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 enlarge | Author: A. J. Jacobs
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
Buy New: $10.20
You Save: $4.80 (32%)
New (52) Used (16) from $8.33
Rating:  430 reviews
Sales Rank: 929
Media: Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7
ISBN: 0743291484
Dewey Decimal Number: 220
EAN: 9780743291484
ASIN: 0743291484
Publication Date: September 9, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
 HOURS O FUN January 2, 2009
First book I have read on my kindle. I very much enjoyed the story and would write much more on the matter were I not also attempting to write this review from my kindle. Very funny!
 Could not put it down January 1, 2009
I received this book a couple of days ago as a Christmas present. This was an outstanding book that I had a very difficult time putting down. Not only did this book allow some reflection on the the lesser-known parts of the Bible but it also provided many laugh out loud moments. I especially appreciated that the book did not rely solely on a review of the biblical text but looked at the interpretations offered by others - both through the conversations with the spiritual guides and through written materials. I also appreciated the respect with which he approached those who have more "extreme" religious beliefs. As a Christian, I can share that I was not offended by the spiritual journey and I am hopeful A.J. does not stop growing simply because he has finished writing this book. Thanks to A.J. for writing an enjoyable book!
When Experiments Are Out of This World December 31, 2008
Jacobs knows how to turn a phrase. He is both an exceptional writer and researcher. But as God did with the Seven Churches of Revelations, I hold this against him: he repeatedly embarrassed me by making me laugh in public as I read his book.
Jacobs is an agnostic, and this doesn't change by the end of the book. Yet this book remains one of the most spiritually insightful and challenging books I have ever read. His pursuit of obeying the literal mandates of the Bible was done to expose the hypocrisy of such an attempt, but it also reminds the reader of what the Bible really calls for, and how much we fall short of that call, even when not trying to follow it literally. If you've read the Bible before, and are familiar with it, there is not much Biblically new here. But it is amazing how little we follow though we know the words.
While this was a grand experiment. Jacobs does eight months of the Old Testament, and four months of the New Testament. But, perhaps because of his secular Jewish background, he is admittedly much more at home in the Torah. When he gets to the last four months, one can't but feel a lot is missing. He doesn't investigate groups like the Quakers and the Charismatics, who hold very literally to certain respective New Testament teachings. The sole charismatic focus on snake handlers felt as if Jacobs was taking only one small fringe group, the most extreme, to highlight.
At the same time, after spending eight months applying the literal intent of the Old Testament authors, he doesn't come close to attempting the same thing with the New Testament. Indeed, much of the last four chapters are scattered with *Old Testament* laws and practices. This may be perhaps because the New Testament practices are really that life changing. One of Jacobs' sub-chapters is focused on selling all you have and giving to the poor- but Jacobs then goes back to the Old Testament tithing practice and doesn't even consider or discuss the possibility of giving all he had to the poor. He never gets into the passages of Jesus where, if someone asks for your cloak, give them your undershirt as well. And it is understandable- this is a year long experiment, and Jacobs can't be expected to irrevocably change his life, if it's only an experiment. Jacobs maintains a laudable applied anthropological perspective, entering into the world of his subjects but not fully going native. It's just that I would have liked some discussion of that issue.
That's certainly not enough to reduce the rating on this book. There's simply nothing else like it. No one else there is trying out the whole Biblical thing for a year. And though the eating locusts and trying to stone adulterers make for some funny scenes, Jacobs attempt to follow the ethical laws of the Bible is poignant and thought-provoking. He comes away a happier man, a more blessed man, in the full Biblical meaning of that rich word. And he challenges me to take this faith that I claim more seriously.
Can't Put It Down Book December 30, 2008
I started reading this book because I thought it was a great concept: nonreligious guy tries to live Biblically in a very literal way for one year. I thought it'd be entertaining. Well I'm not even half way through and it's so entertaining, so thought-provoking and funny I have a very hard time putting it down. A.J. is an intelligent, open, and witty writer. I'm from a very religious background and it's interesting to hear from "the other side" what he thinks of people like us, and how we live. Even though I haven't finished the book, I highly recommend this and will be reading The Know-it-All next. What's next, A.J.?
Funny and Thought-Provoking December 29, 2008
While this book doesn't pretend to be anything profound, I really loved his thoughts on faith and the history of the Bible. Don't go into it thinking it will be a deeply spiritual experience, but instead one man's interesting experiment on what the Bible says (or does not say). There are some genuinely funny and thought-provoking passages in this book that were respectful to all religious persuasions. I think it would be an interesting book club discussion. Really enjoyed this book!
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