Eat, Pray, Love Tourism Frenzy Begins

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed)
Jul 11th 2010 at 10:01AM

If you want to start a fight among people who love to travel, raise the subject of Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat, Pray, Love. It was a bestseller, which means that many people really liked it, but the backlash against it has been pretty vociferous -- in summary: self-absorbed, navel-gazing, "me, me, I, I," not-really-travel-writing, crap.

A good even-handed exploration of the backlash is here. Personally, I thought the book was fine and believe that the strong negative reaction is actually against the concept of a woman who does not follow a cookie cutter path to being a happy wife and mother. Although I will concede that the movie's official URL - letyourselfgo.com is cringe worthy.

Anyway, in August, the book that people love to hate will be better known as a movie that they'll love to hate, starring Julia Roberts who many people love to hate, or hate to love. (To say nothing of eating and praying.)

Since there's an obvious travel tie-in, get ready for many EPL-themed travel packages. My colleague, Deb West, wrote about an early adopter this past January, and now there's news that guidebook publisher Lonely Planet is a promotional partner of the film. There's even a special page to help you plan your own Eat, Pray, Love journey.

Here's hoping no one hates you for it.

Tags: EatPrayLove, feminism, julia roberts, movies

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

trucker-jobs.blogspot.com Jul 11th 2010 11:38AM

Sounds like it will be a flop in the theaters.

Cheril N. Clarke Jul 11th 2010 8:19PM

I enjoyed this book very much and am looking forward to seeing the movie (as well as observing the public reaction to it). What I'm completely blown away by is how many tie-ins are coming about as a result of the film/book: travel packages, soundtracks, jewelry, designs by Sue Wong, fragrances, etc. Incredible.

-Cheril

pam Jul 12th 2010 12:16PM

As a woman who has not followed a cookie cutter path to being a wife and mother, I'm here to say that my negative reaction to the book had NOTHING to do with that. I thought the first part, Eat, was pretty fun, and then, it devolved in to the stuff you mention above -- me me me, not really travel, yadda yadda. I'm notoriously impatient with the "isn't my enlightenment awesome" school of writing. Sure, it's awesome for YOU, but why is it awesome for ME, you're reader. (Speaking of me me me. Irony not wasted.)

I actually love Julia Roberts (file under guilty pleasures) but there's no way I'll see this movie -- until it's streaming on Netflix and I'm holed up in bed with a cold and the laptop.

Kathy, Dream of Italy Travel Newsletter Jul 12th 2010 1:29PM

No matter what you think of the book or will think of the movie - Italy (Gilbert's first stop) is a truly transformative place.

So if her writing/the movie gets more people to visit Italy (http://www.dreamofitaly.com) or Rome (http://www.dreamofitaly.com/public/department56.cfm) then BRAVO!

Alison Wellner Jul 12th 2010 6:15PM

Thanks for comments, all -- I do understand why this book isn't everyone's brand of vodka, but I also have the sense that we're extra hard on women who tell their own stories, particularly when it doesn't involve self-sacrifice to a child, a husband, a cause.

But with that said, I did like the Eat and Pray part of the book better than I liked Love, in other words, I thought the book sagged at the end.

But If the book or the movie encourages people to travel though, I'm all for it. Which is also why I wrote about travel tie-ins to the Sex and the City sequel earlier here on Luxist. And come to think of it, that movie would make an interesting compare and contrast to EPL, as SATC2 is a model of self-absorption in which I can find almost redeeming value.

debrakolkka Aug 5th 2010 5:13PM

I loathed the book. The Italy section was bearable, if cliched, but the rest was intolerable. I don't think it is because we are hard on women - this was just awful. People will go to lovely Italy without this rubbish. I also like Julia and really like Bardem. I might even force myself to go to the movie just to look at scenes of Italy - and him. I can always leave if it gets too hideous.