Committed - Elizabeth Gilbert

Committed

By Elizabeth Gilbert

  • Release Date: 2010-01-05
  • Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Score: 4
4
From 536 Ratings

Description

The #1 New York Times bestselling follow-up to Eat Pray Lovean intimate and erudite celebration of love from the author of Big Magic and City of Girls. 

At the end of her bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert fell in love with Felipe, a Brazilian-born man of Australian citizenship who'd been living in Indonesia when they met. Resettling in America, the couple swore eternal fidelity to each other, but also swore to never, ever, under any circumstances get legally married. (Both were survivors of previous bad divorces. Enough said.) But providence intervened one day in the form of the United States government, which-after unexpectedly detaining Felipe at an American border crossing-gave the couple a choice: they could either get married, or Felipe would never be allowed to enter the country again. Having been effectively sentenced to wed, Gilbert tackled her fears of marriage by delving into this topic completely, trying with all her might to discover through historical research, interviews, and much personal reflection what this stubbornly enduring old institution actually is. Told with Gilbert's trademark wit, intelligence and compassion, Committed attempts to "turn on all the lights" when it comes to matrimony, frankly examining questions of compatibility, infatuation, fidelity, family tradition, social expectations, divorce risks and humbling responsibilities. Gilbert's memoir is ultimately a clear-eyed celebration of love with all the complexity and consequence that real love, in the real world, actually entails.

Reviews

  • Committed

    5
    By maeoui
    So dearly needed this book, right now. Marriage is one of the most confusing arrangements in life. I am comforted by the fact that I am not the only one who has struggled with its ups and downs. So truthful and heart wrenching.
  • I Should Be Committed For Buying This Book

    1
    By Diana MEP
    I loved Eat Pray Love so I thought this would be equally as moving, enjoying, and entertaining. Nothing could be further from the truth. She went on and on, ad nauseam, and took FOREVER to get to her point. Plus she introduced her brand of politics, which I found unecessary and offensive, despite whether or not I agree with her. Eat Pray Love was a masterpiece and she deserved all the accolades. This book wasn’t worth my time or money. I’ll be deleting it from my iTunes library and read the aforementioned book again.
  • From one marriage skeptic to another, an amazing read

    5
    By msandreamarie
    This is not Eat, Pray, Love. It's not comprised of hundreds of small stories woven into one coherent tale (although there are some great one thrown in). Just like the title says, it's the author's attempt to reconcile with the idea of marriage. If you, too, are in that boat you will find this to be an immensely rewarding read. Some reviewers didn't like all of the "history" the author included in the book...but in my opinion the history was the best part. For someone like me trying to sort out my feelings about marriage, I wanted more than Elizabeth Gilbert's musings on the subject. I appreciated getting perspectives from different cultures and time periods. Overall, a wonderful read that has motivated me (as a young person in a committed relationship moving towards marriage) to stop and truly think about what that next step means.
  • Passion on steroids

    5
    By davidsumnernyc
    Some people are so smitten they'll endure just about anything and everything for love. Gilbert shares her true romantic story- one that seems both fantastical and totally unbelievable. Impressive woman; lucky husband. Solid author.
  • البنت مخلوقة للمطبخ.

    4
    By Ana,fofa
    الكاتبة صريحه جداً في اغلب الحالات. كلنا نعرف ان الزواج حسب ماي نظر اليه وحسب كل مجتمع وكل أعراف ولكنا تتشابه كلها في استغلال الإناث. الزواج ختم الحب وليس استعباد أمراءه.
  • Think textbook, not novel...

    1
    By MonaMD
    I wouldn't describe this book as a novel, more of an anthropological look at marriage. If you're interested in learning about religion and marriage in different cultures, this might be the book for you, but I wanted more of a personal story.
  • Read The Signature of All Things instead

    1
    By Kjohnsonvt
    I loved her other books but this one was too wordy. Too long winded.
  • A must.

    5
    By Candy Jean
    I have read this book three times now. It is a must read for anyone considering marriage, full of thought and honesty.
  • Really enjoyed

    5
    By shl7c
    Didn't think I would like this, but really did.
  • Perhaps more enjoyable than the predecessor!

    5
    By anthrogurl
    I didn't know what to expect after reading reviews of people annoyed by e marriage history in the book......I LOVED IT. I loved the way she weaved her research into her recollections. I think it is a book for everyone to read....single, married, engaged, divorced, those hoping to someday marry, those totally disinterested in marriage, men, women, straight, gay. Thank you Liz, for a thoughtful and by humorous book.

Comments