Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. I’m currently taking a course which looks at the individual psyche through the lens of anthropology. I found this book looked at marriage of an individual – her – in much the same way. Although it was obviously her personal account, the book was also part sociology, part psychology, part anthropology. Consequently, in addition to learning about Gilbert’s personal struggles and feelings toward marriage, you also learn about the history of marriage, the statistical side of marriage (poor for the woman, although it is improving), and how the institution of marriage has evolved over the centuries. The historical part of the book was fascinating to me. “Committed” is part textbook, part autobiography.
Elizabeth Gilbert was both honest and entertaining in her writing, I found her take on marriage compelling. Additionally, it was the first audio book I have ever read and I have to say with Gilbert reading the text, it added another element to the story which made it even more enjoyable – plus it made time on the treadmill and eliptical trainer fly by!
I highly recommend it.