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Yeah! This is my first 5 star review of my A-Z book challenge! I was very excited to take on this book, but I was afraid, like other books I have looked forward to reading on this challenge, that I would be let down by this book that everyone around me had really enjoyed reading. However, this book not only met but exceeded my expectations.
Many people who know me know I have struggled with my feelings on religion for quite some time. My father was a minister, but (long story short) he's no longer a minister because of some things he did and I haven't spoken to him since I was 16 years old. So I grew up with a basis in religion but as I've grown older, I have kept my spirituality but have lost my faith in any organized religion. It has taken me about 10 years to find my new place with my faith.
Coming into this book with that point of view, I looked forward to it because I believe there are certain things in the Bible that are just plain crazy, and I looked forward to A.J. Jacobs exposing that.
What I appreciate in A.J. Jacobs throughout this book is his honesty. He admits from the first page that his parents are Jewish, although his is not practicing, and he is agnostic. He also admits that he is not in this experiment to point out the flaws of the Bible but instead to see if there's something missing in his life because he doesn't have the Bible in it.
The result is a hilarious and at the same time very touching journey through Jacob's life over a year. His Biblical journey coincides with his wife's second pregnancy, and it makes for an interesting story, actually. I found myself at points interested in his own simple biography rather than his Bible stories at points. The moment where his wife (who had wished for a daughter) finds out she is having twin boys is heartbreaking. Especially touching are his interactions with his neighbor, Nancy, and what evolves in the last few chapters.
In the end, I really identified with Jacobs. He and I most likely sit pretty much in the same position on not only the religious fence but the political one as well. Did this make me like the book more? Maybe. However, I think anyone could appreciate the humor and honesty of this book. Jacobs consistently stays an impartial judge whether he is visiting the Red Letter Christians, the Creation museum, Israel, or Falwell's church. I believe he paints the people and the place for who they are objectively.
Particularly touching are the last few pages of Jacob's journey. He ended the book beautifully, taking in the Bible for what I believe it is. . .a great book that can give you guidance when in need but should be taken with interpretation in mind.
Many people who know me know I have struggled with my feelings on religion for quite some time. My father was a minister, but (long story short) he's no longer a minister because of some things he did and I haven't spoken to him since I was 16 years old. So I grew up with a basis in religion but as I've grown older, I have kept my spirituality but have lost my faith in any organized religion. It has taken me about 10 years to find my new place with my faith.
Coming into this book with that point of view, I looked forward to it because I believe there are certain things in the Bible that are just plain crazy, and I looked forward to A.J. Jacobs exposing that.
What I appreciate in A.J. Jacobs throughout this book is his honesty. He admits from the first page that his parents are Jewish, although his is not practicing, and he is agnostic. He also admits that he is not in this experiment to point out the flaws of the Bible but instead to see if there's something missing in his life because he doesn't have the Bible in it.
The result is a hilarious and at the same time very touching journey through Jacob's life over a year. His Biblical journey coincides with his wife's second pregnancy, and it makes for an interesting story, actually. I found myself at points interested in his own simple biography rather than his Bible stories at points. The moment where his wife (who had wished for a daughter) finds out she is having twin boys is heartbreaking. Especially touching are his interactions with his neighbor, Nancy, and what evolves in the last few chapters.
In the end, I really identified with Jacobs. He and I most likely sit pretty much in the same position on not only the religious fence but the political one as well. Did this make me like the book more? Maybe. However, I think anyone could appreciate the humor and honesty of this book. Jacobs consistently stays an impartial judge whether he is visiting the Red Letter Christians, the Creation museum, Israel, or Falwell's church. I believe he paints the people and the place for who they are objectively.
Particularly touching are the last few pages of Jacob's journey. He ended the book beautifully, taking in the Bible for what I believe it is. . .a great book that can give you guidance when in need but should be taken with interpretation in mind.