Elizabeth Gilbert " Eat Pray Love"

By Elizabeth Gilbert

Publisher:  Penguin

334 Pages, $15.00

Book review on Elizabeth Gilbert “Eat Pray Love

In her memoir “Eat Pray Love” Elizabeth Gilbert turned her personal journey into a funny, witty, humorous book. Gilbert knows how to organize interesting parts of her life journey into short story chapters that made it easy to read and understand the nature of what she explored and treasured through that experience. Than 32 years of age, Gilbert leaves behind a disband marriage, struggled with depression to purse spiritual and personal exploration in Italy, India and Bali.

I must admit that I saw the movie first before I read the book.  Although, supposedly, the movie seemed superficial and does not do the book justice, I should point out that the book gives you so much more details. The early pages of the book instantaneously capture your attention and connect you “to explore the art of pleasure in Italy, the art of devotion in India, and, in Indonesia, the art of balancing the two.”  and once I finished reading the entire book, I understood why it’s # 1 New York Times bestseller for so long.

The fascination with Gilbert is that she has a way of telling a story in its most natural truth and form. Yet knowing that Gilbert is not out to deceive her audience, she attempts to translate some of her most memorable Italian expressions in chapter 23-24. Moreover, knowing how well she writes, she managed not to fail to actually put some emphasize on the most eloquent words.

In prospect, Gilbert spiritual journey, first begin when she was ceaselessly waiting to finalize her divorce, Gilbert agree to a magazine assignment in Bali and while on her trip there, she meet  a spiritual leader who told her that she would one day venture on a journey of pleasure, devotion and balance.

During her trip to Italy, Gilbert draws attention to the many wonderful aspect of Italy. She taped on the beauty of its people and the taste of food. She in particular, layered out the idea that Italy has “the best pizza in the world” when ordered at a little restaurant Pizzeria da Michele in Naples.

Some may find this thrilling, however others may think it is an over statement in time as she points outs that it’s like “having a relationship with this pizza, almost an affair.” Yet trying to find the line it joins happiness and experiencing “four months of pure pleasure” with its people and Architecture.

In India “36 tales about the Pursuit of devotion” Gilbert focused on the union that transpired between her mind and Yoga. The ability to devote one’s self to an object or task through study and by a practice of silence, even more, having the patient to with stand the duration. And in short “trying to find God through meditation”.

By the time Gilbert arrives in Indonesia, because “of careless travels”, she has already experienced her many guilty pleasure, except for one, “LOVE”. But In her happiest moment and of all things positive, Gilbert found “believing in love again” in the arms of a gorgeous Brazilian man named Javier Bardem. And although she was sometimes smiling or crying, Elizabeth Gilbert‘s “Eat, Pray, Love” is a must read.

Art is Culture

Since we are on the subject of art this month, I took it upon myself to visit the National Gallery of Art on 7th and Constitution Ave, West Wing. Why the West Wing? “The National Gallery of Art was created in 1937 for the people of the United States of America by a joint resolution of Congress, accepting the gift of financier and art collector Andrew W. Mellon” clearly this was a whole new introduce individual to different forms of art whether is painting , scripture or photography.

Now, upon visiting the Gallery, I found three very interesting works of art that I think were created. The three works were all created by three different French Art painters.

Henri Matisse (La Coiffure 1901) - Uses simplified figures and bold colors in his paintings. La Coiffure show cases a women figure in front of a mirror doing her hair. The painting brings the subject upfront with colors being used in the background.

Auguste Renoir (Diana 1919)- Captures the female body in its most ambiguous manner with the use of his most favorite colors black, white and gray and clear skin of Diana that show case’s Renoir’s style. Diana his earliest work is an image of a goddess huntress, a mythological figure from Roman History.

Gustave Courbet (A young Woman reading 1866) – In this painting Gustave showcase a women reading in an outdoor environment surrounded by color of green in a forest tree.

All three painting have one thing in common, transforming the women’s body into a canvas. The lines and natural shape of a women where used to convince the audience that the body is a form of art. It shapes itself in every way and to any advantage. French culture in show case art through nude paintings was an expression of understanding a woman’s look. The oil paint and water color on paper made it come to life and real. I’ve come to realize that among the three painting, that I have chosen, Auguste Renoir stands out the most. Mainly because I felt I could relate to a women huntress. Back in the day my ancients used to be women huntress and in a one of Namibian cultural women go hunting in cultural outfits and some consist of just a plain cloth wrapped around the mid-section to cover the private parts.

http://www.nga.gov/