Committed is Gilbert’s sequel to her famous autobiographical work Eat, Pray, Love. However, I don’t think Committed will be as widely regarded as a woman’s bible to self guidance and exploration, as its predecessor has often been labelled. Instead, it may simply provide marriage sceptics with some relevant information so they can perhaps reassess their opinions.
Committed begins with Gilbert’s expression of love for Brazilian man Felipe, whom she met during her travels to Bali (the Love section of Eat, Pray, Love). We find out that while both are committed, neither wishes to marry again because of painful divorces. Felipe is then refused entry into America, and it is made known that if he has any chance of permanent residency, he must marry Gilbert. Ironic? You betcha!
This discovery means that Gilbert uses most of Committed to explore the very notion of marriage –Where did it originate? How does it differ in other cultures? What can Gilbert expect in her second marriage? Gilbert includes information from many sources, including, sociologists and marriage experts, friends and family, religious texts, and her travels around Asia with Felipe while they wait for his visa to be cleared.
While I was intrigued with the marital information she provided, I found Gilbert went off on major tangents. I suppose this is the way a human brain would tackle something sceptical (I’m known to ponder and not hear anything around me), however it took a long while for Gilbert to return to her main point. Much of the information was also heavy in history, so I found myself only reading a few pages at a time. This allowed me to digest the information and assess the marital institution from a Western perspective.
Committed, despite its tangents, was a surprisingly decent read. This may be because I studied sociology as part of my journalism degree, and I am generally interested in social institutions such as marriage, family, and school. Therefore, if you are not a huge history fan, I would not recommend this book to you! Committed may also make a nice bridal shower gift as she prepares for her big day.
3.5 out of 5 stars
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