On my bookshelf, I have a collection of books that I call my "Core Readings." These are the books I’ve read and reread more times than I can count at various times in my life because they never cease to offer me something of value.

One of these books is Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t remember how I found this book. My best guess would be that I came across it while browsing the shelves at my local library sometime in my late teens/early twenties. At the time, I was consistently reading a book a day and frequenting the library once a week to stock up on my daily books. 

I’ve always held to the principle that I’ll read anything at least once, though I definitely tend to gravitate toward specific genres—travel memoirs being one of them. So it’s no surprise that Eat Pray Love eventually made its way into my hands.

For those who aren’t familiar with this international bestseller, the story begins with Elizabeth Gilbert in her thirties, living what appears to be the American dream—a successful career, a beautiful home, and a seemingly happy marriage.

However, deep inside, she feels unfulfilled and trapped in a cycle of unhappiness. With the realization that she needs to make a change, Gilbert embarks on a year-long journey across Italy, India, and Indonesia to seek pleasure, spiritual devotion, and a balance between the two respectively.

The story is told in three parts encompassing short essays of her experiences in each of the three destinations she travels to in her year of seeking. 

The first part of her journey takes her to Italy, where she (re)discovers the sheer joy of indulging in the simple pleasures of life.

Her three-month trip to Italy is inspired entirely by her love of the Italian language and cuisine—which she indulges in without guilt (GASP!). Her rich, sensory descriptions and the clever metaphors she uses to describe her experiences are truly a poetic experience that immediately captured my attention—and my heart.

The second leg of her journey takes Gilbert to an ashram in India, where she immerses herself in the practice of yoga and meditation. Here, Gilbert delves deeper into her spiritual journey, grappling with inner demons and seeking guidance and solace. Through her interactions with fellow seekers, wise gurus, and the introspective practices of yoga and meditation, Gilbert starts to find inner peace and healing in ways that have continued to inspire me throughout the years since my first reading.

It’s this second part of the book that I find myself turning to the most as the wisdom found within it is truly life-changing and relatable in the way Gilbert expertly connects her raw, naked truths to yoga philosophy. 

The final part of her journey leads Gilbert to the island of Bali, Indonesia. Here, she encounters an eclectic group of individuals who become instrumental in her final steps toward self-discovery and total acceptance.

Though the main theme of this part of the book is about finding balance, I don’t feel like that’s something she actually accomplishes—which actually makes the book more relatable to me. I like that the ending is ultimately inconclusive (and I’m normally opposed to a lack of closure in stories).

It’s a helpful reminder that none of us will ever have all the answers—to the world or even to our own lives. We’re all just trying to figure it out one day at a time, and perhaps the real balance is learning to be okay with that.

Overall, I’m a firm believer that Eat Pray Love has something valuable to offer every kind of reader—especially in today’s never-slow-down, high-achievement culture. So if you haven’t read it already, GO READ IT RIGHT NOW! I promise you won’t regret it. 💖

Also, let me know in the comments below what "core books" you would recommend. What books have impacted your life in some way? I'd love to hear!

 

Somewhere in an alternate universe, there is a version of me who has shirked all notion of the traditional American dream in favor of a nomadic life on the road.

The concept has always appealed to me, largely due to my endless itch for adventure. I love exploring new places and seeing all the world has to offer. Even more, I love connecting with strangers and building communities wherever I roam. 

Which is initially what drew me to this book. 

Nomadland, written by Jessica Bruder, delves into the lives of a growing community of modern-day nomads in America who took to life on the road after being financially devastated by the economic crisis of 2008. I’d originally come across the movie by the same name that was recently released on Hulu and upon learning it was based on a book, I immediately looked it up and checked it out from my local library. 

While the movie centers around one character (who is not present in the book but is based upon the struggles and stories of real people), the book takes readers on a compelling journey through the lives of several different individuals who have chosen a nomadic lifestyle as a means of survival and independence—including the author herself who spent several months immersing herself in the van-dwelling life she was investigating. 

She introduces readers to Linda May, a resilient woman in her sixties who has turned her van into her home while trying to save up enough money to build her dream Earthship home on her own plot of land; and Bob Wells, a charismatic advocate for the nomadic lifestyle who organizes gatherings for the community and provides the community (or anyone interested) inspiring, practical advice on adopting this unconventional life through his blog. 

Through Bruder’s immersive storytelling and meticulous research, she weaves together the stories of the various nomads she encounters during her extensive travels across the United States. Without shying away from the hard truths, she explores the challenges and vulnerabilities faced by the nomads, including the lack of affordable housing, limited job opportunities, and the constant struggle to meet their basic needs. 

By providing us with an inside-look at the lives of the very real people who have adopted this lifestyle, Bruder humanizes her subjects, allowing readers to empathize with their struggles and aspirations. In this way, it becomes impossible to write off the people she encounters as “those crazy hippies” and instead allows the reader to understand and relate to the hardships that have forced them out of their more permanent homes and into life on the road.

Throughout the book, Bruder raises important questions about consumer culture, the pursuit of happiness in contemporary America, and the changing nature of work. She examines the impact of corporations and economic policies on the lives of the nomads, highlighting how large companies exploit this vulnerable labor force by offering low-wage seasonal jobs with limited benefits. Bruder's analysis of the growing wealth inequality in America, the failure of social safety nets, the increasing precarity of employment, and the erosion of workers' rights provides a sobering critique of the modern labor landscape that challenges readers to reconsider their understanding of work, home, and the American Dream in an era of increasing economic instability. 

Though the financial crisis of 2008 may seem like a distant memory for many of us, our economy has hardly stabilized in the decade and a half since. Between ever-mounting inflation, the wreckage of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and the panic of a workforce terrified of being replaced by AI, the issues Bruder brings to light in Nomadland still resonate strongly today. 

Regardless of whether a “houseless” life of a modern vagabond appeals to us, Nomadland offers us an in-depth exploration of an economic dilemma that plagues us all. 

And as Bruder puts it “Most who face this dilemma will not end up dwelling in vehicles. Those who do are analogous to what biologists call an ‘indicator species’---sensitive organisms with the capacity to signal much larger shifts in an ecosystem.”

The way we live and work in our society is changing—and rapidly. And just like the rising of the seas, we can either bury our heads in our piles of debt…or we can take hold of the steering wheel of our own lives and attempt to drive ourselves out of it.

Which will you choose? 

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

 

It’s amazing what can be held in a place.