17/08/2025
I have been loving my experience reading ‘Committed: A love story’ by Elizabeth Gilbert so far! I just finished Chapter 5 today, and wow, it has been an insightful exploration of marriage.
Here’s a quick summary of the chapters I’ve read out aloud on my X Spaces:
“In Chapter 1: Marriage and Surprises Elizabeth Gilbert introduces her relationship with Felipe, her partner, both scarred by past divorces and hesitant about marriage. Their plans for a non-marital partnership are disrupted when Felipe is detained by U.S. Homeland Security due to visa issues, forcing them to consider marriage to stay together. Gilbert decides to dive into researching marriage to confront her fears.
Chapter 2: Marriage and Expectation takes us to a Hmong village in Vietnam, where Gilbert contrasts Western romantic ideals with the Hmong’s pragmatic, community-focused approach to marriage. She questions whether Western expectations of emotional fulfillment from a spouse might be unrealistic, sparking reflection on simpler approaches to love.
Chapter 3: Marriage and History explores the historical evolution of marriage, revealing its varied forms like polygamy or ghost marriages in China showing it is more a social contract than a universal romantic ideal. Gilbert reflects on how tying love to marriage can make it fragile, especially for second marriages.
Chapter 4: Marriage and Infatuation delves into the difference between fleeting infatuation and lasting love. While traveling in Laos, Gilbert ponders how desire can tether happiness to another person, using myths like Aristophanes’ tale of split humans to highlight our longing for connection, balanced by the need for tolerance.
Chapter 5: Marriage and Women tackles the challenges women face in marriage, historically and today, balancing work, love, and family. Gilbert examines how traditional roles often disadvantaged women and how modern shifts toward equality are reshaping partnerships.
This book blends the author’s personal stories, cultural insights, and history so beautifully! It’s making me rethink what marriage means in such a nuanced way.”
Having read ‘Eat Pray Love’ by Gilbert before, it was no brainer when a South Sudanese (Saree Eliska Mading) author of ‘Making Love in Jieng, Making Peace with Me’, who is a friend, had recommended it.
Ever since I moved to Juba, I have maintained my reading spaces on X despite technical challenges here and there, I was originally going to read Elizabeth’s book for myself but then when I started reading I felt it in my spirit to read it out loud on my platform while I waited for my next read. It is going a year since I fell back in love with reading and it has become a huge part of my life. Thank you for the support you guys.
‘It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it.’
– Oscar Wilde
