Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, read from her newest work, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage and answered questions at a signing last night organized by Politics and Prose at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in Washington, DC.

I was first introduced to Gilbert's work by a friend who showed me Gilbert's amazing TED talk on creativity and then lent me her copy of Eat, Pray, Love.

Gilbert opened the evening by thanking everyone for coming.  She added, "Especially the men.  You're very brave."  (counting myself, there may have been 10 men in the audience of 700)

Gilbert read for about 30 minutes from Committed.  In the book, she and her lover (not a U.S. citizen) are separated at the border and are told the only way he will ever be allowed back in the U.S. is if they marry.  The memoir chronicles her quest to overcome fear of marriage (both had lived through horrific divorces) by learning as much as possible about the history of the institution.  I would describe her prose as disarming self-disclosure.  She is a gifted storyteller, with a warm, familiar tone, as if talking with a close friend.

I'll leave reviews of Eat, Pray, Love and Committed to others.  Of course, I highly recommend them both.  Actually, my recommendation would be to listen to Gilbert read the books herself.

Because I have little time to read, and because I was so drawn into her TED talk, I purchased the audio version of Eat, Pray, Love, read by Gilbert.  I had already read a couple of chapters and knew I wanted to follow her journey across Italy, India, and Indonesia.  In all honesty, I enjoyed the experience so much (it was my first audio book) I will certainly purchase the audio version of Committed when it is released.

Gilbert's honest and sincere tone was echoed by those from the audience who asked questions after the reading.

One person asked for advice on marrying someone from another culture.  Gilbert replied that even if we marry someone born in the same country, "I think we all end up marrying someone from 'another culture'."

One particularly amusing comment came from a woman who had found Eat, Pray, Love but was unsure about reading the book and didn't want to "jump into anything without being certain."  Gilbert was amused by her serious attitude towards reading selection.  After she began reading Eat, Pray, Love she devoured the novel.  "I only ate, slept, and read until I was finished."

The question of same sex marriage being addressed in Committed was asked.  Yes, topic is addressed in detail in several parts of the book.

When asked if she thought marriage as an institution would be better off without government intervention, Gilbert replied, yes.  However, she provided this justification for why that can never happen.

You can't have marriage without intimacy.
You can't have intimacy without privacy.
You can't have privacy without rights.
And you can't have rights without a government to protect those rights.

Her prediction for same-sex marriage: it will most definitely happen.  Just as inter-racial marriages have happened, and others before that, this too will become a reality in the U.S.  "The couples always win.  Always."

Her advice for for those about to marry, or anyone entering into a relationship?

Go into a relationship whole. Or at least owning all of your own holes.  You can want someone else to fill in the holes.  The idea of someone completing us is deeply ingrained in our culture.  But it should not be an expectation.  "You shouldn't impale someone with your holes."

When asked about a section from Eat, Pray, Love regarding soulmates, Gilbert replied she has an "allergic reaction to the word."  Such a weight has been placed on that concept by our culture, that she cringes at its use.  She is happy for those who feel they have found their soulmate, but for her, she holds partnership and companionship as aspects of a successful long-term relationship.

Gilbert's advice for writers on proof-reading: read it out loud.  The ear hears more than the eye sees, she says.  Always have an audience before you begin writing.  For any writing, no matter how small or humble, select at least one person to which to write.  Gilbert herself had a circle of close friends read Committed as she was writing it.  She adds that the book could just as well be said to have been written by them all.

When asked why she discarded the first manuscript for Committed, Gilbert responded she read an excerpt to her husband one evening in bed (not a spoiler - it's well-known there is a happy ending).  He was silent for a long time afterwards.  He finally said, "I'm a little tired.  Maybe you should read it to me again in the morning."  She put it away and never touched it again.

On setting realistic goals as a writer: "My goal was to publish before I died."

In an unexpected commentary on technology and the evolution of writing, Gilbert explained she doesn't have much advice for young writers on how to break into the business.  "I typed manuscripts on a typewriter, put them into manilla envelopes, and mailed them to editors at glossy magazines that don't exist anymore."

She did add, "Write the stories you are compelled to write by your conscience."

After answering questions, Gilbert signed several hundred copies of Committed and, despite the line wrapping around the inside the synagogue,  took time to hear each individual's personal message.

Thanks to Politics and Prose and the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue for hosting this event.

And thank you to Elizabeth Gilbert for sharing her experiences with a sincerity and candor that shows the true potential of loving oneself and sharing that love with another.