Ok, I resist reading this book because it just seems a bit too "touchy feely" even for me.  But there it is, beckoning to me on an airport store shelf.  Plus I love Julia Roberts and have every intention of seeing the movie...so...  The author, Elizabeth Gilbert takes us thru the traumas of her self absorption.  From her neurotic yet intelligent viewpoint, she takes us on a journey of self enlightenment that sometimes jars my nerves so greatly that I skip a page .  She has such a restless tortured spirit for so much of the book that I feel myself becoming aggravated.  Still, she is so vulnerable in laying bare her angst, that I give her points for the sheer audacity of coming forward with it all.

The story begins with the demise of her marriage, which she does not really describe.  I could see doing this if there were children involved - you would want to protect them.  But there are no children.  Considering this is a "tell all", it makes no sense to skip the details of the dying marriage.  After all, that is the seminal event that spurs the one year hiatus to Italy, India and Bali.  Talking about episodes of "crying on the bathroom floor" doesn't count.  All in all, there are thought provoking moments. And I generally liked the style of her self-deprecating writing - though there were too many metaphores.

I'll give it a B.