Watermark Books and Cafe

It has been four years and several million copies sold since Elizabeth Gilbert came to Wichita to win readers approval for her memoir "Eat, Pray, Love." She was worried the book was too personal, maybe even self-indulgent. But it was such a tremendous success, she could have sailed into the sunset with "Filipe" the love of her life--a character known to her new found fans.

But she didn’t. Her new book, "Committed," is an exploration of marriage across cultures and classes. Gilbert has an uncanny knack for when to turn off the humorous personal anecdotes and give us thoughtful commentary and history. For example, why is it that fewer arranged marriages end in divorce? And why do Americans have such high romantic standards for what is essentially a government contract? 

Overcoming hesitation and finding real happiness is her story in "Committed," and it is a story we can enjoy for the pure storytelling... as well as for the satisfaction of a "happier ever after" ending. We all know from "Eat, Pray, Love," Gilbert has been burned by love and is hesitant to accept it again, much less give marriage another go after such brutal previous failures.

It was Shakespeare who showed us that all tragedies end in death and all comedies end in marriage, but it is Elizabeth Gilbert who proves it.

Review by Sarah Bagby