Mary E. (smerler) -
Helpful Score: 8
I think some people, myself included, expected this to be a more personal story about Elizabeth Gilbert and Felipe. In some ways, I was pleasantly surprised that there was much more to this book. I really enjoyed the book as a whole and found the research, history and wide-range of information on marriage, traditions, etc. to be very interesting. As a divorced woman, I could relate completely to her description of divorce and its aftermath! I love her writing style - she never seems to take herself too seriously. I'd highly recommend this book, but if you are looking for a cutesy, romantic story about her and her future husband, don't bother. While she does share some personal details and stories of their romance, it is a non-fiction book about marriage, with some info thrown in there about various cultures, histories and feminisim.
Helpful Score: 8
Marc Belanger's Review
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Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage
Elizabeth Gilbert
Its been said that information is easy to come by, but insight is harder to find. This statement couldn't be proven more true than in Elizabeth Gilbert's new book Committed A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage. In this NYTimes bestseller, Elizabeth explores the natural, and oftentimes unnatural, evolution of marriage in our society and beyond. All the while, she cleverly weaves in her own struggle with this issue and circumstances she was in as a result of them.
Without repeating the details written on the book sleeve, it should be known that Elizabeths gradual move from anti-matrimony to marry-me-honey was not one of ease and freewill. In this book she uses the plot of her own current life experience to explore thousands of years of marriage rituals, rites, and rights. All this is then siphoned through the brilliant mind and eyes Elizabeth Gilbert and, in the end, resulting in a profound and deeper understand of what was, what could be, and what very well might be in the future for marriage. Elizabeths brilliance at developing sentences that are strong but flowing keep you learning and active without feeling worked. Her ability to turn an unseemly event into a thoughtful breakthrough is like no other sometimes simple, always profound.
Man, woman, gay, straight, married, divorced, or not even close to thinking about it, this is a book you will connect with. A book you will learn from. A book that will make you laugh, cry, and ponder.
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Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage
Elizabeth Gilbert
Its been said that information is easy to come by, but insight is harder to find. This statement couldn't be proven more true than in Elizabeth Gilbert's new book Committed A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage. In this NYTimes bestseller, Elizabeth explores the natural, and oftentimes unnatural, evolution of marriage in our society and beyond. All the while, she cleverly weaves in her own struggle with this issue and circumstances she was in as a result of them.
Without repeating the details written on the book sleeve, it should be known that Elizabeths gradual move from anti-matrimony to marry-me-honey was not one of ease and freewill. In this book she uses the plot of her own current life experience to explore thousands of years of marriage rituals, rites, and rights. All this is then siphoned through the brilliant mind and eyes Elizabeth Gilbert and, in the end, resulting in a profound and deeper understand of what was, what could be, and what very well might be in the future for marriage. Elizabeths brilliance at developing sentences that are strong but flowing keep you learning and active without feeling worked. Her ability to turn an unseemly event into a thoughtful breakthrough is like no other sometimes simple, always profound.
Man, woman, gay, straight, married, divorced, or not even close to thinking about it, this is a book you will connect with. A book you will learn from. A book that will make you laugh, cry, and ponder.
Helpful Score: 3
This is not a book you rush home to curl up in bed with. It is slow moving, and more of a historical study of the evolution of marriage/marriage in different cultures than it is a story about Elizabeth and Felipe. It can be pretty dry in certain spots, but Gilbert's antecdotes and metaphors were so beautiful and memorable that it made the book worth reading.
Madge C. (dmconn1) reviewed Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage on + 234 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I couldn't get into this book. I never read her book, "Eat, Pray, Love" but don't think that was necessary to glean something from this one. I was most interested in her personal story but found the individual accounts of those she researched about married life too dry for my taste. I am not a lover of short stories within a book and this felt like it to me. I skipped through the middle and read the last couple of chapters to satisfy my curiosity as to what happened with her and Felipe.
Emily G. (wiltinglilly) reviewed Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage on + 33 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Though this is marketed as the sequel to "Eat, Pray, Love" (and it is), it is more about the history of marriage practices throughout the world and thoughts about the subject from the author and various other scholars. It does follow Elizabeth and Felipe after the previous book ends, so it was nice to get into that again, but I was slightly disappointed in this story because I was so in love with "Eat, Pray, Love" and did not find this match up to its greatness. I enjoyed the story and the opinions, but I will most likely not be reading this over and over like its predecessor.
Heather D. (icantswim) -
This book speaks my language. I love this author. I especially loved the chapter dedicated to women who know they will not have children, for any various reason, and she named them the Auntie Brigade. I learned from this book a lot on the history of marriage in society. There is strength in knowing who you are and having the conviction to live the life that's right by you.
I thought it was OK. After reading Eat, Pray, Love I was disappointed in this book. I was anxious for it to end & therefore didn't read the last 25% - just lost interest.
I like Gilbert's writing style. This book is less like EAT, PRAY, LOVE, in that it's more sociology and anthropology mixed in with the author's personal story. A great examination of marriage as an institution.
Not as riveting at Eat, Pray, Love, but entertaining in its own right.
I enjoy Elizabeth Gilbert's style of writing, I feel like I'm there listening to her talk. Her insights into marriage are interesting, but not too enlightening. I knew much of the info already. A fun read, nonetheless.
Cameron D. (camnicole) reviewed Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage on + 7 more book reviews
didn't like it. i loved Eat, Pray, Love and this disappointed me. not what i expected.
Connie H. (conniehi) -
Interesting to think about the American concept of marriage. Americans expect a lot more out of relationships that the rest of the world expect. Go figure. Would recommend it for a friend. In fact I have a friend waiting for it. Just little snippets of her and her finance, and a lot of interviewing women in the countries she is visiting. Plus some book research thrown in. An unusual combination that works. Enjoy
Susan G. (onstagegirl) reviewed Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage on + 81 more book reviews
Getting married? Read this book. It is a great story but it also reflects on what marriage is and what it isn't.
