SOCIAL MEDIA

Review: Committed

Have you read this yet? I had been waiting to read Committed: a skeptic makes peace with marriage for months, I know it’s a new release but I have been aware of this ‘sequel’ for a long time. Last summer I watched Elizabeth Gilbert talk at TED, part of her discussion was related to the success of Eat, Pray, Love and her awareness of the struggle to surpass this success (she talks about the odds being against her). It’s a very interesting talk, I encourage everyone to watch/listen.

The main reason for reading this so quickly (and not waiting for the library copy), the Slate Book Club is discussing this book soon and I want to be able to listen to the discussion when it posts.

From author’s website: I believe that – if you are serious about a life of writing, or indeed about any creative form of expression – that you should take on this work like a holy calling. I became a writer the way other people become monks or nuns. I made a vow to writing, very young. I became Bride-of-Writing. I was writing’s most devotional handmaiden. I built my entire life around writing. I didn’t know how else to do this. I didn’t know anyone who had ever become a writer. I had no, as they say, connections. I had no clues. I just began.

Links:
Author Q&A
Nurturing Creativity (TED)

Type: Non-fiction, 285 pages, Hardcover

Synopsis: A sequel to her bestselling memoir, Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert’s new book is the story of how she and Felipe, the man she met and fell in love with at the end of Eat, Pray, Love, grapple and ultimately make peace with the notion of marriage, long after each of them has endured an ugly divorce and sworn off the institution.

Quick Take: I finished this book almost two weeks ago and have been waiting to write about it. I did end up listening to the audio version which was narrated by the author. This might have impacted my ‘reading’ experience, it was like having a friend share their story. In short, Gilbert and her then boyfriend are entering the US, he is deported and they must marry for him to enter the United States. Neither want to get marriaged, they want commitment, not marriage and plan to be together forever.

I have to say I REALLY liked this book. It’s part educational, part memoir. I enjoyed learning how marriage is defined around the world. Gilbert did a lot of research and took time to write a book that is worth reading. We are reading about her journey, at the beginning of the book she doesn’t really want to marry again but recent events force her to re-evaluate. If you enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love I think you will like this book.

If you have read it I would love to hear your thoughts, if you haven’t…let me know when you do read it. There is a lot to discuss!

Source: Personal copy