Film release pushes Eat, Pray, Love back to no. 1 bestseller

24 September 2010

Mysteries of the world - if not the universe discussed in this weeks book news
If, like me, you have been oblivious to the apparent joy that is available within Elizabeth Gilbert's book chronicling her literal and metaphorical journey following a tumultuous divorce, you have the opportunity to see the film, which was released in August in the USA starring Julia Roberts, premiered in London this week and is on general release today, .
Whilst film reviews are far from glowing, criticism appear to stem from the lack of detail about the spiritual encounters detailed within the written memoirs. The book has rocketed back up to the top of the best sellers list, having already been there for over three years.

Eat, Pray, Love: One Womans Search for Everything by Elizabeth Gilbert - Bloomsbury Compare Prices The story is about Elizabeth Gilbert's inner discontent despite being married, a successful writer and having a beautiful home. Whilst her husband wanted children, she most definitely did not. She embarks on an affair, files for divorce, and then the extra marital relationship breaks down. At this point, it should be explained that she gets and an idea for a book, and a substantial sum of money as a down payment and travels. The initial period was spent eating in Italy, followed by a spiritual enlightenment through prayer in India, and then a period in Bali, when, fortunately for the book title, looking for balance in life Elizabeth finds love.

Eat, Pray, Love was published in 2007. Elizabeth Gilbert has published a sequel entitled: 'Committed: A Sceptic Makes Peace with Marriage' which was published by Viking in January 2010, and has been taken up by a lot of readers who wanted to know what happened next...in a bit of a chick lit sort of way. To the disapointment of some and the thrill of others, they found that it was much deeper  treatise of the culture of marriage.

Another writer well used to having his novels become the next film script is John Le Carrè. During a recent interview with channel 4 news presenter Jon Snow, he claimed it was to be his last ever interview. Taken a little by surprise, Jon Snow used the opportunity to find out more about the links between his espionage writing and his career in MI5. Le Carrè sees his writing as the antithesis of Flemings James Bond creation, stating that spies recognise that the profession is one that lives outside of moral considerations for political expediency, and that it is much more unglamorous than people imagine. He does not want the round of talking about his books to impede his writing as he has seen occur with other great novelists.  Apparently, Le Carrè was interviewed the following week in the states! Maybe Le Carrè is subtly suggesting that if you want to understand the truth about someone's behaviour take a close look at what they do, rather than what they say. Or am I being too generous, and he just wanted to create more intrigue around his book.

Our Kind of Traitor by John Le Carrè - Viking Compare Prices Our Kind of traitor is a rare move away from Le Carrè's cold war related themes and takes a look at the effect of the recent global capitalist meltdown. A young idealistic Oxford academic with leftish sympathies visits Antigua for a holiday with his barrister girlfriend. An apparent chance introduction to a Russian millionaire called Dima results in a game of tennis. Dima has a tattoo on his right thumb, owns a peninsula and a diamond-encrusted gold watch. Henceforth begins an intense journey through Paris to a safe house in the Swiss Alps, to London elite murky underworld and its Intelligence Establishment. Le Carrè undertakes to explain the Kremlin's campaign to manage organise crime within Russia but Dima, an honourable criminal, is not prepared to sell out, despite the threat to his own and others personal safety. Le Carrè has the insight and knowledge to use his storytelling in order to explain the effects of the excesses of capitalism on our culture.

Stephen Hawking will be appearing at the Cheltenham Literary Festival next month to discuss his new book. Already courting controversy for suggesting that there is no longer a need for God, The Grand Design' has rekindled the polarisation between some creationists and cosmologists. The most recent scientific hypothesis on the mysteries of the universe take a close look at when and how the universe began – the 'why are we here' question, and the evidence for the need for a God to set things in motion.

Recently interviewed with Brian Cox, the discussion clearly illuminated the differences between what physicists understand when they use the term God and what theologians mean. These are important definitions when discussing a subject so open to misinterpretation and so sensitive to offending people's traditional beliefs. Clearly Hawking is not saying, as has been suggested, that there is no God period but that the universe does not require a creator in his current understanding of cosmology.

The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow - Bantam Press Compare prices The Grand Design suggests that new theories indicate  no single version of reality. Hawking discusses the multiverse concept – the idea that there are many universes, and that this idea diminishes the idea of a top down model of cosmology. I.e. there is not one history of the universe but many exist. He discusses his life's search for the unified theory of everything, a passion he has shared with Einstein. The Grand Design is a beautifully illustrated informative and provocative guide, challenging cherished beliefs. It is well worth purchasing the Hardback, as it is a first edition and likely to be one to pass on to the grandchildren. The Grand Design is also available on audio CD.