Image source
I finally caved in, bought this book (in english) and read it.
I have to say - it was not an easy reading. And not because the language was difficoult (it's actually very easy to read from the language point of view - it's a nice, colloquial english). But because it costed me a lot of effort to identify in the main character, who happens to be the writer.
I know, she is talking of her own experience, not mine. But she is doing things so differently that I'd have done, that at the beginning I wasn't able to read more than few pages at the time.
I especially loathed the part about Rome. Not because she says anything wrong or bad about Rome or Italy. She actually makes smart and educated observations. It's just that for a native it's extremely difficoult to hear a foreigner talking about his/her homeland.
But I got over it and went on with my reading.
And at the end, I liked the book. I like that the author is not afraid to show her weaknesses. That she meets so many helpful persons along her way. That she experiences pleasure then ascetism then finds balance between the two. That at the end she learns a bit more to let go. And that she concludes the voice that came to her at the beginning, and prompted her to do something (which in that specific case was just to go to bed), was her own voice. Meaning, she had all the wisdom she needed from the beginning, even though it took an year of travelling to recognize it.
I learned quite a lot from the book, aside from the story. I have never been too interested to eastern cultures, mainly out of lazyness. And it seems to me the author does a good job in helping us approach them without making them hostile.
At the end, yes, I'd suggest/give it to a friend.
