An Evening with Elizabeth Gilbert

• In-Person Conversation
• Select seats come with a free signed copy of Elizabeth's newest book, All the Way to the River: Love, Loss, and Liberation. Additional books will be available for purchase at the door while supplies last.
• A pre-show meet-and-greet reception with Elizabeth is available as a separate ticket which can be purchased as an add on when reserving your ticket. For more details, please see additional information below. 
   

In her critically acclaimed novels and immensely popular works of nonfiction, Elizabeth Gilbert expands our understanding of creativity, spirituality, and love. Known for her bestselling books Eat Pray Love and Big Magic, people around the world have looked to Elizabeth for guidance in leading brave, authentic, and creative lives.

She describes her work by saying “I am writing for people who are seekers, people who are hungry, people who are restless, people who, perhaps, since earliest childhood have felt that there absolutely has to be a higher meaning to life than what we have been shown.”

Her latest memoir and first nonfiction book in a decade, All the Way to the River, Elizabeth explores the love, grief, confusion, wildness, and transformation that she experienced around the death of her late partner Rayya Elias.

In 2000, Elizabeth met Rayya. They became friends, then best friends, then inseparable. When tragedy entered their lives, the truth was finally laid bare: they were in love. They were also a pair of addicts, on a collision course toward catastrophe. 
 
What if your most beautiful love story turned into your biggest nightmare? And what if your most devastating heartbreak opened a pathway to your greatest awakening? Join us for this powerful evening with Elizabeth in a conversation exploring love, loss, and breaking free at the beautiful Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco. 
 

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Learn More About Elizabeth Gilbert
In her critically acclaimed novels and immensely popular nonfiction, Elizabeth expands our understanding of creativity, spirituality, and love. Whatever her subject, whether in fiction or nonfiction, Elizabeth writes with “a mix of intelligence, wit, and colloquial exuberance that is close to irresistible” (The New York Times Book Review). Her #1 The New York Times bestselling memoir, Eat Pray Love exploded onto the scene in 2006 and famously chronicled the year she spent traveling the world after a shattering divorce. Translated into more than 30 languages, the book was adapted into a 2010 film starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem. In the years since her books have sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and people around the globe have looked to Elizabeth for guidance in leading brave, authentic, and creative lives. With over 21.8 million views, her TED Talk on creativity is among the most popular of all time, while her creativity manifesto, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, was another instant #1 The New York Times bestseller selling over 1 million copies. Her most recent novel is City of Girls, a “fiercely feminist” (Esquire) story of a young woman coming into her own in the theater world of 1940s New York. Debuting at #2 on The New York Times bestseller list, it has sold 1 million copies. Her highly anticipated memoir, All the Way to the River, will be published on Sept 9, 2025. Elizabeth is also the founder and host of The Onward Book Club, which promotes and celebrates the work of Black female authors.

Important Event Information 

About Our Venue 

Formerly known as the Nourse Theater, The Sydney Goldstein Theater opened in 2013 after being closed for nearly 30 years. The theater first opened in 1926 as the auditorium for a high school, and following the school’s closure in 1952, found new life as a public performing arts venue, before closing in 1985. City Arts & Lectures founder Sydney Goldstein saw the theater in 2011 and foresaw a future for the space as the home for City Arts & Lectures; it now serves as an essential venue for City Arts & Lectures as well as for a wide variety of performances and programs. Learn more about the venue at City Arts & Lectures website. 

Meet and Greet Reception Information

The add-on meet-and-greet reception can be added to any ticket type for an additional fee. Space is extremely limited for this intimate event taking place from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at CIIS, 1453 Mission Street, which is a 10 minute walk or short drive from the theater. This reception includes small bites, wine, beer, and soft drinks. Please note that Elizabeth Gilbert will not be signing books, but you will have the chance to meet her and take photos.

About Our Bookstore Partner, Marcus Books

Marcus Books is the nation’s oldest Black-owned independent bookstore celebrating its 60th year. Marcus Books’ mission is to provide opportunities for Black folks and their allies to celebrate and learn about Black people everywhere. Learn more about Marcus Books. 

Accessibility 

If you need to request accessibility accommodations, please email publicprograms@ciis.edu at least one week prior to the event. For more information, explore our Accessibility web page.

Recording Policy 

Portions of this conversation will be recorded for our podcast. 

Refund Policy 

All tickets and donations for this event are nonrefundable.  

Related Academic Program
Expressive Arts Therapy