I just finished this book and have to say it has had a profound effect on me, it was a fantastic account of one woman's journey to find herself. Admittedly its a great 'story' in itself, but its more than a story about a woman who got her heart broken, ate some food and then *skip the Ashram bit* found love in Bali. Anyone who treats this book like that is somewhat missing the point. I'm not a religious person at all, I have no religion, and I agree the Ashram section wasn't an easy read and I found some resistance to it, but that's exactly the point, her time in the Ashram wasn't comfortable, and we are made to feel that too. You can't gain anything from this book by skipping the middle section, it's only through her experiences in India that she learned to accept herself, find inner peace and strength and have the self knowledge and love to be ABLE to move on in Bali. That's the whole problem with this society, and that's exactly why she has laid herself out here as a guinea pig, an example. Rushing in life for the 'happy ending' will get you nowhere. Or it will get you divorced and suicidal at 34 looking for answers. The whole point of this book - and many others like it - is a forewarning that you will have to go through the struggles she did (albeit in not necessarily in India) if you're going to be truly happy. EAT PRAY LOVE the book is called. not EAT and LOVE. As a society we need to open our minds a little I think.