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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
Fun read. I feel for this guys wife and what he put her through.
I flew through this book and loved every single page. We have all had those "what if" thoughts but it takes a rare level of disciple and humor to achieve what A.J. Jacobs achieves. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.
And I really enjoyed how the book ends, with a couple chapters honoring his wife. She must certainly have a great sense of humor and love him very, very much.
And I really enjoyed how the book ends, with a couple chapters honoring his wife. She must certainly have a great sense of humor and love him very, very much.
It was entertaining. It kind of felt like watching a fluffy sitcom. I didn't love it though. Some of it did got me thinking about trying the same experiment, like the unitasking, or whatever he called it. I'm sure I would benefit from that. Anyway, it was fine.
I am addicted to AJ Jacobs' books. I have read and loved them all. This one isn't my very favorite, but he is always diverting. Always.
I think that because these were all just little snippets and not one large project (like some of his other books), it was just too choppy for me. There were a few experiments that I found interesting or amusing, but most left me wanting more. Maybe they were all better suited to being magazine articles instead of a book.
not one of his better works. I should have passed on this one. It was all over the place, and not as funny as his other books. Do we really want to read about one of your experiement to be a girl online? i think not....
I love Jacobs' personality in his books, but I preferred his other books. This was just alright.
AJ is great. Not my favorite of his, but great light reading and I can't wait for his next experiment!
This was another great book from one of my favorite authors. I like that this one is organized into snippets that can be read quickly.
I’ve read both of A.J. Jacobs’ previous books and loved them both. He strikes the perfect balance between sarcastic/self-deprecating humor and an earnest desire to learn about things completely unfamiliar to him.
“The Year of Living Biblically”, while hysterically funny, really affected me (as I think it did him). It was a very genuine effort to try walking in other people’s shoes – people who had very deeply held beliefs that he did not share…at least at the beginning of the experiment. However, he treated the subject of religion with great respect – and ended the process as a “reverent agnostic”.
He seems to take all of his experiments seriously…and at the end of each summarizes what he’s learned from them.
“My Life as an Experiment” was different in that it detailed several month long experiments instead of one year-long one. I still enjoyed it a great deal, laughing out loud several times. Like during “The Rationality Project”:
“Probably 90 percent of our life decisions are powered by the twin engines of inertia and laziness. Psychologists call it the Mere Exposure Effect. The basic idea is, I like Crest because I am accustomed to Crest. That’s not good enough. I need a fully rational toothpaste. I need, first, to expand my dental hygiene horizons. I go to the drugstore and buy a sample platter of forty tubes of toothpaste. (The cashier doesn’t even bat an eye; I guess when your customers buy bungee cords and vats of K-Y Jelly in preparation for a Friday night, this isn’t a big deal.”
But beyond the humor, I took ideas from this book. For instance, he points out that “we are all predisposed to notice and remember all the bad stuff…because the frustrating episodes are more emotionally charged and we remember them better.” He starts commenting on the positive things out loud – the better to change one’s negative perception. I like that – I’m going to start trying that.
I hope, hope, hope this third book of Jacobs’ is far from the last – they are in themselves, a very positive experience. (Unless one is sitting on a plane next to a stranger, trying unsuccessfully to laugh hysterically without disturbing others. I've tried that experiment while reading one of his books. It doesn’t work.)
“The Year of Living Biblically”, while hysterically funny, really affected me (as I think it did him). It was a very genuine effort to try walking in other people’s shoes – people who had very deeply held beliefs that he did not share…at least at the beginning of the experiment. However, he treated the subject of religion with great respect – and ended the process as a “reverent agnostic”.
He seems to take all of his experiments seriously…and at the end of each summarizes what he’s learned from them.
“My Life as an Experiment” was different in that it detailed several month long experiments instead of one year-long one. I still enjoyed it a great deal, laughing out loud several times. Like during “The Rationality Project”:
“Probably 90 percent of our life decisions are powered by the twin engines of inertia and laziness. Psychologists call it the Mere Exposure Effect. The basic idea is, I like Crest because I am accustomed to Crest. That’s not good enough. I need a fully rational toothpaste. I need, first, to expand my dental hygiene horizons. I go to the drugstore and buy a sample platter of forty tubes of toothpaste. (The cashier doesn’t even bat an eye; I guess when your customers buy bungee cords and vats of K-Y Jelly in preparation for a Friday night, this isn’t a big deal.”
But beyond the humor, I took ideas from this book. For instance, he points out that “we are all predisposed to notice and remember all the bad stuff…because the frustrating episodes are more emotionally charged and we remember them better.” He starts commenting on the positive things out loud – the better to change one’s negative perception. I like that – I’m going to start trying that.
I hope, hope, hope this third book of Jacobs’ is far from the last – they are in themselves, a very positive experience. (Unless one is sitting on a plane next to a stranger, trying unsuccessfully to laugh hysterically without disturbing others. I've tried that experiment while reading one of his books. It doesn’t work.)