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shorty_320's review against another edition
4.0
I am a fan of Jacobs' previous work and really looked forward to this book's release. I found it to be a little tough to get through, most likely because it encased several "experiments," whereas his previous books housed just one.
alidottie's review against another edition
4.0
I read this here and there for a looooooong time--whenever I was either not decided on what I was reading next or hadn't pick it up yet. I like a book that you can put down. This one was all different experiments Abrams did for short periods of time. Some were more fun than others, but I always find him interesting and funny.
sposnick's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting. Some chapters were stronger than others though, and others could've used some expanding upon. The author is moderately relatable, but grows a little less likeable as the book goes on, for some reason.
_m_sarai's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book okay, but not as much as his previous two. I got sick of the snarkiness.
rodhilton's review against another edition
3.0
The Guinea Pig Diaries is essentially a collection of short essays from writer A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically and The Know-It-All.
A.J. uses his trademark "immersive journalism" technique with a number of small, month-long experiments. He attempts to live a month practicing brutal honesty, a month outsourcing his life to India, a month of doing whatever his wife tells him, and other experiments.
The book is entertaining and engaging, just like A.J.'s other works, but it lacks the level of detail and insight that his other books provide. In both The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J.'s experiment is funny and entertaining but also allows the reader to learn quite a bit about the encyclopedia and the bible, respectively. Jacobs's treatments of his various experiments are so surface-level and short that this level is never reached.
If you're a fan of his other books, you'll likely enjoy this book the same way that you enjoy a candy bar: it tastes good but it isn't particularly filling. If you've never experienced Jacobs before, skip this book and pick up The Year of Living Biblically (his best) or The Know-It-All (his second best).
A.J. uses his trademark "immersive journalism" technique with a number of small, month-long experiments. He attempts to live a month practicing brutal honesty, a month outsourcing his life to India, a month of doing whatever his wife tells him, and other experiments.
The book is entertaining and engaging, just like A.J.'s other works, but it lacks the level of detail and insight that his other books provide. In both The Know-It-All and The Year of Living Biblically, A.J.'s experiment is funny and entertaining but also allows the reader to learn quite a bit about the encyclopedia and the bible, respectively. Jacobs's treatments of his various experiments are so surface-level and short that this level is never reached.
If you're a fan of his other books, you'll likely enjoy this book the same way that you enjoy a candy bar: it tastes good but it isn't particularly filling. If you've never experienced Jacobs before, skip this book and pick up The Year of Living Biblically (his best) or The Know-It-All (his second best).
pageturner12's review against another edition
5.0
Fun and educational read! Can't wait to read his next book.
wrentheblurry's review against another edition
4.0
I wish I had written the review right after I read this book, for now, over a year later, I cannot recall any specifics. I only even remembered i read the book after my husband pointed out another one of Jacobs' titles, and asked if I had heard of him. I do recall it was a quick read, I liked his casual, humorous writing style, and the concept was interesting and perhaps even a bit thought-provoking. I'll read more!
ekb523's review against another edition
4.0
A.J. Jacobs is a fascinating and hilarious man. I read The Year of Living Biblically and loved it, so I decided I would give this one a try. It reads short-story style and gives you a glimpse at some of the funny and crazy "experiments" he has done in his life.
And I seriously do think his wife is a saint.
And I seriously do think his wife is a saint.
jpcapili's review against another edition
4.0
I discovered this little gem while I was reading 4-hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. The author put himself into extraordinary situations to learn from them. He pretended to be a beautiful woman seeking potential boyfriends through internet dating. He outsourced some of his personal tasks to an Indian company in order to minimize stress. He pretended to be an actor to experience fame. He unitask'ed -- where he explained how multitasking slows our thinking down, instead of being efficient. But three of my favorite social experiments that he did include Radical Honesty (where he attempted to say anything that comes up in his mind without any filters), Rationality Project (where he tried to think and do things rationally), and Project Washington (where he learned how to act and think like George Washington), which allowed me to appreciate Mr. Washington, whom I had no idea how fascinating he was until now.
ogreart's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a great deal of fun. The humor does not seemed forced in any way. While I would probably be unhappy and divorced living out one experiment after another like this, it seems to work for him. I especially enjoyed the "codas" when he went past the end of the essay he wrote and explained what he kept long-term from each experiment.