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812 reviews for:
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible
A.J. Jacobs
3.76 AVERAGE
812 reviews for:
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible
A.J. Jacobs
3.76 AVERAGE
Kind of boring honestly. It's a guy trying to follow a ton of weird rules. That's it. There was no deeper meaning to it. I was hoping to see how it changed his life but I'm convinced he didn't really want to change so he hyper-focused on the rules and the rules only.
I started with the audiobook, which is only the abridged version. Then I switched to the printed copy because I was afraid I'd miss crucial stuff. Then I realized you can't cut out crucial parts of a pointless book so it didn't matter. So I went back to the audio abridgement on 2x speed to finish.
I started with the audiobook, which is only the abridged version. Then I switched to the printed copy because I was afraid I'd miss crucial stuff. Then I realized you can't cut out crucial parts of a pointless book so it didn't matter. So I went back to the audio abridgement on 2x speed to finish.
Read my review at http://ninjabooks.livejournal.com
This was a fun read. It made me laugh aloud a couple times (most notably when the author's wife sits on every chair in the house as a response to the biblical rule about not touching women during their periods). I usually read novels, so the lack of a typical exposition-climax-resolution structure kind of hurt. If I had read this as a blog or a serial magazine piece, I would have been fine, but put it in book-form and I want a climax, darn it! Still, Jacobs is funny and insightful and feels like someone I would love to have dinner with (weird beard and all).
I seriously loved this book. I thought it was funny and interesting and incredibly relevant to my life right now. AJ Jacobs read the Bible, cover to cover, and followed the rules- to the letter- for one year. He is an agnostic-jew who goes on a spiritual journey to figure out what role religion plays in the modern world. I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but this was totally worth it.
Quite a good read - it makes me want to go back and read "The Know-It-All", because he keeps referencing that (his earlier book).
The author goes on an interesting journey of discovery. He learns about different viewpoints on the Bible and also about himself. The book is also hilarious in places.
This book made me think more about religion than I have since I was in school. Some very valid points, both pro and con, on many different issues and Jacobs manages to do it all with an upbeat tone.
Still reading this and really loving it. The absurdity of having to live by everything mandated in the bible is so apparent in this book. Some of the changes A.J. is going through are really good, but not being able to wear anything with mixed fibers, not being able to shave your beard, and not being able to touch a menstruating woman, etc...come on. A.J. is an Agnostic trying to see if he is making the right decision in raising his son non-religious. By the end of the book he remains an Agnostic (I skipped ahead), but is a still a better person from having to adhere to so many rules and do some soul searcing throughout his year, which I totally respect. I thought this book may shine some light on why people have religion, and in some ways it does, but it actually even really confirms my belief in my stance of being a non-believer
Finally finished this one...I found it difficult to get through more than 10-20 pages at a time. It didn't blow my mind, or change my ideas about religion, but it was certainly interesting, funny and well-written. If anything, it made me want to attempt to read the bible again. Jacobs is extremely likable and genuine in his quest. At some point, I think I'll pick up his first book which is about reading the entire encyclopedia in a year.
A.J. Jacobs, a confessed agnostic, decides to take on the Bible, and follow it as literally as possible for a year. This leads to humorous be-tasseled robes, Creationist museum visit and a chicken-killing ritual.
As an agnostic myself, there were moment where I worried that the book's tone was a little evangelistic...but once I persevered, I found things I could relate to once more. Some favourite words of wisdom (from Jacobs himself, or a higher power...) include:
"I ask him if it's hard to lead a group of atheists. Like herding cats, he says. Atheists aren't, by nature, joiners...Recently atheists have made a good effort...But if organized religion is Goliath, then organized atheism still qualifies as David." (p.98)
"We can never hope to plumb the mystery of God's mind. Bad things happen to good people. Idiots and geniuses, saints and sinners - we a ll die. The best we can do is try to appreciate the great things that God has given us - food, drink, the pleasure of honest work. We should follow the commandments, but we should do so with no guarantee that they will pay off in this life." (p.114)
"In the end, people appreciate frankness more than flattery." Proverbs 28:23 (TLB)
"In a place of no humanity, strive to be human." (p.244)
This book opened my mind to the spirituality that can exist, even in the absence of formal, organized religion. I'm curious to know what those who have drank the proverbial kool-aid (no offense intended) might have to say about this book.
As an agnostic myself, there were moment where I worried that the book's tone was a little evangelistic...but once I persevered, I found things I could relate to once more. Some favourite words of wisdom (from Jacobs himself, or a higher power...) include:
"I ask him if it's hard to lead a group of atheists. Like herding cats, he says. Atheists aren't, by nature, joiners...Recently atheists have made a good effort...But if organized religion is Goliath, then organized atheism still qualifies as David." (p.98)
"We can never hope to plumb the mystery of God's mind. Bad things happen to good people. Idiots and geniuses, saints and sinners - we a ll die. The best we can do is try to appreciate the great things that God has given us - food, drink, the pleasure of honest work. We should follow the commandments, but we should do so with no guarantee that they will pay off in this life." (p.114)
"In the end, people appreciate frankness more than flattery." Proverbs 28:23 (TLB)
"In a place of no humanity, strive to be human." (p.244)
This book opened my mind to the spirituality that can exist, even in the absence of formal, organized religion. I'm curious to know what those who have drank the proverbial kool-aid (no offense intended) might have to say about this book.