Book Club 2008: Third Month

This month's selection was Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Let me begin by saying that I'm often turned off by literary hype. If everyone is reading a book because Oprah said to, then I'm going to avoid it until the buzz dies down. It's not because I assume I'll dislike it. It's more to avoid being lured into the trap of only reading things that the media tell me are good. That's why I was so psyched about this "club." With so many diverse women choosing the reading list, how could I be led astray? Needless to say, when Eat Pray Love turned up on the list, I thought, "Well, duh. I know I should read that. Tell me about a book I didn't see on a bestseller list."

Also, the reader before me told me she didn't particularly care for it, and I thought, "Ha! Not everyone loves this book!" It's almost like I was setting myself up to dislike the book to prove some point about myself. I am not part of the New-York-Times-Bestseller-List-Reading Mob(Was all this introspection brought on by reading this book, I wonder?)

That said, I loved it. I ate up every word. I thought about what Ms. Gilbert had to say about prayer and faith and belief. Some of it resonated very deeply with me. I want to go to Bali. I want to go back to Italy. I think I can live without going to India, but I won't turn down an opportunity, if one presents itself down the road. I want to recommend this book.

Next Month: Rise and Shine, by Anna Quindlen