Who is Elizabeth Gilbert? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Age: 54 Years, 54 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Jose Nunes, Michael Cooper (m. 1994–2002)

father: John Gilbert

mother: Carole Gilbert

siblings: Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Born Country: United States

Novelists American Women

Ancestry: Swedish American

U.S. State: Connecticut

More Facts

education: New York University

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Childhood & Early Life

Elizabeth Gilbert was born on 18th July 1969, in Waterbury, Connecticut, to John Gilbert and Carole Gilbert. Her father was a chemical engineer and her mother was a housewife. She has a sister named Catherine who also became a successful novelist.

The family lived in the countryside with no neighbors, television or record players. Therefore, they used to read a lot. Gilbert attended New York University, from where she earned her degree in political science. After completing her education, she did various jobs. She worked as a cook, waitress, bartender, and also for a magazine.

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Career

In 1993, Elizabeth Gilbert’s short story ‘Pilgrims’ was published in the magazine ‘Esquire’. She also found work in various magazines such as SPIN, GQ, Allure and the New York Times Magazine. She soon became a highly paid freelance writer. Her article ‘The Muse of the Coyote Ugly Saloon’, a brief memoir of her time as a bartender, which she wrote for GQ, was the basis of the 2000 film ‘Coyote Ugly’.

Her first book ‘Pilgrims’ was published in 1997. It was a collection of twelve short stories. It won the Pushcart Prize, and was also a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. A few stories from the book were also staged at the Greenwich Street Theatre in 2000 as well as the Tribeca Playhouse in 2001. Her next works were ‘Stern Men’ (2000), and ‘The Last American Man’ (2002).

Her memoir ‘Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia’, was published on 2006. In the book, she describes a trip she took around the world after her divorce. She also writes about her discoveries during her journey. The book was a huge success over the world, and for over 6 months, the book was on ‘The New York Times Best Seller List’.

The book was also adapted into the 2010 biographical drama film of the same name. Directed by Ryan Murphy, the film was a huge success at the box office. The film starred Julia Roberts in the lead role of Elizabeth Gilbert.

Her next book ‘Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage’ was published in 2010. It was a follow up to her memoir ‘Eat Pray Love’. The film describes her marriage with a Brazilian man whom she met in Bali. Despite their love for each other, the couple had a bitter divorce, after which they swore not to remarry ever. However, later, circumstances force them to break their promises.

Her next book ‘The Signature of All Things’ was published in 2013. It was about Alma Whittaker, daughter of a botanical explorer, who studies moss, eventually going deeper into the world of evolution.

She published another memoir in 2015 titled ‘Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear’. Her latest novel ‘City of Girls’, was published in June 2019.

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Major Works

Elizabeth Gilbert’s most important work is the 2006 memoir ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, which was about her journey across the world, looking for peace after a difficult divorce. The book has sold over 12 million copies over the world, and has also been translated into more than 30 languages.

Family & Personal Life

From 1994 to 2002, Elizabeth Gilbert was married to Michael Cooper, whom she had met while working at the Coyote Ugly Saloon. Their marriage ended as Gilbert left him for another man.

From 2007 till 2016, she was married to Jose Nunes, a Brazilian-born man whom she had met in Bali. They lived in Frenchtown, New Jersey. They eventually ended their marriage due to personal reasons.

From 2016, she was in a relationship with Rayya Elias. Elias passed away in 2018. In 2019, she announced that she was dating Simon McArthur.

She has also been involved in philanthropic activities. In 2015, she participated in fundraising efforts for Syrian refugees, along with several other authors. They were able to raise more than $ 1 million in 31 hours.

Elizabeth Gilbert Biography