Eat, Pray, Love: What's Your Word?

   By drodriguez  Sep 14, 2008
109

New York Times Bestseller Eat Pray Love, has elicited its readers to tell whomever they can, be it stranger or friend, that they “must read this book.” Divided into three parts, each verb in the title corresponds to a country, each of which serendipitously, begins with the letter “I”. And since this is a personal journey for its author Elizabeth Gilbert, this is not so much a coincidence as an affirmation that she’s doing exactly what she needs to be doing.

Part One, Italy is the land where Gilbert perfects her conversational Italian and all the while, Eats. She consumes her food with a passion, seeks out the best each city and region has to offer, her exchange with residents is equally passionate, if not about food, then about living and loving and being.

In part one, her Italian friend invokes the theory that, “every city has a single word that defines it, that identifies most people who live there. If you could read people’s thoughts as they were passing? you would discover that most of them are thinking the same thought. Whatever that majority thought might be ? that is the word of the city.”

Apparently Rome’s word is SEX. (And since the Vatican is technically not part of Rome, its own word is POWER.) New York: ACHIEVE. Los Angeles: SUCCEED. The conversation between the two takes the theory down to smaller entities, ultimately to Gilbert’s. What is Elizabeth Gilbert’s word? At that point, after her year-long journey, she doesn’t know, and as she concedes on this page, that is truly the reason for her traverse around the world. (Ultimately she does find her word, and it’s a pretty good one.)

What is your word? Have you found it? What would you need to do to find it?

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gwendolina by gwendolina | Pompano Beach, NY
Jul 15, 2008

Elizabeth Gilbert writes a wonderful book about her post-divorce experiences. For me it was what the reader puts into it. Example: I ate gelato along with Elizabeth in Italy. I loved the sauces. I reveled in the architecture. I walked with her. I met people with her. It's a lovely book. Pretty much, I ate, prayed, and loved along with her. You learn about Elizabeth's journey...and your own.

carbrac by carbrac | Wesley Chapel, FL
Jul 08, 2008

A lot of people have written about this and we still do not get it. We are not our thoughts and we are the only the ones who can draw the line by making the right choices. It is all up to each one of us.

samarys93 by samarys93 | Tampa, FL
Jul 07, 2008

My word is "LAUGH" Do it at least once a day, just think about something that cause you to have a histerical teary-eye laugh. Feels good!!

tonibegood by tonibegood | beverly Hills, CA
May 02, 2008

Gratitude...to come from a place of gratitude in dealing with my daily affairs lifs and buoys me. i loved this book, it moved me and inspires me never to stop searching for inner peace and spirituality.

roolb by roolb | Englewood, CO
Apr 03, 2008

A great read. I see this book all over town and smile everytime I see someone reading it. I have to stop myself from interrupting them to see where in her travels they are reading.

ladybuggg by ladybuggg | kaneohe, HI
Jan 29, 2008

i am currently reading this book and savoring every word! i havent thought of "my" word just yet.. but this book will be a great foundation for me, i can feel it!

yardsalequeen by yardsalequeen | Franklin Furnace, OH
Jan 24, 2008

Wow , to many words and by looking at the others, you all have chosen some great ones :) To many to chose, love , blessed, thankful , grateful ....Hope everyone has a great night ....Cold here ...brrrrr lol

kirstensapphire by kirstensapphire | Fremont, CA
Dec 11, 2007

I'am thinking of the word "POTENTIAL". I have alot of potential within my self, and I need to go and fullfill it. After all you only live once!

caligirl by caligirl | Manhattan Beach, CA
Nov 07, 2007

I'm still trying to get through the book so I can say "I love it" too....it's taking way too long. Maybe I need to put it down for awhile and come back to it when the mood strikes!

greendiva by greendiva | Hudson, OH
Oct 12, 2007

RENAISSANCE

dmcgowan by dmcgowan | Lake Ariel, PA
Oct 06, 2007

Just saw the author on Oprah yesterday and I am curious. Will probably buy the book (I'm an oprah book club member).

dmcgowan

amy1234 by amy1234 | Hoboken, NJ
Sep 26, 2007

I thought this was a strange book. The author starts out in a fresh, funny voice, but by part 3 she;s just whiny, self centered and irritating. Skip this book.

traina by traina | Charlotte, NC
Sep 12, 2007

i love this book, and my word is "eclectic"

StaceyD by StaceyD | Menifee, CA
Sep 09, 2007

I'm thinking...."sensitive"

dynocat by dynocat | Belgrade, MT
Aug 30, 2007

Great words, everyone.

I can think of several, but will settle on CURIOSITY, without that there is no learning--another favorite word.