Elizabeth Gilbert's Blog, page 89
February 21, 2014
For anyone who missed my video chat yesterday with the Wall Street Journal’s boo…
For anyone who missed my video chat yesterday with the Wall Street Journal's book club on why WOLF HALL is the best novel of our century (so far!)…here it is:
WSJ Book Club: Discussing "Wolf Hall"
www.spreecast.com
Best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert discusses "Wolf Hall," her pick for The Wall Street Journal Book Club. We invite readers to submit their questions. The discussion is moderated by WSJ books reporter Alexandra Alter.
via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall
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For anyone who might need a few more nights…blessings and courage. Heart, LG
For anyone who might need a few more nights…blessings and courage.
Heart,
LG
via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall
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THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS in one of my favorite places in the world: Indonesia…
THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS in one of my favorite places in the world: Indonesia's Gili Islands…
Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
EPL started my journey to my one true love in Bali in 2009, and here I am in Gili Trawangan reading SOAT in 2014 xx
via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall
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February 20, 2014
Dear Ones — Help me to understand something. In the past year, I have overhe…
Dear Ones —
Help me to understand something.
In the past year, I have overheard no fewer than four women in my personal acquaintance suggest that their lives would be completely solved (and that their creative potential would be completely realized) if only they had married (or could marry) a rich man.
These are women whom I have admired for years. They are different in age, in background, in passions, in upbringing — but they are each strong and smart and competent and completely healthy in mind and body. And each one of them still dreams of snagging a guy with money, who will (presumably) remove all their obstacles and solve all their problems.
The most startling example was a woman who is a powerful, famous writer. This woman is ardent and outspoken feminist. An example to all human sisterhood. A person I have looked up to forever. We did a reading together recently. A young, female audience member asked her, “What advice to you do you have for aspiring writers?” The famous author replied: “Marry a rich man.”
When I heard this, my soul let out an anguished howl. I simply could not contain myself. I cried out, “NOOOOOO!”
The author turned to me in genuine surprise. “But how will she get her writing done, if she has to pay the bills herself?” she asked.
People, listen to me. I wrote my first two books when I was a diner waitress and bartender. I worked as a nanny and a cook, and I stocked other people’s books in a bookstore. I did whatever work I had to do, and I honed my craft in my stolen hours. Hours that belonged solely to ME, because I had bought them myself.
Toni Morrison wrote her first books as a single mother. She did it by getting up at 4:00am while her young son slept, and putting in the hours at the typewriter before she went to her fulltime paycheck-earning job.
My friend Ann Patchett wrote her first books while she was a broke-ass waitress at TGI Fridays in Nashville.
Her friend, the poet Lucy Greeley, wrote her books while she was in numberless hospitals, enduring countless reconstructive surgeries from a lifetime spent battling bone cancer.
Cheryl Strayed, Anne Lamott, Sue Monk Kidd, J.K. Rowling…do you want me to go on?
There are no rich men in any of these stories.
Please help me to understand, then, why this fantasy of the rich man endures. Why would a brilliant, gifted, healthy, powerful woman still hold to the hope that someday a Mr. Darcey will arrive, and open up a world of possibilities that she somehow cannot open for herself?
Whenever I hear this fantasy expressed, in any form, I want to say, “WHERE IS YOUR DIGNITY, WOMAN?”
I was practically a baby in the cradle when I first heard Gloria Steinem say that we should strive to become the men we always wanted to marry. I took it to heart. That was 40 years ago. Does it need to be said again?
Can you help me wrap my mind around why this story endures? Can anyone explain this dream in a way that makes any sense to me? Because I really don’t get it. In fact, it makes me want to spit nails and blow fireballs through my ears.
AUTONOMY IS THE GOD OF WOMEN. Never forget that.
Hell, autonomy is the god of everyone.
Which is what I told all the aspiring young writers in the audience that night. And I also told them: “Now go get yours.”
Onward,
LG
via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall
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February 19, 2014
“ARRANGE YOUR FACE.” (A celebration of the novel WOLF HALL.) Dearest Passiona…
"ARRANGE YOUR FACE."
(A celebration of the novel WOLF HALL.)
Dearest Passionate Readers —
Tomorrow afternoon at 1pm EST I will be hosting the very first Wall Street Journal book club meeting ever, and we will be discussing 's stupendous novel WOLF HALL.
If you want to join the over 2000 readers who are already signed up for this book club event, you can do so here:
This novel was my choice to discuss, because I happen to consider it the best book of the 21st century.
Period.
No contest.
For real.
If you'd like to know why I find WOLF HALL to be the best novel of our century (including an explanation of my favorite line of the book: "Arrange your face") then you can read this helpful article:
Super excited to be able to revel in such wonderful writing with several thousand excited readers tomorrow…hope you'll join in!
See you there, on live video broadcast!
Heart,
LG
via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall
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Badass Quote of the Day Number Two (shared by a follower of this page named Tina…
Badass Quote of the Day Number Two (shared by a follower of this page named Tina — thank you, Tina!)
via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall
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Badass Quote of the Day Number One (shared by a follower of this page named Lumi…
Badass Quote of the Day Number One (shared by a follower of this page named Luminista…hello, my dear!)
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Vivi’s reaction to Ambrose Pike made me laugh…
Vivi's reaction to Ambrose Pike made me laugh…
Photos of Elizabeth Gilbert
About Mr. Ambrose Pike…
via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall
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February 18, 2014
HAPPY READING! http://bit.ly/1baL9vg Love, LG
HAPPY READING!
Love,
LG
via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook Wall
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I don’t know anyone who ever completely changed their life who didn’t start rebu…
I don't know anyone who ever completely changed their life who didn't start rebuilding from rock bottom. Today I offer blessings to anyone who is standing right now with their feet on that hard, deep, rock bottom surface. Safe passage, dear ones, wherever you may be. The only place to go now is up.
All love,
LG
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