What's Eating Gilbert Grape

Peter Hedges has created a masterpiece with What's Eating Gilbert Grape? It's a very easy read, leaving the reader anxious to find out what's going to happen next.

Gilbert is the narrator of the story. He has assumed the father-figure role over a family made up of two sisters, a brother, Arnie, who has special needs, and a morbidly obese mother. What a burden to be heaped upon his shoulders.

The plot moves along at a steady pace with one problem after another needing attention. Of course Gilbert is in charge and has to oversee the operation of a family slowly falling apart.

Gilbert does fall in love and that serves to add light to a rather dismal story. There is hope that Gilbert will one day find the happiness he truly deserves.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in social problems. The relationship between Gilbert and his brother is heartbreaking, but beautiful. Living with a person with an eating disorder is explored. How it feels to be social outcasts is a dominant theme throughout the book. The book causes the reader to take a close look at how we treat one another, especially those who are significantly different in mental capabilities or severely overweight according to the standards set by society.

Gilbert Grape is a hero!

The characters in What's Eating Gilbert Grape by Peter Hedges are gritty and flawed and repulsive and totally engaging as well as entirely believable. It's a great study of a young man seeking meaning for his life and trying to decide when he can put his own needs before the needs of a very dysfunctional family.

Gilbert's day-to-day life in small-town Iowa is mind-numbingly realistic, and you can understand both his frustrations at the life he's living and the limitations that keep him living it. As long as he doesn't think too much about his situation or analyze his prospects for the future, life can go on as before.

But when a girl who is very different from anyone else Gilbert knows arrives on the scene, he begins to question everything. This is a great book to read in a mother-daughter book club of girls in 11th grade up or an adult book club and then to watch the movie. Comparing and contrasting the two is very interesting, particularly since author Peter Hedges also wrote the screenplay.

I read this book years ago -- it literally jumped off the book shelf at the library and landed on my foot and I thought, WOW! THIS LOOKS LIKE A GOOD BOOK ~~~~~~~~~ !!!!!!!!

GOOD is not a GOOD enough word for this book. Having read this epic wonder in 1992, here I am, 14 years later, still thinking of it. That, in itself, should speak for itself!!! READ THIS BOOK.

This is a wonderful story line, plot, cast of characters. They tear your heart out. Have kleenex handy as you will need them. Be prepared to laugh out loud also. Mr. Hedges is a superb author with insight into the human soul.

As most of you know, this was made into a movie starring Johnny Depp and Leonardo C. Leonardo was nominated for the OSCAR for his role. The movie follows the book to a tee. I would suggest reading the book first if you have not by chance seen the movie. However -- even if you have seen the movie and LOVED it, treat yourself and read the book. Books are ALWAYS better.

I have recommended this book to all of my friends and family over the last 14 years. The more people who read this, the better. There is no age limit, this can be enjoyed by nearly every age group and gender. It is just soooooooooooo good!!!!

READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!! You will not be sorry.

Thanks -- Pam

"What's Eating Gilbert Grape" by Peter Hedges has long been popular with my peers while we were attending high school in the late 1990's. For some inexplicable reason, this book slipped by me in those years. Recently, though, a number of parents in the community of Carroll, Iowa (pop. ~10,000) declared the book 'inappropiate' mostly due to the sexual references in the book. With all the sudden publicity, my natural reaction was to read it for myself (many persons around me followed suit.)

Upon reading the novel, I finally discovered why this book connected with the rural youth that I grew up with. The characters in the book are easy to relate to: there are devout Christians with makeup caked on their faces, adulterers, handicapped persons that garner the sympathy of everyone, underage women that the men fantasize over, small business owners facing encroachment by corporate America, and the native who got out of town and thus became a smashing success. The hero, Gilbert Grape, desperately wants to leave his seemingly boring small town of Endora, Iowa, just as so many small-town kids dream of doing. Overall, it is funny and dark but a great coming of age story.

The passages that caused the great controversy in my own hometown were over-exaggerated. There are references to oral sex, masturbation, adultery, and promiscuity in the book; but these make the character seem more tangible and pale in the overall plot and message of the book. Many parents that deemed the book unfit for their teens admitted that they read only select lines. However, those who have read the whole book tend to look beyond those few lines and agree that Hedges' novel is a work of literature with a valuable message, and I could not agree more.

What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a wonderful novel that any reader will fall in love with. It doesn't matter what your favorite genre of books is, you will learn to love such a natural novel as this. The characters Gilbert and Arnie make the story so entertaining and easy to identify with. The story explores their everyday lives and how they learn to deal with the problems that so many of us face ourselves. What's Eating Gilbert Grape is my most favorite book of all time.
Zachary B. Medina
Author of Decador

I enjoyed this book more than I expected. I liked the movie so I tried the book. The book was very relatable to me. I enjoyed Gilbert's outlook on life. It was dark and depressing but real. The story indirectly talks about healing his perspective into a healthier one. I'll read this book again.

What's Eating Gilbert Grape, a book that I wouldn't have read if it wasn't for my reading class. I am glad I chose to enjoy this book. This book is strongly recommended by me to anyone who is willing to release themselves from the big city life and into an imagination of a small town boy waiting to get out. I also recommend reading this book if you have already seen the movie because there is so much more detail in this book. The movie was based on the book, so if parts of the film were unexplainable read the book for better details and descriptions of the characters and their actions. The author of this book, Peter Hedges, attended the same school that I did, so it was really neat to be reading his work. The book also requires some added thought, and I suggest annotating the book for fun. It takes a little extra time but it is well worth it for the added knowledge and insight you get into Gilbert's fascinating life. Gilbert is a 24 year old small town boy who struggles to find his place in society. Through his affair with an older woman, being a father-figure to his family, and being an unexperienced lover, Gilbert Grape has plenty of new experiences in this book. His sister, Amy is also very independent, but is forced to take care of her siblings and mother as well. Both adults work hard to support their mother who is very obese and unable to leave the house, a brother, Arnie who is mentally challenged and always finds himself in some kind of mischief, and a sister, Ellen whose young teenage horomones are racing for men. A mysterious girl comes to Eldora, Iowa and leaves all the young men drooling. Gilbert learns a lot from this girl, how to let go, how to forgive, and how to show his emotions. Through all of Gilbert's pain and happiness, he learns about life through a whole new perspective and is less eager about leaving his small hometown.

If your only experience with What's Eating Gilbert Grape is the film, then you must read the book. They are both fantastic, but the characters in the book are far more interesting. The dark, sad humor of the book is brilliant.

I read this book in my Comtemporary Literature class. At first, I think it is just like a regular novel that can earn people's tears especially Leo is playing for that retarded kid. However, it is truly moving. The central theme around the Grape family moves into a complicated pattern inside Gilbert's heart. I think this book really brings out the insight in a typical American family. Don't think this is a regular novel for a movie. Well, just want to say it is a great book!

Reading this book, I was pleased to find the exact description of a small town in Iowa. Peter Hedge's descriptions of what was happening never left me wondering, and always gave me something to picture. I read this book for a class, and had no trouble writing about it afterwards. It's excellent for school, and gives people an entertaining example of how to keep a reader's attention. The scenarios in the book are what most people can relate to. You experience humiliation, excitement, anticipation, and first loves all over again from reading this book. It draws you in and you can't help but feel for the Grape family, especially for poor Arnie who's so innocent. The Grape family is one you will instantly fall in love with! With `obese Momma', `boy crazy Ellen', and `over protective Amy', this makes the whole family come together. Overall I would highly recommend this book!

Reading this book, I was pleased to find the exact description of a small town in Iowa. Peter Hedge's descriptions of what was happening never left me wondering, and always gave me something to picture. I read this book for a class, and had no trouble writing about it afterwards. It's excellent for school, and gives people an entertaining example of how to keep a reader's attention. The scenarios in the book are what most people can relate to. You experience humiliation, excitement, anticipation, and first loves all over again from reading this book. It draws you in and you can't help but feel for the Grape family, especially for poor Arnie who's so innocent. The Grape family is one you will instantly fall in love with! With `obese Momma', `boy crazy Ellen', and `over protective Amy', this makes the whole family come together. Overall I would highly recommend this book!

What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a novel that will "rip the bandage from your heart". It combines wit, passion and wisdom all delicately clothed in symbolism and things that are left un-said. Each event within this story is a reflection of the diverse characters that make up this poignant novel.....it will make you laugh and cry. Definately worth a read.

Kirkus's review above has always puzzled me. I have seen them gush over books with far less merit than this one, and this might be the only negative review from them I have ever seen. Certainly it is the cruelest. I mean, "The only thing missing is content and nerve"? "Hardly any serious effect on the reader's emotions or intellect"? That's crazy. It smacks of a biased reviewer having a lousy day. And many points, notably the comment about the book's dependence on pop culture, are never supported or explained. I have always wished they would change it to give it a more fair reading, or at least one that does not qualify as the most hateful I've seen on all of the store.com. The treatment they gave this delightful book is deplorable and shameful.

This book is a lot better than the movie. Gilbert makes many sardonic comments that were completely disregarded by the screenwriters of the film, but are very much worth reading here. Fans of male "coming-of-age" stories will definitely want to add this to their list if they haven't read it already.

after watching the film with leo dicaprio and jonny depp i was very moved ,particularly by the moving performance of dicaprio. Then i read the book which almost brought me to tears. I heavily reccomend this book, it is unpredictable and moving . Ihope you like it as much i did.

This book by Mr Hedges manages to give the understanding reader the idea of hope observed distrustfully by the hopeless Gilbert Grape. Personal, familial, and even community-wide shame is borne upon our protagonist's shoulders. Watching him achingly let these things roll off of his shoulders is one of the joys in this book. The second is the joy in discovering another person who will always be beautiful, riding her bike in front of Gilbert's old rusty second-hand truck.
I would recommend this book to anyone who would care to give their life (or any other in that case) a closer look and appreciate the best of it.

great book. you see gilbert grape and his dysfunctional family. he tries to keep them together but he doesn't think he can make it in boring old Endora. This book is hilarious and truely touching. Five stars isn't enough.

This book is so amazing. I mean gilbert gives and gives so much but doesnt bother to think of himself. the way that this family works is crazy but gilbert is the glue to it all. and after all the years of him not caring for himself, in the end he finally gets to be free.

I found this dark story of American life compelling. The book seems to have a lot to do with making choices. This book should be enjoyed by those who like a dark, well told story. The shiny happy people out there probably wouldn't like it.