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 horrific 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.
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"i enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. Even if the topic of marriage isn't something you are particularly interested in, the discussions she brings up in the book about human nature and relationships are really well articulated and made me think. It was a great read, definitely recommend it to anyone."
— Tonia (4 out of 5 stars)
" I'm currently reading on the 3rd chapter of the book about the history of marriage.wow,how its startlingto know!..right now I'm happy not to be born to marry during those times. "
— Lan, 2/16/2014" Ok but not great. I didn't identify with the author's neurosis around marriage, though, so maybe this book just wasn't for me. "
— Ann, 2/10/2014" Very interesting research on marriage, I thought. If you didn't like Eat, Pray, Love don't read this book then complain about how awful it was! "
— Sharon, 2/5/2014" When I read Eat Pray Love, I thought that she was a bit of a self indulgent woman, and this book really confirmed it. I am not convinced that she really doesn't want children as she constantly mentions them in her battle with marriage. I hope she is happy with Felipe, and we don't have to read about another divorce in five years time!! "
— Abby, 1/30/2014" I listened to this book on tape during a very long drive, and it was really interesting. I love Gilbert's prose style, and while I greatly prefer her fiction to her recent forays into the chick lit memoir, this book was really thoughtful and compelling. "
— Courtney, 1/22/2014" Interesting perspectives on both modern and traditional/cultural roots of marriage. Gilbert's comments on gay marriage shed new light on my own beliefs about marriage and while I still have the same beliefs, I more clearly can articulate why I hold them, and define it a bit differently. "
— Layne, 1/20/2014" Looking for an overview on the history of marriage encapsulated inside a single, personal relationship -- Gilbert has done just this with her book. I was impressed with the amount of history she was able to convey while moving her own personal narrative forward. Well done. "
— Melissa, 1/5/2014" Not as good as the first one. "
— Katy, 1/4/2014" Interesting in parts but at times felt like she was trying to get enough material to fill a whole book. "
— Shannon, 12/29/2013" I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for light non-fiction. It reads like a long, interesting magazine article but is also introspective and very well-organized, with tidbits of her own experience woven in throughout. "
— emilyo, 12/25/2013" A wonderfully well written tell all confessional. Elizabeth Gilbert shares her journey down the aisle of matrimony. A must read for every woman questioning marriage. I found myself in the pages of this book.Absolutely loved this book !! "
— Malani, 12/23/2013" I am a newlywed so I found this book very interesting to read early on in my marriage. "
— Erica, 12/22/2013" I'm enjoying this book.This is the follow-up to Eat Pray Love.(Which I liked too!)Elizabeth Gilbert makes some really good points in the book and makes you think. "
— SuzyAC7, 12/5/2013" A less intriguing follow-up to "Eat, Pray, Love" although a much more forensic approach to love and self-discovery. It doesn't have the raw emotions and adventure but I enjoyed learning how the story ends. "
— Goodlife, 11/25/2013" If you're married, thinking about getting married, divorced or on your way to divorce, read this. Read it with an open mind. Never have I been so relieved and yet saddened by the realization that I'm not the only one who feels this way about marriage. "
— Barbara, 11/4/2013" You know what? I thought this book was great. I marked it up like crazy. It is a comprehensive book on great thoughts about marriage and why some "fail" and others "succeed." It was thought provoking for sure. "
— Rachel, 11/3/2013" I was not too big on her huge hit, but I really enjoyed this book! Kinda 'memoir meets academia'. "
— NYLon, 10/2/2013" I liked this book more than the first one! I found the research (though obviously tainted by personal opinion) on marriage and relationships fascinating and fun to read in the context of someone's personal experiences. "
— Amy, 9/24/2013" Very insightful. It's an eye-opener for any woman who's about to get married. Elizabeth Gilbert's sense of humor made me devour this book! Couldn't put it down. Loved it! "
— Marwa, 8/4/2013" Being a skeptic of marriage myself, I enjoyed the stories.... "
— Teri, 3/5/2013" Ms. Gilbert was skeptical about marriage, I'll be forever skeptical about your ability to write. "
— moshimoshineko, 2/18/2013" Not exactly what I thought when I started it, but I completely enjoyed it! "
— Bertmarie, 1/31/2013" I loved this book and the trials that she and her husband overcame to get married. The ending was fabulous! "
— Nicole, 11/11/2012" I really enjoyed this book. I thought the author's thoughts on marriage where very insightful. "
— Casey, 8/15/2012" She likes the words 'moreover' and 'furthermore'. A little too many facts. "
— Asha, 5/10/2012" Interesting thoughts on marriage, loosely held together by her personal story. "
— Paisley, 12/8/2011" Loved Eat Pray Love so wanted to continue the story. Not as enjoyable as the first. She goes off on these rabbit trails and gets way too deep into her study on marriage at times but overall an ok book. A have to read to get closure on the first book. "
— Tara, 8/6/2011" Interesting analysis if marriage. "
— Erin, 6/22/2011" This is a wonderfully honest look at marriage. "
— Melissa, 5/24/2011" I was looking forward to seeing what came after Eat, Pray, Love and was disappointed. There was so much rambling on and on about marriage, I found myself skipping forward to get to more interesting parts of the story, the ending. "
— Christine, 5/22/2011" Eat Pray Love was such a beautiful memoir. I expected Gilbert's followup to be just as insightful but felt let down. Good, but not what I expected. "
— Ashley, 5/22/2011" Fascinating look at the history of marriage and differences across cultures. Great insights into why many women today remain single, the role of non-marrieds, non-moms, and a case for why marriage exists. Worth the read if you, as I, observe marriage from a distance... curious, skeptical... "
— Carol, 5/21/2011" helped me get ready and changed my views and opinion on marriage - fascinating facts <br/> "
— Tanya, 5/19/2011" Hmmm....not too fearful if I never get married. Gilbert found that women who actually get married have a greater chance of dying earlier than those who do not. "
— Camellia, 5/18/2011" Really funny. Makes you think of marriage in a different light. "
— Jess, 5/18/2011" Already a fan of Eat, Pray, Love, I liked it. "
— Jennifer, 5/17/2011" This book was fantastic, one of the best I have read in a long time! It was incredible. She is an amazingly truthful and direct author. I think her life is fascinating, and the way she puts words together is inspiring. I hope this becomes a movie like Eat, Pray, Love did! "
— Angela, 5/16/2011" I hated this book, lazy writing and, really, why try to follow up Eat, Pray, Love at all? "
— Pritchardna, 5/13/2011" So boring :( just goes on and on about marriage... I stopped halfway. "
— Chanel, 5/10/2011Elizabeth Gilbert is an award-winning American writer of both fiction and nonfiction, named one of the most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2008. Her books have been New York Times bestsellers, including the #1 New York Times bestseller list for Committed. Her short story collection, Pilgrims, received the Pushcart Prize and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award, and her novel, Stern Men, was a New York Times Notable Book. Her 2002 book, The Last American Man, was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. She is best known for her memoir Eat, Pray, Love, which has been published in more than thirty languages and was made into a film.