CONTACT CAROLINE
facebook
rss
tumblr
twitter
goodreads
youtube

  • Home
  • Write Away Blog
  • Books
    • Books
    • Trompe l’Oeil
    • Heart Land
    • Gothic Spring
    • Ballet Noir
    • Book Excerpts
  • Audio
  • Video Vault
  • Press
    • News
    • Print Interviews
    • Plays
    • Ballet Noir in the Press
    • Trompe l’Oeil In The Press
    • Gothic Spring In The Press
    • Heart Land Reviews
  • Contact
  • About
  • Resources
    • Writer Resources
    • Favorite Blogs
    • Favorite Artists



A Large Life Lived Narrowly

Sep 30, 2013
by Caroline Miller
"Eat Love Pray", "Gather No Moss", "The Signature of All Things", Elizabeth Gilbert, Maggie Caldwell, women who lead solitary lives
0 Comment

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love was recently interviewed for her upcoming novel, The Signature of All Things. The book, out in October, is a story about the life a 19th century woman, the overeducated daughter of a Philadelphia plant trader. Similar to my novel, Gothic Spring, but with different outcomes, the book explores the boredom, near to insanity, that can overtake an intelligent female when she is hemmed in by the customs of society. Gilbert’s character, Almay Whittaker, decides to occupy herself with bryology, the study of the many mosses that flourish on her father’s estate. Supported by his immense wealth, she is allowed to pursue a narrow aspect of evolution and enters a fascinating world of knowledge and research.

 Almay Whittaker is a woman who decides to be alone, who crafts a life based upon personal choice and who, therefore, raises a question in the mind of Maggie Caldwell, Gilbert’s interviewer. The question is, does Gilbert, a world traveler — someone frequently in transit or in foreign lands — ever get lonely. Her reply? “Oh my God, yes!” (“Gather No Moss,” by Maggie Caldwell, Mother Jones, 9/10, 13, pg.58.) But, when asked if she has any regrets for her solitary life, she admits to none and offers this piece of advice:

…it’s particularly important for women, and especially for young women, to learn how to be lonely and move through it and come out on the other side and see that you’re intact – and then have the power to decide whether you actually really want to be with someone.” (Ibid, pg. 59.)

 Having traveled solo much of the globe myself, I know what Gilbert means – that scary obligation to fend for yourself and the triumph of doing it! The feeling is unlike being a part of something. The feeling is of being whole.

Elizabeth Gilbert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Picutre of Elizabeth Gilbert courtesy of oprah.com)

 

Social Share

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

*
*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contact Caroline at

carolinemiller11@yahoo.com

Portland, Oregon author Caroline Miller had distinguished careers as an educator, union president, elected official and artist/advocate.

Her play, Woman on the Scarlet Beast, was performed at the Post5 Theatre, Portland, OR, January/February 2015

Caroline published a serialized novelette, Marie Eau-Claire, on the website, The Colored Lens.  She also published the story Gustav Pavel,  a parable about ordinary lives, choice and alternate potential, on the website Fixional.co.

Caroline has published four novels

  • Ballet Noir
  • Trompe l’Oeil
  • Gothic Spring
  • Heart Land

Subscribe to Caroline’s Blog


 

Archives

Categories

YouTube-logo-inline2 To access and subscribe to my videos on YouTube, Click Here and click the Subscribe button.

Banner art “The Receptive” by Charlie White of Charlie White Studio

Web Admin: ThinPATH Systems, Inc
support@tp-sys.com

Subscribe to Caroline's Blog


 

Contact Caroline at

carolinemiller11@yahoo.com

Sitemap | Privacy Notice

AUDIO & VIDEO VAULT

View archives of Caroline’s audio and videos interviews.


Copyright © Books by Caroline Miller