Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

ugh, ugh, ugh (2010-09-02) : 1/5
I only tried to read this because it came free on my Sony e-reader. I was not a huge fan of Eat, Pray, Love and am even less of a fan of this book. It is dull, boring and I think in part- made up. Elizabeth Gilbert starts out the book apologizing over and over again (I'm not a historian, I'm not an anthropoligist) enough already, we know who you are- just write the book. She then goes into great detail about how this is a book about WESTERN marriage and then proceeds to start it off by talking about the Hmong women of Vietnam...huh? As a reader, I felt confused and duped. She gives two different examples of people who had more or less arranged marriages who could not remember meeting their spouse-(ie because it just wasn't that important), early courtship, etc. I find this highly unlikely. Partly because I AM a social scientist and know from interviewing many, many people that life-changing events such as meeting your spouse (in whatever social construction that might be) is remembered, in detail. The worst part is that she goes on and on, goes off on tangents and then you forget what she is even talking about in the first place. She is like a really boring, really chatty neighbor you just can't get away from. Well, I can get away from her, I'm not going to finish the book!0
Recontextualizing Marriage (2010-08-31) : 4/5
If you can think for yourself, are passionate about questioning assumptions and open to a bit of subversion read this book! Here is your chance to have your mind opened if you will allow it.
Gilbert gives herself to the conundrum of commitment as only a very bright questioner of authority could. She gamely challenges her own nagging doubts about the institution of marriage. She explores the twisted route (or roots) of its transformation, and maps its frequent changes over the last few centuries.
If you are perfectly comfortable following the prescribed societal routines, if you are deep fried in any kind of fundamentalist religious beliefs and opposed to discovering historical context that might rattle your adamantine notions, if you expect this book to sing the praises of the bloated undertaking that is currently assumed to fulfill all a girl's princess-shaped fantasies, go elsewhere.
Probably won't finish (2010-08-30) : 1/5
I hated EPL. Did not get at all how that book became such a world wide phenomenon. The woman bores me, frankly. And the only reason I am reading Committed is because I found it at a church book sale for 50 centimes. About 40 centimes too much as far as I can tell after 50 pages. Just as dreary as EPL.
better than EPL (2010-08-24) : 5/5
I enjoyed this book more than Eat, Pray, Love. I loved EPL as well. This book was more educational. Young people should read this before getting married. It made me laugh and cry more than Eat, Pray, Love. I enjoyed learning about how other cultures think about marriage and people from other times thought about marriage. Before I got married, I had a preconceived, "Western" idea about what marriage is. And then I got divorced. After reading Committed, I am more open to different ideas of what marriage is.
Feels unfinished (2010-08-23) : 3/5
In the foreword, the author said she had destroyed one manuscript and started over. This one feels a bit sketchy and unfocused. There are some great stories here, but mostly, she retreats into theory instead of focusing on the reality of a what it means to build a real, long-term relationship. I wonder if she felt uncomfortable writing about her relationship once she was planning to marry? That might explain why it felt too cerebral and less heartfelt.