The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible Review
I read this book because of my friend Josh Ross. He mentioned a story from it. And I am always looking for some new books to read. I thought about reading it before, but with his endorsement, it was a sealed deal. This book was really interesting because the author comes from a Jewish background, more of a family Jew than a religious Jew, really the guy did not even believe in God, but he did this experiment, which he took really seriously. He attempted to follow every command in the Old Testament and New Testament, which was hard, especially some of the Old Testament stuff. In fact, the author even highlighted some stuff that I never heard about before, like stealing some egg from a bird. The book does two things, it points to the fact that most of us do not follow the entire Bible, we mostly pick and choose, and second of all, it does make a person change when you are following the word of God. The author felt like he was a better person, and maybe even a little happier, such as when he was working on being more thankful. He even became addicted to gratitude. Though the guy looked funny with his long beard and hair on the sides, he felt that he was in a special club, a certain "in" club he was introduced to. This book certainly was a wonderful read, he is a good writer, and being a minister I enjoyed the journey. Well worth the time.
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible Overview
From the bestselling author of The Know-It-All comes a fascinating and timely exploration of religion and the Bible.
Raised in a secular family but increasingly interested in the relevance of faith in our modern world, A.J. Jacobs decides to dive in headfirst and attempt to obey the Bible as literally as possible for one full year. He vows to follow the Ten Commandments. To be fruitful and multiply. To love his neighbor. But also to obey the hundreds of less publicized rules: to avoid wearing clothes made of mixed fibers; to play a ten-string harp; to stone adulterers.
The resulting spiritual journey is at once funny and profound, reverent and irreverent, personal and universal and will make you see history's most influential book with new eyes.
Jacobs's quest transforms his life even more radically than the year spent reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica for The Know-It-All. His beard grows so unruly that he is regularly mistaken for a member of ZZ Top. He immerses himself in prayer, tends sheep in the Israeli desert, battles idolatry, and tells the absolute truth in all situations - much to his wife's chagrin.
Throughout the book, Jacobs also embeds himself in a cross-section of communities that take the Bible literally. He tours a Kentucky-based creationist museum and sings hymns with Pennsylvania Amish. He dances with Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn and does Scripture study with Jehovah's Witnesses. He discovers ancient biblical wisdom of startling relevance. And he wrestles with seemingly archaic rules that baffle the twenty-first-century brain.
Jacobs's extraordinary undertaking yields unexpected epiphanies and challenges. A book that will charm readers both secular and religious, The Year of Living Biblically is part Cliff Notes to the Bible, part memoir, and part look into worlds unimaginable. Thou shalt not be able to put it down.
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible Specifications
Amazon Best of the Month, September 2007: Make no mistake: A.J. Jacobs is not a religious man. He describes himself as Jewish "in the same way the Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant." Yet his latest work, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, is an insightful and hilarious journey for readers of all faiths. Though no fatted calves were harmed in the making of this book, Jacobs chronicles 12 months living a remarkably strict Biblical life full of charity, chastity, and facial hair as impressive as anything found in The Lord of the Rings. Through it all, he manages to brilliantly keep things light, while avoiding the sinful eye of judgment. --Dave Callanan
Amazon.com
Subtitled: "One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible," Jacobs, or A.J., as his two-year-old son calls him, does just that. It is likely that no one but A.J. Jacobs could have accomplished such a feat. After all, his last book, The Know-It-All, chronicles his reading of the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica, from A to Z. No one but a smart, witty, self-deprecating, nitpicky kinda guy would undertake two such daunting tasks, and complete them with grace, no pun intended.
Jacobs, a New York Jewish agnostic, decides to follow the laws and rules of the Bible, beginning with the Old Testament, for one year. (He actually adds some bonus days and makes it a 381-day year.) He starts by growing a beard and we are with him through every itchy moment. Jacobs is borderline OCD, at least as he describes himself; obsessing over possible dangers to his son, germs, literal interpretation of Bible verses, etc. He enlists the aid of counselors along the way; Jewish rabbis, Christians of every stripe, friends and neighbors.
In an open-minded way he also visits with atheists, Evangelicals Concerned (a gay group), Jerry Falwell, snake handlers, Red Letter Christians--those who adhere to the red letters in the Bible, those words spoken by Jesus Himself, and even takes a trip to Israel and meets Samaritans. Through it all, he keeps a healthy skepticism, but continues to pray and is open to the flowering of real faith. Jacobs is a knowledge junky, to be sure. He enjoys the lore he picks up along the way as much as any other aspect of his experiment. One of the ongoing schticks is his meeting with the shatnez tester, Mr. Berkowitz. He is the one who determines whether or not your clothes are made of mixed fibers, in keeping with the Biblical injunction not to wear wool and linen together. The two become friends and prayer partners, in only one of the unexpected results of this year.
In the end, he says, "I'm now a reverent agnostic. Which isn't an oxymoron, I swear. I now believe that whether or not there's a God, there is such a thing as sacredness. Life is sacred." Not a bad outcome. --Valerie Ryan
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Customer Reviews
Review of Jacobs' 'Living Biblically' - Ryan S. Mease - Chicago, IL, USA
Here is an intimate, personal exploration of Judeo-Christian spirituality in the modern world. It lacks the sanctimonious attitude of many similar examinations by fundamentalists or the atheists who criticize them. It is a thoroughly agnostic experiment. The work's personal touch is something of an added bonus. This book could have succeeded without the author's telling portrait of his relationship with his wife, but her presence certainly improves the work.
I wish this book would have undergone more thorough editing. The 'Year' reads too much like a diary; I would have preferred a more reflective work on the results of Jacobs' experience. What he offers is a day-by-day of his adventures. This works, but it isn't as smart as a post-year analysis. Such an analysis could have brought better organization to the book.
Insightful and humorous - Sarah -
I loved A.J. Jacobs's Know It All and bought this book. The beginning is a bit slow but I grew to like it more and more. He keeps up his dry and humorous style. I learned a lot more about religion than I thought. It was a great fun read.
An entertaining read. - Jennifer L. Jones - south carolina
I read this book reluctanly. My son told me it was good. I really thought the cover didn't do it justice. But I read the book in about 2 days because I couldn't put it down. The author is a great writer that brings the person into his life. He is hilarious and I found myself reading so many passages outloud to my husband.
An entertaining read.
Terrific read! - Anne Primm - KNOXVILLE, TN, US
I am still reading this enlightening book! It's funny and its scholarly. I am impressed with the amount of time and effort that went into research for this book! If you are a person still seeking to know God, this read is definitely for you. It will make you smile and it will make you think. Enjoy!
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 25, 2010 06:52:04
