. a letter to an author.

Dear Elizabeth Gilbert...

I am currently reading your novel 'Eat Pray Love' and I have to say, I don't know if I can continue as I am stuck on page 61. This is why... You are in Italy at this point and you were just comparing forms of pleasure for both Americans and Italians... I find that your description of how American's seek pleasure was quite disturbing. I quote, "Generally speaking, though, Americans have an inability to relax into sheer pleasure. Ours is an entertainment-seeking nation, but not necessarily a pleasure-seeking one. Americans spend billions to keep themselves amused with everything from porn to theme parks to wars, but that's not exactly the same things as quiet enjoyment".
I understand the porn- which grosses millions of dollars each year. I understand theme parks- they're not just for kids. But I do not understand how you can actually write in print that Americans use 'war' as a form of entertainment. I am quite horrified right now. Elizabeth do you actually think that all of the men and women in our armed forces joined and fought over seas in terrible wars throughout our history because they wanted to entertain themselves? Seriously! You have already previously written in this book how distraught and heartbroken you were about 'your city's' twin towers being distroyed. Was this not because of our foreign enemies attacking us? Was the war in Iraq and Afghanistan not sparked because of this attack? Did the men and women, fellow Americans and the like die for nothing, according to you? Those that died, were they entertainment addicts? I believe you need to revisit this statement and really think about writing that war is for entertainment.
I am enjoying your novel, I find you rather funny and a little too analytical. Your anicdotes are interesting and you tend to run off on tangents, but otherwise... I am finding this little jaunt through your travel experiences wonderful. So... can I continue after this? Can I get past this very liberal opinion when I myself have a husband that fought in those wars? I guess I'll let you know.