't find her "depression" about her failed marriage believable. It seemed as though she was much more devastated that her image was tarnished, not because she hurt someone or that her marriage was over.

And then there was the whole premise: that she would spend a year of self-discovery. The real work of self-discovery is trying to live real life in a new way. I suppose self-discovery can begin in an escape, but a year eating pasta and doing yoga is not real life. Not even for lucky Liz Gilbert. And all she ended up finding was a man. Which I actually believe was the ultimate goal anyway, despite her constant protestations.

Obviously in the minority, I know plenty of people who would argue with all of these points. That the book is an authentic and beautiful and emotional account of a search for a new identity. I respect their opinions, but hold fast to my own on this one.

I do like Julia Roberts, and a good friend really wanted to go to the movie. She had loved the book, and knew I had read it. To be fair, the movie did not bug me to the same degree as the book. But I won't see it again. I was biased going in, but tried to keep an open mind. It was too long, and none of the relationships were well-developed. I didn't come to care about anyone, not even the main character. And though it was less offensive to me, I admit that some of what made the book work (for others) was missing in the movie. I guess because it seemed more like a "movie" than someone's memoir.

Anyway, I think some who loved the book will hate the movie, and others will think it's a tolerable escape.