Quite simply, as a writer myself, I think it is clear that Liz Gilbert fictionalized the events of her year spent abroad in order to tie neat bows of resolution into each section. As any writer knows - reality does not occur in narrative packages with a clear beginning, middle and satisfying end. That only occurs in the difficult process of creating that structure to satisfy the drive for narrative pleasure that we humans all seem to have. If this was not a difficult task, then many more people could be successful writers than there are. The fact that Ms. Gilbert's book has more narrative structure and satisfying conclusions that occur in clear chapters, that she seems to accomplish every goal that she sets out, that she is surrounded by apparent magic and a universe that seems to want to grant her every wish and need with guides, and poetry and perfect experiences of awakening: i.e. a year of complete and wonderful syncronity - smacks of extraordinary dishonesty. Life might work like this in romantic movies (and quite frankly rarely does to *this* degree) or in Harry Potter books (not to criticize those books - but they are fantasy fulfillment of magic and personal specialness) - but tell me of one person whose life *in reality* is so special and so magical that it works out in so many perfectly tied up bows. God must love her much more than the rest of humanity if she was prepaid to write a book on her experiences and they just so happened to work out in such a narratively and emotionally satisfying fashion.
It is especially blessed for her publisher as well, who certainly saw the financial opportunity of writing about the joys of food, spirituality, balance, healing and romance: as these are currently the topics of most of the top selling "nonfiction" books these days. What would have happened if Ms. Gilbert did not have success in all of these areas that she was prepaid to write about? Certainly a disappointing return for the publisher. And given the necessity of there being a happy ending to such a search for any "inspirational" book to be successful (which clearly this was meant to be from the get-go: she certainly couldn't come back from this year as confused and broken-hearted as she left) - I don't see how her editors would have accepted anything less from their investment in her journey.
Finally, Ms. Gilbert's years of magazine writing at such popular and PR driven rags as GQ and Spin mean that she was quite skilled at turning any interview or experience into a romanticized view that would "sell" to an audience. It isn't like they were the New Yorker or The Atlantic. I have read many an article in those magazines about people I actually have worked with or know personally, and never have I found them to be something other than fawning - even in their moments of "criticism" of the artist.
Sorry - I only finished the book out of my continued fascination and curiosity with how far she would push this "God loves me so much that he made everything work out perfectly for me in the end, at every moment and in all areas of my quest and in every way that I needed." Can you name someone else this has ever happened to in your life? If so, than I'd be interested in hearing their story, because hopefully it would not smack of such fabrication and flat out hokum.
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