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Why I Thought I'd Hate Eat, Pray, Love and Ended Up Loving It

5/25/2012

32 Comments

 
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For years I’ve let other people’s opinions of the book
"Eat, Pray, Love" mar my perception of it. Without having read it, I believed my friends, fans, and fellow writers when they said the narrator was “spoiled” and “entitled” and I nodded eagerly when they said, “Isn’t it silly how Elizabeth Gilbert got to travel for a year staying in fancy hotels and eating at expensive restaurants all on the money from her book advance? Not exactly hard-core travel.”

These opinions from other people only fueled my already mixed feelings toward "Eat, Pray, Love" which, I realized at the time had something to do with jealousy and with life being unfair.

OK, I hated this book without ever having read it. I was an anti-Eat Pay Love-ite.

Back in 2006, my second travel memoir "Kiss the Sunset Pig" was coming out with Penguin Canada. I also wanted a US publisher so my agent sent it to Penguin USA. The reply from Penguin USA soon came. The editor really liked my book, saying it was “a hilarious, inspiring, exceptionally well-written personal odyssey, an original and fascinating quest.” But unfortunately, they couldn’t publish it. Why? Because that same year, Penguin USA was releasing another woman’s travel memoir that was similar, and although the writers “traveled in very different styles” the books were alike enough that they’d compete against each other, something publishers avoid. Also, the other writer was American, which would make it more saleable than a book written by someone Canadian and only a little bit American.

You can guess what that other book turned out to be. That’s right: “I Was Tortured By the Pygmy Love Queen.”  

Kidding! "Eat, Pray, Love" was released with Penguin USA in 2006.

Soon, you couldn’t go a day without Eat, Pray, Love raining down on you in some form. The book was an international best-selling mega sensation: Oprah, Eat-Pray-Love Vacation Tours, fan clubs, book clubs, t-shirts, a Julia Roberts movie. A Julie Roberts movie where the male lead was Javier Bardem! I realize this didn't mean that Elizabeth Gilbert herself would actually get to kiss Javier Bardem, but still, pretty close.

Meanwhile, Penguin Canada put about sixty dollars into publicizing my book.

So you can see why I had a slight resentment toward the book, especially when people told me how similar they thought our books were, or worse, they told me they liked mine much better. I didn’t want to hear that. Man, did I hate that book.

But then, last week, finally, after all this time, I read it. And as I read it, I found myself enjoying it. I found myself cheering Gilbert on through her difficult divorce and broken-hearted love affair, her escape to Italy to find the world’s best food. I was enthralled with her spiritual quest at the ashram in India. As for her finding a man in Bali, I was excited for her—and I’d once found a handsome man there myself and written about it. In short, I was thrilled for Gilbert’s hard-fought happiness at the book’s end.

I no longer resent Elizabeth Gilbert nor any of Eat, Pray, Love's success. As for the author being “spoiled” and “entitled” and “self-indulgent”, I find those criticisms unfair. Her book chronicles a year when she was trying to find another life for herself, one that truly reflected who she was. As several reviewers have pointed out, her book and both of mine really are similar—we just travel a little differently, as that editor had pointed out. We’re all entitled to tell our stories and if they’re well-written and true to who we are, they should be acclaimed. These are days of rushed multi-tasking and sound bites, when it’s easier to watch Netflix, or for kids to play video games, than to sit in a quiet corner and read a book. This means that every time a well-written book wins big, we all win. Every time an author becomes a millionaire, we should raise our glasses for the written word. Cheers, Eat, Pray, Love!

I so never thought I’d say that.

32 Comments
Sapphire samurai
5/26/2012 11:20:45 am

I am one of those people that liked your book better, Laurie. You are a lot more adventurous and funny and you don't feel sorry for yourself all the time.

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Grace Kary
5/27/2012 01:00:02 pm

I'm just hoping when they make the Kiss the Sunset Pig movie we at least get a Canadian version of Javier Bardem!

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Laurie Gough
5/28/2012 02:02:37 am

And who do you think he'd be, Grace?

Laurie Gough
5/28/2012 01:59:26 am

Thanks Sapphire! That's so nice of you to say!

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Barbara Scott link
5/29/2012 12:18:35 am

I loved both books, Laurie ... yours because it was honest and adventurous and well written ... hers because she loved language and food and was truly seeking herself. I am so glad you finally read and enjoyed it. good luck with this year's workshop. Barbara

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Julia link
5/30/2012 02:10:13 pm

I loved both film and book. Yes I too had a tinge of jealousy of someone who had traveled and published -- as I have not been successful in publishing YET. But you are absolutely correct that a book's success is a fantastic triumph and should celebrated. I would go so far as to say we should celebrate the wild successes of women in general. I read your post on the Eat Pray Love Facebook page -- Thank you. I now want to read your books!

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Lisa McKay link
5/30/2012 06:43:49 pm

I too, enjoyed Eat Pray Love (though I must admit, I recently re-read it and enjoyed it less the second time around). I've also seen Gilbert speak and she's a fabulous speaker. Question for you - can I get Kiss The Sunset Pig on kindle? I visited Amazon but couldn't find it, and can't order a paperback as I live in Laos (long story, that one). Cheers, Lisa

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Laurie Gough
6/7/2012 06:25:17 am

Hi Lisa,
My publisher just told me that Kiss the Sunset Pig will be available as an e-book to Americans in July. Finally.
Thanks for asking!
Laurie

Reply
Laurie Gough
5/31/2012 02:20:34 am

Hi Lisa,
It's supposed to be on Kindle but for some reason it's only available on kindle in Canada. I've been bugging my publisher about this exact thing because it's a mistake. It is available as an e-book with Penguin:
http://penguin.ca/nf/Search/QuickSearchProc/1,,Kiss%20the%20sunset%20pig,00.html?id=Kiss%20the%20sunset%20pig
You could try that. Thanks for writing!
Laurie

Laurie

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Jennifer Todd
5/31/2012 02:30:31 am

I'm also one of those people who liked your books better, Laurie. You're much funnier for one thing! Please write another one soon!
bye! Jennifer

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Gregory Holt
5/31/2012 03:23:39 am

I like any travel memoir where the writers go off and have adventures in search of something and the main thing they are searching for is something inside themselves, a new perspective. Both of your books Laurie, and Gilbert's book, accomplish this task beautifully. Well done!
Greg H.

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Jackie Dishner link
5/31/2012 03:55:28 am

I loved the book. It inspired me to want to delve deeper into my own travel writing. I referred it to so many woman. If you've ever lived a life in transition, as most of us have, I think her words and stories relate on some level. What I didn't do and wish I did was make notes while I was reading. At the time, I was forcing myself to read purely for pleasure. So it might be time to re-read this one and see how I feel about it now.

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Naomi Kerscher
6/2/2012 12:37:17 am

I loved Kiss the Sunset Pig!! You're a talented funny writer! I haven't read EPLove yet but keep hearing it might not be for me but now I'm curious! Now I want to read Kite Strings of the Southern Cross also (I just saw that on your website. I didn't know you'd written two books.) I especially want to read it since it seems to be set in fiji where I'm headed next september!

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Julia link
6/3/2012 02:48:50 pm

I'm buying Kiss the Sunset Pig

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Jennifer link
6/15/2012 12:22:40 am

Good for you! You're a much bigger person than me because I've refused to read that book out of solidarity with you (and because I despise the Oprah Book Club thing). I picked up your second book because I loved the cover and title...sounds lame I know but I was working at a bookstore at the time and we were told to return the one copy we had in stock. I bought it instead, read it and started a life of traveling. Thank you so much for the inspiration Laurie!

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Laurie Gough
6/15/2012 02:26:34 am

Jennifer, thank you!! Wow, you've made my day!
Laurie

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Sandy
9/3/2012 11:32:14 am

I love both your books, Laurie! Much more literary and much funnier than EPL!

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Fort Collins Search Engine Optimization link
10/4/2012 03:36:43 pm

Great blog, love the template.

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send gift to pakistan link
10/7/2012 08:59:06 pm

I really liked your article. Keep up the good work.

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Grace
11/30/2012 05:36:21 am

OK, girl, why can't I get Kiss the Sunset Pig on my kindle? Do I have to live in Canada? Why is your first book there then?

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Laurie
11/30/2012 05:37:08 am

I don't know what's going on either. It was supposed to be available in July. I've been getting lots of emails asking the same question. I think I'll write the publisher to ask. Thanks!

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Sarah Somewhere link
4/5/2013 02:34:56 pm

Hey Laurie, I just started reading 'Kite Strings of the Southern Cross' and I have to tell you it's one of the best books I've read in ages. Your writing is exquisite! And it is so taking me back to my visit to Fiji in 2004. Yet, I had never heard of it until the online book club I am a member of on Goodreads picked it for our title this month. I don't always participate, but I had a good feeling about this one. As an Australian, the southern cross reference got me!
I loved Eat, Pray, Love too, and it obviously struck a cord with the world (and had a good marketing team!).
I really liked your words at the end here, about celebrating well written stories. I am beginning my first travel memoir, it's insanely intimidating, but I am trying to forge ahead and put all the "what's so special about you that you think you can write a book?" type of thoughts at bay! Thanks Laurie, (and sorry about the essay!).

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Laurie
4/8/2013 12:35:42 am

Thanks so much, Sarah, and yes, keep those 'what's so special about you that you can write a book' thoughts far away! They're not true.
Laurie

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gelesen link
4/10/2013 10:44:28 am

I have never seen the movie, but I am sure I would hate it. Mainly because Julia R is on. No thanks.

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Mia Wells link
9/8/2013 02:58:23 am

Great blog, I'm great I found Weebly!

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proconnenergy link
10/16/2013 05:54:30 pm

Nice title i must say.

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论文网站 link
12/27/2013 12:25:36 am

IMHO, I totally agree with you, except that I have a slightly different mindset and we can not keep in mind the same thing. Nevertheless, I would like to emphasize the author's ability to write interesting texts, his erudition and desire to be published in inetrnet. Thank you.

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friv link
5/9/2014 10:08:13 am

Love this

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Kizi 2 link
9/28/2014 11:54:45 pm

Good post

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Friv Star link
10/1/2014 07:50:19 pm

I really liked your article. Thanks.

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kizi link
10/13/2014 06:53:54 pm

This is one of the most common causes of writers going broke...Doesn't matter if you're talented or not, it's just good or bad luck

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Matt
1/21/2016 06:40:23 am

My girlfriend gave me your first book before I went traveling and I took it along, didn't read it finally until another traveler saw it in my stuff and she told me it was her favorite travel book and was excited i had it so of course i had to read it and yep, hard to put down. A great book and very funny! Keep writing Laurie. You write real good (joking, I know that's bad grammar.)

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    Laurie Gough

    I'm an author of books about my travels, a freelance writer, an adventurer, a mother of a little boy, an environmental activist, and someone who daydreams about finding the perfect place to live.

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