I recently watched the movie adaptation of the mega-bestselling Eat Pray Love book by Elizabeth Gilbert which I had read and loved years ago. Click through the link to my review and comparison of the book and the movie at 5 Minutes for Books.
In February of last year, I reviewed another of her books — sort of part two of the story: Committed: A Love Story (interestingly enough the subtitle of the hardcover book is not “A Love Story,” but “A Skeptic comes to Terms with Marriage,” both of which fit in different ways).
In the book, Gilbert herself addresses the problem of publishing a follow-up to the kind of book that Eat, Pray, Love turned out to be. Whereas that book was a book of self-discovery, Committed is more of a nonfiction research/memoir cross.
I like these types of “project memoirs” as I call them, in which the author takes the approach that a journalist would — examining his or her own life and supplementing it with intensive research on the subject. Yes Gilbert shares her personal experiences, but mostly explains or reacts to other studies she’s read on marriage — and divorce — or laws, or social commentary on the institution.
Ultimately, she’s not trying to change the world (well, she might be trying to sway thoughts and laws about marriage and what it does to women) — she’s telling her story. She’s telling why she chose love, and why she had chosen to be unmarried and child-free before being forced to take another look at marriage.
If you are looking for information on the institution of marriage — particularly if you feel disenfranchised from it either by divorce, or singleness (by choice or circumstance), or exclusion (by the legal definition of marriage), then I can highly recommend this book to you. As she says in the hardcover’s subtitle “A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage,” she is in fact looking at the institution of marriage from the viewpoint of one who does not believe that marriage has been a good thing — for her personally and also more broadly for women in general.
But for me, a happy-to-be-married woman who is (fairly) socially conservative, it is more of a flatline. I am glad I read it, because I do like Gilbert’s style and matter-of-fact way of looking at life, but I don’t need to read it again, and I’m not sure that it will stick with me as other memoirs, including Eat Pray Love, have.
We have a copy of Committed: A Love Story to give to one of you (U.S. addresses only). Please leave a comment if you’re interested. We’ll announce the winner on February 28 here in our weekly book column.
Jennifer Donovan would love to be able to travel as widely as Elizabeth Gilbert has. She blogs at Snapshot, where she shares about some of the trips she’s been able to take as well as the ups and downs of her marriage (but not quite as candidly as the memoirist does).
I have been reading out some of your posts and i must say pretty good stuff. I will surely bookmark your site.
You must take part in a contest for among the best blogs on the web. I’ll recommend this site!
This actually answered my problem, thank you!
This looks like a good read!
My friends and I are fans of “Eat, Pray, Love!”
This would be fabulous to read and pass on to
my friends…
Much thanks to you!
Cindi
Loved Eat, Pray, Love & would love to win this!
danielleaknapp at gmail dot com
i would love to read this! thanks for another great giveaway
I love to travel, and although I’m thankful for the few places I’ve been,
I’ am looking forward to traveling when I’ve met some family
needs I’m, now, responsible for. I use books to fulfill that need for now.
I really enjoyed Eat Pray Love for that reason, and I’d love to read her
follow-up memoir.
Gayle
I have heard such great things about this book! Cannot wait to read it 🙂
I remember reading Eat, Pray, Love shortly after it was first released and loving it. I would love to be entered for the sequel!
I have read Ms. Gilbert’s fiction and it is wonderful plus the famous book, Eat, Pray, Love and now I am not sure if her next book,Committed, is for me but I am curious.
please enter me:)
I’d love a new book to read!
Would love to read this book! 😀
Please enter me.
I would love to win this book!
Please enter me.
I am very interested in this book.
I am always up for a good book!
nhmummab@comcast.net
Looks interesting…thanks for the giveaway.
I’d love to read this. Thanks for the chance.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
I heard this wasn’t as good as “Eat Pray Love,” which I really enjoyed, but I’d like to read it anyway. The author is a very good writer.
I loved this first book and would love to read this one!
someluckydog at gmail dot com
well I never read Eat Pray Love and I am committed to my marriage and feel it’s been good for both of us. but I’m curious, and an omnivorous reader, so I’d like to read this one!
sounds like a great book
nannypanpan at sbcglobal.net
I would love to read this book.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
looks like an interesting read–thanks for the chance to win!
Would love to win this! Thanks, Maureen (jnomaxx at hotmail dot com)
I would love to read another Elizabeth Gilbert book.
The book sounds wonderful. Please enter me. Thanks!
Looks and sounds like a wonderful read! Thank you for the opportunity! 🙂
sounds like a sweet book. thanks for the opportunity.
I loved eat ,pray, love it really helped me get through my divorce and bring new meaning. I have found LOVE again and I would enjoy reading this and seeing her prespective! Thanks for the chance! 🙂
Would love this book…
love to win!
Sounds llke an interesting read.
Love story that is memoirish sounds like a winner to me!
This looks like another great book.
I read Eat, Pray, Love and would be very interested in reading Committed as well. Thanks for the giveaway!
I adored Eat, Pray, Love and have been wanting to read this follow up, I’d love to win it!
This book look awesome. Great giveaway on Valentines!
I would love to read the continuation of the original story.
I read Eat, Pray, Love, and loved it! I really want to read Committed. Elizabeth Gilbert is a gifted writer.
susanbillietaylor [at] gmail [dot] com
Looks like a good read!
I’m always up for a new book.