Committed：A Love Story

AttheendofherbestsellingmemoirEat,Pray,Love,ElizabethGilbertfellinlovewithFelipe–aBrazilian-bornmanofAustraliancitizenshipwho’dbeenlivinginIndonesiawhentheymet.ResettlinginAmerica,thecouplesworeeternalfidelitytoeachother,butalsosworetonever,ever,underanycircumstancesgetlegallymarried.(Bothsurvivorsofdifficultdivorces.Enoughsaid.)ButprovidenceintervenedonedayintheformoftheU.S.government,who–afterunexpectedlydetainingFelipeatanAmericanbordercrossing–gavethecoupleachoice:theycouldeithergetmarried,orFelipewouldneverbeallowedtoenterthecountryagain.Havingbeeneffectivelysentencedtowed,Gilberttackledherfearsofmarriagebydelvingcompletelyintothistopic,tryingwithallhermighttodiscover(throughhistoricalresearch,interviewsandmuchpersonalreflection)whatthisstubbornlyenduringoldinstitutionactuallyis.TheresultisCommitted–awittyandintelligentcontemplationofmarriagethatdebunksmyths,unthreadsfearsandsuggeststhatsometimeseventhemostromanticofsoulsmusttradeinheramorousfantasiesforthehumblingresponsibilityofadulthood.Gilbert’smemoir–destinedtobecomeacherishedhandbookforanythinkingpersonhoveringonthevergeofmarriage–isultimatelyaclear-eyedcelebrationoflove,withallthecomplexityandconsequencethatreallove,intherealworld,actuallyentails.