I was already quite familiar with the real story of the Lykov family (who lived in the wilds of Siberia for 40 years). The self-cancellation of “The Snow Forest” is appalling to say the least. Of course, it should be noted that all of the works of Elizabeth Gilbert are worth canceling. The basic message of “Eat, Pray, Love” is hostile to the continued existence of human civilization.
Note, her cynical shrewdness. She pulls the book now to avoid the flak. Later she fully intends to make money from the book (presumably when the current war is over)
I should say that I have many ties to Russia and the Ukraine.
What's next, banning Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky books until the Ukraine declares victory? Deep-sixing To Russia With Love? Renaming Russian Dressing "Freedom Dressing"?
Good piece. One note: Marc Chagall was not Russian; his identity card, if he had one, would have listed his nationality as Jewish; doesn't belong on the list with the other Russians of the era.
The irony not lost on myself and others, and perhaps Gilbert herself, is that this novel is now news; on the radar of this older man who’d likely ignore it otherwise.
The war will end. Russia will cease to be radioactive. It will be published. When it is, her financial hit will be anything but. Sales will be much higher than otherwise, as will the film rights and translations.
And as a person who has Ukrainian relatives and Russian friends I know that this does not sit well with many.
Fewer books by Elizabeth Gilbert is a good thing. I can’t believe the cult-like devotion the dreadful “Eat Pray Love” has achieved. This wasn’t a journey of self-discovery — she went into the journey with a book contract, then has all these highly dubious personal epiphanies, all neatly timed to fulfill that contract. Also, she cheated on her first husband, whose only flaw seems to be wanting a family, then trashed the poor man for two-thirds of the book for existing as a reminder that her fantasy of herself is completely unhinged from reality.
She is not a brave person. She is a narcissist who will defend her delusional self-image by any means necessary. It’s 100 percent in character to cancel herself to try to stay in with the cool kids. But, like I said, fewer books by her, so really, it’s a win-win.
My wife is Russian and would sometimes go to one of the specialty markets around here to buy Russian black bread. But that bread had since been renamed to Eastern European black bread. Because heaven forbid we expose ourselves to any of the beauty that country has to offer.
I can hardly remember hearing of a dumber reason for not publishing a book. It's uncalled for. It doesn't serve any reasonable purpose. It doesn't help anybody. The rational behind it is outright absurd. It's just plain stupid.
Imagine if Elizabeth Gilbert were male...do you think a dude would "self cancel" his opus because a group of keyboard warriors threatened to be mean to him??...online?? 😂
Not a chance! This is a female thing..I respect it but dont begin to understand it...other than this famous scene from the movie "French Kiss"
Let’s ban Solzhenitsyn, Tolstoy and Dostoevsksy too! Don’t stop at books, ban the documentary Navalny as well.
Of course Gilbert can afford such expensive virtue signalling. Perhaps she should attach some peacock feathers to make her worth even more obvious.
It would have taken so little effort to say the book is not making any profit for Putin, but serves to illustrate (if it does: no one has read it yet!) the misery of the ordinary Russian under successive criminal regimes. She could afford to say she would donate profits to the Red Cross in Ukraine. So many better ways to deal with idiots online who get excited over all the wrong things.
I live with a Ukrainian whose family and friends had to flee the country or fight. I see the pain Ukrainians experience every day, I’m open to some left-leaning ideas, and even then, I feel zero sympathy for Elizabeth Gilbert’s decision and video.
As you point out, Gilbert has enough money to take the financial blow, but is she really going to lose money? This video got her a lot of press. My partner doesn’t see how her decision helps the Ukrainian people. If she really wanted to help the Ukrainian people, why wouldn’t she donate all the profits from the book to support Ukrainian aid?
I refuse to read any more books by this author. I loved Eat, Pray, Love, but this is a very sad situation. Canceling her book because it is set in Russia? Really? Too crazy for my logic. This world we live in has just gotten too crazy for me. Moving on.
Yeah, I don't get this impulse to censor everything "Russian", including Russian dissidents have been "de-platformed" in some arenas (a Russian musician comes to mind). The Russian people, in particular, seem to be majority against this war, given the level of protests and resistance in the face of forcible "drafting" into the "cause". Putin is hanging onto his leadership by force, not by popular support at this point. In previous war efforts, we have made distinctions between the civilians that have been "drafted" into the cause and the leadership of the effort itself. And in the arena of a fictional novel that is set in the past "pre-Putin" this seems especially stupid.
Well let's hope this brings some sense into the absurd "cancellation" craze happening in literature, it's well past time.
I was already quite familiar with the real story of the Lykov family (who lived in the wilds of Siberia for 40 years). The self-cancellation of “The Snow Forest” is appalling to say the least. Of course, it should be noted that all of the works of Elizabeth Gilbert are worth canceling. The basic message of “Eat, Pray, Love” is hostile to the continued existence of human civilization.
Note, her cynical shrewdness. She pulls the book now to avoid the flak. Later she fully intends to make money from the book (presumably when the current war is over)
I should say that I have many ties to Russia and the Ukraine.
During WW1 it was thought patriotic to kick dachshunds. The more things change the more they stay the same.
What's next, banning Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky books until the Ukraine declares victory? Deep-sixing To Russia With Love? Renaming Russian Dressing "Freedom Dressing"?
And Dr. Zhivago-the horror!
Good piece. One note: Marc Chagall was not Russian; his identity card, if he had one, would have listed his nationality as Jewish; doesn't belong on the list with the other Russians of the era.
The irony not lost on myself and others, and perhaps Gilbert herself, is that this novel is now news; on the radar of this older man who’d likely ignore it otherwise.
The war will end. Russia will cease to be radioactive. It will be published. When it is, her financial hit will be anything but. Sales will be much higher than otherwise, as will the film rights and translations.
And as a person who has Ukrainian relatives and Russian friends I know that this does not sit well with many.
Fewer books by Elizabeth Gilbert is a good thing. I can’t believe the cult-like devotion the dreadful “Eat Pray Love” has achieved. This wasn’t a journey of self-discovery — she went into the journey with a book contract, then has all these highly dubious personal epiphanies, all neatly timed to fulfill that contract. Also, she cheated on her first husband, whose only flaw seems to be wanting a family, then trashed the poor man for two-thirds of the book for existing as a reminder that her fantasy of herself is completely unhinged from reality.
She is not a brave person. She is a narcissist who will defend her delusional self-image by any means necessary. It’s 100 percent in character to cancel herself to try to stay in with the cool kids. But, like I said, fewer books by her, so really, it’s a win-win.
My wife is Russian and would sometimes go to one of the specialty markets around here to buy Russian black bread. But that bread had since been renamed to Eastern European black bread. Because heaven forbid we expose ourselves to any of the beauty that country has to offer.
This well-crafted essay really inspired me to think, to respond, and to be braver.
I can hardly remember hearing of a dumber reason for not publishing a book. It's uncalled for. It doesn't serve any reasonable purpose. It doesn't help anybody. The rational behind it is outright absurd. It's just plain stupid.
Imagine if Elizabeth Gilbert were male...do you think a dude would "self cancel" his opus because a group of keyboard warriors threatened to be mean to him??...online?? 😂
Not a chance! This is a female thing..I respect it but dont begin to understand it...other than this famous scene from the movie "French Kiss"
https://youtu.be/Z5hM3fLutRo
Not sure how it is relevant to my comment on a place of birth and continuing to attributing these to russia. you are missing the point
Let’s ban Solzhenitsyn, Tolstoy and Dostoevsksy too! Don’t stop at books, ban the documentary Navalny as well.
Of course Gilbert can afford such expensive virtue signalling. Perhaps she should attach some peacock feathers to make her worth even more obvious.
It would have taken so little effort to say the book is not making any profit for Putin, but serves to illustrate (if it does: no one has read it yet!) the misery of the ordinary Russian under successive criminal regimes. She could afford to say she would donate profits to the Red Cross in Ukraine. So many better ways to deal with idiots online who get excited over all the wrong things.
I live with a Ukrainian whose family and friends had to flee the country or fight. I see the pain Ukrainians experience every day, I’m open to some left-leaning ideas, and even then, I feel zero sympathy for Elizabeth Gilbert’s decision and video.
As you point out, Gilbert has enough money to take the financial blow, but is she really going to lose money? This video got her a lot of press. My partner doesn’t see how her decision helps the Ukrainian people. If she really wanted to help the Ukrainian people, why wouldn’t she donate all the profits from the book to support Ukrainian aid?
I refuse to read any more books by this author. I loved Eat, Pray, Love, but this is a very sad situation. Canceling her book because it is set in Russia? Really? Too crazy for my logic. This world we live in has just gotten too crazy for me. Moving on.
Yeah, I don't get this impulse to censor everything "Russian", including Russian dissidents have been "de-platformed" in some arenas (a Russian musician comes to mind). The Russian people, in particular, seem to be majority against this war, given the level of protests and resistance in the face of forcible "drafting" into the "cause". Putin is hanging onto his leadership by force, not by popular support at this point. In previous war efforts, we have made distinctions between the civilians that have been "drafted" into the cause and the leadership of the effort itself. And in the arena of a fictional novel that is set in the past "pre-Putin" this seems especially stupid.
Well let's hope this brings some sense into the absurd "cancellation" craze happening in literature, it's well past time.
Sorry, no one ever heard about this person. When a tree falls in the desert, does anyone know?