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813 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
813 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
I really enjoyed this one. It was super interesting, I laughed out loud several times, and learned a lot, too. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who doesn't have an interest in religion or the Bible, but if you're fine with that, then I suggest giving it a shot. I like that Jacobs managed to include a lot of humor while still respecting the Jewish and Christian faiths.
I loved this book! AJ Jacobs' quests to do something (read and live by the Bible, get healthy and read the whole encylopedia)have been smart and funny. I love reading him because I learn something AND he makes me laugh out loud.
Hilarious. Thought provoking. Concerning. Admirable. Easy to read, and enjoyable from start to finish.
From The Book Wheel
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs was not on my radar until Rebecca at Love at First Book told me (repeatedly) that it was fantastic. I really enjoyed Good Without God by Greg Epstein, so I thought that an agnostic Jew’s year-long quest to follow the Bible literally would be pretty interesting. His journey, which began as a new father’s concern for his son’s upbringing, leans more heavily on the Old Testament than the New. Jacobs spreads out his time with Orthodox Jews, Fundamentalists and Creationists and navigates the waters with incredible ease. It sounds very serious, and the subject matter certainly is, but this book is flat-out hilarious. My husband, who hasn’t read the book, knows about 1/3 of what is in it because I kept reading passages to him out loud.
To give you a visual, Jacobs spends his year wearing all white (at one point donning a robe with a roped belt), using a walking stick (that opens into a stool so as to avoid the unclean), grows his beard and sidelocks (payot), won’t wear mixed fibers, plays a ten-string harp on the streets of NYC, attaches tassels to his clothing and literally wears the Ten Commandments around his wrist and head. He follows the Sabbath and prays three times a day, but also participates in rituals such as blowing a ram horn to signal the beginning of a new month, writing the Commandments on his door, and writing by olive oil lamp. To top it off, he visits a snake handler, Jerusalem, a creationist museum, a chicken sacrifice, and a Hasidic dance. And did I mention his quest to figure out how to land a second wife?
But while this book is flat-out hilarious, it is not purely entertainment. Along with struggling with the literalist interpretation, such as stoning adulterers and using a flexible rod to beat your child, he learns that religion is much more than a book that tells him what he can and can’t do. He is very candid about his liberal leanings on a personal level but makes a genuine effort to understand the more conservative side of religion and to fairly portray their insights.
For the full review, click here.
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs was not on my radar until Rebecca at Love at First Book told me (repeatedly) that it was fantastic. I really enjoyed Good Without God by Greg Epstein, so I thought that an agnostic Jew’s year-long quest to follow the Bible literally would be pretty interesting. His journey, which began as a new father’s concern for his son’s upbringing, leans more heavily on the Old Testament than the New. Jacobs spreads out his time with Orthodox Jews, Fundamentalists and Creationists and navigates the waters with incredible ease. It sounds very serious, and the subject matter certainly is, but this book is flat-out hilarious. My husband, who hasn’t read the book, knows about 1/3 of what is in it because I kept reading passages to him out loud.
To give you a visual, Jacobs spends his year wearing all white (at one point donning a robe with a roped belt), using a walking stick (that opens into a stool so as to avoid the unclean), grows his beard and sidelocks (payot), won’t wear mixed fibers, plays a ten-string harp on the streets of NYC, attaches tassels to his clothing and literally wears the Ten Commandments around his wrist and head. He follows the Sabbath and prays three times a day, but also participates in rituals such as blowing a ram horn to signal the beginning of a new month, writing the Commandments on his door, and writing by olive oil lamp. To top it off, he visits a snake handler, Jerusalem, a creationist museum, a chicken sacrifice, and a Hasidic dance. And did I mention his quest to figure out how to land a second wife?
But while this book is flat-out hilarious, it is not purely entertainment. Along with struggling with the literalist interpretation, such as stoning adulterers and using a flexible rod to beat your child, he learns that religion is much more than a book that tells him what he can and can’t do. He is very candid about his liberal leanings on a personal level but makes a genuine effort to understand the more conservative side of religion and to fairly portray their insights.
For the full review, click here.
dark
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Very Jewish sense of humour, points out interesting points.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Entertaining and educational! I learned a good deal and had several good laughs at the same time.
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
I picked this up as an audiobook to have something to listen to on the long drive from Tennessee to Louisiana. As someone who is exploring spirituality, I think it's interesting to explore different viewpoints and methods for understanding religion.
Jacobs previously read the entire encyclopedia and wrote a novel about that as well, so at first his quest seemed a little gimmicky, but I believe that he learned more from the experience than he possibly thought he would.
I found his experiment to be interesting, and at times, hilarious. I would recommend this to anyone with an open mind who wants to get a unique look at the Bible and has a good sense of humor.
Jacobs previously read the entire encyclopedia and wrote a novel about that as well, so at first his quest seemed a little gimmicky, but I believe that he learned more from the experience than he possibly thought he would.
I found his experiment to be interesting, and at times, hilarious. I would recommend this to anyone with an open mind who wants to get a unique look at the Bible and has a good sense of humor.