Elizabeth Gilbert
It's rare when a travelogue/memoir can capture the attention of a wide audience, but that's exactly what Elizabeth Gilbert was able to do in 2006 and 2007 with the publication of her witty and intelligent bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love.
However, Elizabeth Gilbert was no stranger to literary success before her travel book became must-reading for multitudes of readers. Born in 1969 in Connecticut, she and her sister (author Catherine Murdock) were raised on a Christmas tree farm. Gilbert graduated from a New York college in the early 90s and went on to work as a journalist for SPIN Magazine and later for GQ.
Her first book was a collection of short stories that was praised by Annie Proulx, was a New York Times Notable Book, a Pushcart Prize winner, and a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. Her second novel was also a New York Times Notable Book. She then moved on to non-fiction, writing a biography of a modern day woodsman, a book that was a finalist for The National Book Award and the National Book Critic's Circle Award.
Her travel book tells the story of the travels she took after going through a difficult divorce. It grabbed the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller list. The New York Times listed it as one of the 100 most notable books of 2006 and Entertainment Weekly said it was one of the best 10 nonfiction books of the year.
Rumor has it that Paramount Pictures, which acquired the screen rights for her memoir, is planning to film it with Julia Roberts. It won't be the first time Gilbert's stories have seen the silver screen. A memoir she published in GQ about bartending became the Disney movie Coyote Ugly.
Elizabeth Gilbert Bibliography
| Pilgrims | The Last American Man |
| Stern Men | Eat, Pray, Love |
