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Pilgrims and Other Stories
A collection of short stories in which the characters misjudge things, find themselves in the wrong place, and who doggedly follow the wrong path, such as the vegetable market stallholder who decides to stand for election against the local Mafia boss.
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
April 9th 1998
by Picador
(first published 1997)
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I actually only read half of this, but because it's a book of short stories I feel I can comment on the quality of the book not having finished it. After all, I read 4 or 5 finished products and not 40-50% of a product. That makes sense, right?
Anyway, I only bought the book to give to my Mom because she loved Eat, Pray, Love so much. But then I didn't see her for like five days so I had it in my bag all that time and I just read it because it was there.
So the verdict is: She writes pretty good...more
Anyway, I only bought the book to give to my Mom because she loved Eat, Pray, Love so much. But then I didn't see her for like five days so I had it in my bag all that time and I just read it because it was there.
So the verdict is: She writes pretty good...more
Elizabeth Gilbert's Pilgrims (first published in 1997) has come in for a fair bit of criticism on Goodreads -- mainly, I think, because it is so different from her humongous bestseller Eat, Pray, Love. I get the impression many readers go into this collection of short stories expecting it to be a re-tread of themes discussed in Eat, Pray, Love, only to be fiercely disappointed and unforgiving when they find out it isn't. It's a pity many readers can't judge the book on its own merits, for Pilgri...more
7 likes · like · see review
Known best for Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert took a different turn here with a collection of short stories that could be classified as character studies, though many also explore the character's relationship with one vital person. The lives represented are as diverse as the American landscape, and their experiences ring true whether poignant, funny, tragic, or promising, or a mix of everything together, as life often is. Unfortunately, Books on Tape did everything in their power to make thi...more
1 - 1.5
Hätte ich das Buch damals nicht spontan in einer Bücherei kaufen können, wäre es vermutlich gar nicht in mein Regal gewandert. Keine der insgesamt 12 Kurzgeschichten hat mir wirklich gefallen. Mit meistens 10-20 Seiten sind die Geschichten zwar recht kurz und damit schnell gelesen, allerdings fand ich sie auch ziemlich langweilig und belanglos. Und seltsam.
--------------------------
Geschichte 1: Wanderer
Cowboygeschichte. Vermutlich hab ich es auch nicht wirklich verstanden, mich haben die...more
Hätte ich das Buch damals nicht spontan in einer Bücherei kaufen können, wäre es vermutlich gar nicht in mein Regal gewandert. Keine der insgesamt 12 Kurzgeschichten hat mir wirklich gefallen. Mit meistens 10-20 Seiten sind die Geschichten zwar recht kurz und damit schnell gelesen, allerdings fand ich sie auch ziemlich langweilig und belanglos. Und seltsam.
--------------------------
Geschichte 1: Wanderer
Cowboygeschichte. Vermutlich hab ich es auch nicht wirklich verstanden, mich haben die...more
I used to not like short stories because I always felt that they ended too soon and I was left wanting more. I've recently discovered that I quite enjoy short stories that are just "the middle", with no real beginning or ending, just a bit of the journey.
And so I enjoyed some of the stories in Elizabeth Gilbert's Pilgrims, for the very reason that many people seem to not appreciate them.
The first one that really drew me in was "The Many Things That Denny Brown Did Not Know (Age Fifteen)". We all...more
And so I enjoyed some of the stories in Elizabeth Gilbert's Pilgrims, for the very reason that many people seem to not appreciate them.
The first one that really drew me in was "The Many Things That Denny Brown Did Not Know (Age Fifteen)". We all...more
Apr 26, 2011
Jillian
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audio-book,
short-stories
Gilbert calls her collection of stories Pilgrims and opens with the Prologue from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
There's an important problem with that parallel.
The stories told by Chaucer's pilgrims are primarily plot-driven with simple archetypal characters and solid endings. (The tub falls through the roof! The murderers are murdered! The couple lives happily ever after!) In contrast, Gilbert's stories have unique and well-drawn characters... and NO ENDINGS. Almost all of them just drift along...more
There's an important problem with that parallel.
The stories told by Chaucer's pilgrims are primarily plot-driven with simple archetypal characters and solid endings. (The tub falls through the roof! The murderers are murdered! The couple lives happily ever after!) In contrast, Gilbert's stories have unique and well-drawn characters... and NO ENDINGS. Almost all of them just drift along...more
Dec 10, 2008
Elizabeth
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
mom, and mostly anyone
I really enjoyed this collection.
I think my favorite thing about the stories is how they seem to be temporary glimpses into a life that has been existing and will continue to exist outside of the story. There is a little background information, but no real 'start' (like "once upon a time") to them, and there is no definite end. All of the stories seemed to just stop, like the end of a chapter, without a wrap-up. It didn't feel like I was cheated; it seemed natural.
The writing itself was relaxe...more
I think my favorite thing about the stories is how they seem to be temporary glimpses into a life that has been existing and will continue to exist outside of the story. There is a little background information, but no real 'start' (like "once upon a time") to them, and there is no definite end. All of the stories seemed to just stop, like the end of a chapter, without a wrap-up. It didn't feel like I was cheated; it seemed natural.
The writing itself was relaxe...more
A collection of short stories in which every character is imperfect, every setting ripe for change. There’s quite a bit of foul language throughout the stories. I didn’t finish reading them all, much like The Fire King there’s not much happiness to be found here. T’s a pretty harsh version of reality that the author presents, and I don’t see that she leaves too much room for hope.
According to the back cover I was supposed to find some comedy in the sad situations of the characters – in the lives...more
According to the back cover I was supposed to find some comedy in the sad situations of the characters – in the lives...more
The review on the back promised characters I COULD NEVER FORGET; that person must have a better memory than I do b/c I got through the entire 1st story and had no idea what happened or what threw this lady together with... a cowboy? The 2nd story was even less captivating, and so there was no attempt at the 3rd story. Bummed because I really wanted to enjoy my 1st Elizabeth Gilbert foray and I truly do love a great short story with strong female characters.
Note: female audiobook narrator with sl...more
Note: female audiobook narrator with sl...more
I enjoyed these stories well enough, but it (the audio version) was difficult to listen to. This is a short story collection (and the stories don't tie together) but there was no pause between stories, let alone any indication of when one story had ended and another one had begun. Not even a title. Confusing! That said, the stories were good, and the last story ("The Finest Wife") was very very good (I originally read it on the Rumpus.net, which is what prompted me to buy this audiobook). I will...more
I didn't finish this book before returning it to the library. But I got about two-thirds through, and seeing as they're short stories, that was fine.
This is a great collection of understated American stories - mostly in the West, or otherwise middle-of-nowhere. Truly beautiful, nuanced prose.
And now I understand the uproar over "Eat Pray Love" a little better. I loved "Eat Pray Love." I enjoyed its tone, Gilbert's openness, it's sense of hope and adventure and discovery. But it was nothing at al...more
This is a great collection of understated American stories - mostly in the West, or otherwise middle-of-nowhere. Truly beautiful, nuanced prose.
And now I understand the uproar over "Eat Pray Love" a little better. I loved "Eat Pray Love." I enjoyed its tone, Gilbert's openness, it's sense of hope and adventure and discovery. But it was nothing at al...more
This book is short stories. The review on Amazon said "her stories do not finish with clever twists of pat endings" - and that is because they do not really have endings. They just sort of stop. No resolution whatsoever. I only listened to 4 or 5 of them before I had to quit. They were unsatisfying to listen to because of a lack of ending and then when I got to one that was almost nonstop cursing, it was just too much. It seemed like she maybe had some ideas for books, but couldn't flesh them ou...more
Aug 08, 2008
Laura Keller
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Readers interested in American "grotesques."
Recommended to Laura by:
Read about it in Time.
One of best collections of short stories I've read in years. Reminds me of Sherwood Anderson and Hemingway.
Arrived as part of a chicklit/romance bookcrossing book box. An anthology of short stories. One or two were more captivating for me than the others, but most were extremely open-ended, almost dissatisfyingly so. I can imagine some of the images will come back to me, but none of the stories were such that I wanted to rush out and have someone else read them. Not sure if this was published before or after Eat, Pray, Love, but if after, I would guess she rode the wave of that success. I'm not that...more
I really liked this book when I first read it in the late 1990s. Now I'm less convinced by her writing (a bit choppy, her characters are a bit too cliche-ladden, especially when it comes to describing "ethnic" characters!). I do cherish the last story, "The Famous Torn and Restored Lit Cigarette Trick," because the central characters include a magician's daughter and a gigantic white rabbit - who can resist that? I haven't read any of Gilbert's other books, and based on what I've read about "Eat...more
I'll admit, I read this because John Hodgman told me to. He was right, as usual. "Pilgrims" was a good, clean selection of short stories. They have a strong focus on character, and since most are about capturing one moment, none of them felt too long. My favorites were "Alice to the East," "Tall Folks," and "The Many Things Denny Brown Did Not Know (Age Fifteen)." That last one was the one I enjoyed the most. It effectivly told the story mostly in the negative, from what the main character did n...more
A fascinating collection of short stories featuring unique, but distinctly American characters all searching for connection. The variety of characters and situations paired with Gilbert's talent for dialogue made this an entertaining read, though I tend to prefer stories with a sense of closure, and this collection is not about providing closure. I could see several of the stories developed into full-length novels, and I wish she would, especially "Pilgrims," "Alice to the East," "Landing," and...more
From this book, I learned that reading short stories is not my thing. At the end of a short story, I always feel like I need more. I suppose it is a good exercise in self-discipline and imagination to be denied a complete resolution and decide for myself what happens next. But in order for me to take that mental leap I need to be more invested than 15-30 pages.
That being said, this is a really good book of short stories. The characters are interesting and deep, complicated and bittersweet. I lef...more
That being said, this is a really good book of short stories. The characters are interesting and deep, complicated and bittersweet. I lef...more
Yes, I liked 'Eat, Pray, Love' enough that I got curious about her other books.
One fiction, one nonfiction, and one memoir: that's an interesting lineup.
So I was at the Y the other week, and carrying this book, and a woman saw it and said "Oh, she wrote another one?," and I explained that this was an early story collection. "How is it?," she asked. "It's okay," I said. "I mean, up and down. I think it shows her kinda finding her voice." The woman nodded sagely. She told me to read some book call...more
One fiction, one nonfiction, and one memoir: that's an interesting lineup.
So I was at the Y the other week, and carrying this book, and a woman saw it and said "Oh, she wrote another one?," and I explained that this was an early story collection. "How is it?," she asked. "It's okay," I said. "I mean, up and down. I think it shows her kinda finding her voice." The woman nodded sagely. She told me to read some book call...more
I'm beginning to think that Elizabeth Gilbert has one main protagonist character in most of her stories.
The tough, tomboy, rough-talking female.
The placement of the short stories in this book didn't help its cause any-- the first several were so similar in setting that you felt like you'd already read it before.
But I still found myself skipping around, even when the stories began to vary slightly.
She is gifted with dialogue, I'll give her that (all the f-bombs she throws around are a distraction...more
The tough, tomboy, rough-talking female.
The placement of the short stories in this book didn't help its cause any-- the first several were so similar in setting that you felt like you'd already read it before.
But I still found myself skipping around, even when the stories began to vary slightly.
She is gifted with dialogue, I'll give her that (all the f-bombs she throws around are a distraction...more
I really enjoyed this book! Must admit -- I'm a little surprised. I liked Eat, Pray, Love OK, but it was pretty navel-gazey. Obviously EPL won't give you a real indication of Elizabeth Gilbert's cadence in writing fiction -- which is lovely!
I read the review on here, and there are some fair points about the vignettes not having any ending. But I think that's the point. Sometimes life presents you with a short-story about a character who passes through your periphery and you don't get to know the...more
I read the review on here, and there are some fair points about the vignettes not having any ending. But I think that's the point. Sometimes life presents you with a short-story about a character who passes through your periphery and you don't get to know the...more
немски превод на Pilgrims от Elizabeth Gilbert. пътува към мен.
update: пристигна :)
review: depressing. the stories begin nowhere and end nowhere, and this would have been fine, if they weren't so unbelievably exaggarated in their desolateness, oddness and general passiveness.
i'm only halfway through but it's been nothing else but depressing so far - and at times even annoying because of the scattered, senseless conversation pieces that are unlike anything people really say when they speak to ea...more
update: пристигна :)
review: depressing. the stories begin nowhere and end nowhere, and this would have been fine, if they weren't so unbelievably exaggarated in their desolateness, oddness and general passiveness.
i'm only halfway through but it's been nothing else but depressing so far - and at times even annoying because of the scattered, senseless conversation pieces that are unlike anything people really say when they speak to ea...more
These stories are a bit hit and miss. Tall Folks and "Come and Fetch these Stupid Kids" didn't really move me, but "The Things Denny Brown Didn't Know" and "The Famous Torn and Restored Lit Cigarette Trick" were absolutely amazing and some of the best stories I've read in a long time. Gilbert has a gift for language and for character-driven story.
Fun fact: Liz Gilbert apparently writes as a man/for men in most of her work. Eat, Pray, Love was the womanly exception. It took a little adjusting to not picture Liz in drag when she was writing in the first-person, but in the end, I liked that it was so different. I'd be interested to hear the opinion of a man to see if the thinking, emotional range, etc. was relatable.
This was a fun read. It was a bunch of short stories that really left an impression on you when you were done. I left several of the stories wondering what the characters were up to now, or how their story ended, if it did, or...My favorites were "Elk Talk" and "The Many Things that Denny Brown Did Not Know (Age Fifteen)". If you're looking for a simple/leave in the bathroom book to read, this is a good one.
I'm a short story lover, really liked Gilbert's "Eat, Love, Pray" and loved her "Last American Man," so I came to this collection assuming I'd probably love it. I found it a little less amazing than I had hoped, but most of the stories were interesting (I sometimes felt a bit let down by endings, or felt like there was something there but wasn't fully satisfied by the story). My favorite was "The Many Things Denny Brown Did Not Know" -- sweet, real, refreshing.
Comforting chick lit. "Bird Shot" is the best of the bunch. It kind of drags near the end, but the last story is intriguingly surreal. It's nice reading stories where the characters are genuinely good people and you want good stuff to happen to them, you know? I'll put this next to Melissa Banks on my shelf.
Wow - my first bad review. Well - I read Eat, Pray, Love, and liked Gilbert talking about real life situations, her memoir of sorts. However this one was a stretch for me. I found it to be very "not" believable. I felt like she was trying too hard to stand in the shoes of a cowboy, and trying too hard to make her stories existential with a religious purpose. I almost felt like she stood in front of a chalkboard and diagrammed how her stories would read - they seemed stiff, uninteresting, and too...more
Not a fan of Elizabeth Gilbert's fiction. Love her non-fiction, though. I also attempted to read "The Last American Man" and put it down after a few chapters. I just don't like her write-like-a-12-year-old-boy style. Her non-fiction, is fabulous. She writes from the heart and from her own perspective. This I can relate to. This is not a review of the book, per say. It's more my humble opinion. Not going to attempt any more of her fiction, though.
wooow. what the...? I never expected that kind of writing from Gilbert. from Carroll, Coehlo, but not from author of Eat, Pray, Love. strange one, you don't know exactly what the stories are about, what did the author take to create them, but it didnt stop me from swallowing this book.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Liz Gilbert's writing | 1 | 15 | Nov 14, 2008 03:36pm |
Elizabeth Gilbert is an award-winning writer of both fiction and non-fiction. Her short story collection Pilgrims was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway award, and her novel Stern Men was a New York Times notable book. Her 2002 book The Last American Man was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critic’s Circle Award. Since its initial publication in January 2006, her mos...more
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updated Feb 05, 2009 08:34am