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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 am not a religious person, and if pressed to classify myself into some category I'd have to categorize myself as agnostic: unsure of what my specific beliefs are, but not willing to say that there is or is not a God or higher being reigning supreme. Perhaps because I'm still searching to figure out where my beliefs lie, I find myself drawn to books about religion and other peoples' quests to figure out the whole religious movement thing. So when a friend recommended this book to me I immediately downloaded my copy to my Kindle.
When I found myself between books I decided to give it a read. And I pretty much didn't stop. I really loved this book. AJ Jacobs, self-described as "Jewish in the way Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant", has decided to devote a year of his life to living the Bible literally... or as literally as one can do without breaking modern day American laws and estranging his wife and every other person in his life. This book chronicles his journey from being a complete and total skeptic of most things Biblical to a more self-aware, willing-and-eager-to-pray, and educated-about-the-Bible man (even if he did focus more on the Old Testament than on the New Testament).
As with other books of this type, where an individual dedicates a year to living as others mandate, I'm in awe that someone can give up control of their free will to do more than just take the advice of a few, but jump in with both feet to fully immerse himself in a lifestyle that is at once foreign and uncomfortable.
This book was filled with obscure Bible verses and rules, information about groups that attempt to follow the Bible literally and others that have taken bits and pieces to fit their beliefs and lifestyles, and how Jacobs has decided to live out his own version of a Biblical life. I was really expecting his writing to be more snarky and judgmental, but it wasn't. He attempted to seek out perhaps some of the more extreme followers of Judaism and Christianity, leaving the moderates somewhat unexamined, but here is where I understand that there are many who devote their entire lives to the study of the Bible; to attempt to fit it all into the space of one year (and a couple weeks) would be impossible.
If I have any criticism of this book at all, it would probably be the way Jacobs has thrown in pop culture references and trivia, which felt - to me - to be his way of making sure his readers know that although he's grown a nearly unmanageable beard and now wears white robes with tassels hanging from its corners, and bound laminated copies of the Ten Commandments to his forehead and hand, he's still just another average American guy. They weren't necessary; we knew from upfront that his Biblical self "Jacob" was not synonymous with "AJ", his lustful, prideful, prone-to-lying, envious-of-others, writing-for-Esquire self.
In short, this was a fascinating read, and I can guarantee that I'll be reading his other books as well.
When I found myself between books I decided to give it a read. And I pretty much didn't stop. I really loved this book. AJ Jacobs, self-described as "Jewish in the way Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant", has decided to devote a year of his life to living the Bible literally... or as literally as one can do without breaking modern day American laws and estranging his wife and every other person in his life. This book chronicles his journey from being a complete and total skeptic of most things Biblical to a more self-aware, willing-and-eager-to-pray, and educated-about-the-Bible man (even if he did focus more on the Old Testament than on the New Testament).
As with other books of this type, where an individual dedicates a year to living as others mandate, I'm in awe that someone can give up control of their free will to do more than just take the advice of a few, but jump in with both feet to fully immerse himself in a lifestyle that is at once foreign and uncomfortable.
This book was filled with obscure Bible verses and rules, information about groups that attempt to follow the Bible literally and others that have taken bits and pieces to fit their beliefs and lifestyles, and how Jacobs has decided to live out his own version of a Biblical life. I was really expecting his writing to be more snarky and judgmental, but it wasn't. He attempted to seek out perhaps some of the more extreme followers of Judaism and Christianity, leaving the moderates somewhat unexamined, but here is where I understand that there are many who devote their entire lives to the study of the Bible; to attempt to fit it all into the space of one year (and a couple weeks) would be impossible.
If I have any criticism of this book at all, it would probably be the way Jacobs has thrown in pop culture references and trivia, which felt - to me - to be his way of making sure his readers know that although he's grown a nearly unmanageable beard and now wears white robes with tassels hanging from its corners, and bound laminated copies of the Ten Commandments to his forehead and hand, he's still just another average American guy. They weren't necessary; we knew from upfront that his Biblical self "Jacob" was not synonymous with "AJ", his lustful, prideful, prone-to-lying, envious-of-others, writing-for-Esquire self.
In short, this was a fascinating read, and I can guarantee that I'll be reading his other books as well.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
reflective
medium-paced
This was wacky, and, at times, amusing. Jacob's wife might be a saint.
I thought this book was well-written, super-funny, and had some great insights into delving into the Bible. I'm currently finishing up a small blog post highlighting some of my favorite parts; keep an eye on cadyly.stblogs.com
Loved this book. Another great light rail read. Entertaining yet respectful of religion, too. It made me better appreciate some of the oddest of biblical laws (such as mixing fibers). I've always been skeptical of male Orthodox Jews not shaking women's hands. Well, turns out you can't shake a man's hand 24 hours after he has ejaculated, either! :) My favorite part of the book was when AJ Jacobs has to delete his "Stuff" list off his Blackberry. It's a list of all the things he's been right about and his wife has been wrong about. This made me laugh, because I can never remember the things I've been right about in my relationship either! :) A great book, and a light read. Highly recommended.
A.J. Jacobs is a wonderful writer; I've loved everything of his I've read. Read this one long ago, rereading it for bookclub.
I did not like this author at all --- and since the book is all about the authors experiences, it was impossible to separate the book from the smug, self-congratulatory and shallow author.
I guess I don't understand why the author (as a secularist) did this. It isn't a surprise that living biblically is basically impossible, requires a variety of compromises, even across biblical dictates; or that there are some weird things one would have to do. But I think the thing I liked the least was the author's superficial insights. It reads like someone who is attempting a stunt for a book --- which is this author's bag --- while trying to make the reader believe it is a deeply spiritual journey. When confronted with moral ambiguities he fails to provide any real sense that he reflected on it in any meaningful way (ex. His wife confronts him about a giant Jewish party that he thoroughly enjoys, but that women are not allowed to attend, he notes that he noticed the gender segregation, but didn't really think much of it because it is tradition and not his place to question).
I stopped reading at about the point the he started on the New Testament stuff because I just couldn't take the whiny and superficial "what do I do about Jesus" thing. He says he started the project as a secularist and just engaged in the rituals to see what would happen. Even with his new found Jewish heritage, it didn't seem too much of a stretch for him to take the same approach for the New Testament. His discussion of what to do about the New Testament just drove home the hoaxiness of the entire endeavor for me. Is the reader really supposed to believe that this author, whose entire identity as an author is about being able to commit to stunts like this because they are in fact stunts, is sincerely wrestling with the bigger issues of what these rituals mean and which are more meaningful than others? This was the last superficial straw for me.
I guess I don't understand why the author (as a secularist) did this. It isn't a surprise that living biblically is basically impossible, requires a variety of compromises, even across biblical dictates; or that there are some weird things one would have to do. But I think the thing I liked the least was the author's superficial insights. It reads like someone who is attempting a stunt for a book --- which is this author's bag --- while trying to make the reader believe it is a deeply spiritual journey. When confronted with moral ambiguities he fails to provide any real sense that he reflected on it in any meaningful way (ex. His wife confronts him about a giant Jewish party that he thoroughly enjoys, but that women are not allowed to attend, he notes that he noticed the gender segregation, but didn't really think much of it because it is tradition and not his place to question).
I stopped reading at about the point the he started on the New Testament stuff because I just couldn't take the whiny and superficial "what do I do about Jesus" thing. He says he started the project as a secularist and just engaged in the rituals to see what would happen. Even with his new found Jewish heritage, it didn't seem too much of a stretch for him to take the same approach for the New Testament. His discussion of what to do about the New Testament just drove home the hoaxiness of the entire endeavor for me. Is the reader really supposed to believe that this author, whose entire identity as an author is about being able to commit to stunts like this because they are in fact stunts, is sincerely wrestling with the bigger issues of what these rituals mean and which are more meaningful than others? This was the last superficial straw for me.
Very funny and witty. Memoir of a man that decides to follow the Bible literally for an entire year. Not sure I could have stayed married to him so kudos to his wife.
funny
informative
fast-paced
Inevitably he's going to fail since he can't keep the first commandment. He does not love God, he's not sure he believes in him.
An interesting book in places but overall somewhat disappointing.
An interesting book in places but overall somewhat disappointing.