First off, this book was humorous and well written, as the author is famous for.

His experiment is done earnestly and described honestly. It certainly offers insight into the many sides of this book called "The Bible". It even has me examining things that I do in my own life that may help me be more enlightened.

The major issue I have with 'The Year of Living Biblically' is that he is too easy on the religious right and fundamentalists in general. I strongly suspect that this is done not to offend his readers.

This man is a liberal writer for Esquire who lives in Manhattan! You don't think he beleives that creationism is not insane? Or that the religious right preach hate? He is VERY soft on these groups, which I see as a cop out so he can make money.

Otherwise this is a fairly good book, but doesnt hold a myrrh candle to 'The Know it All".

"There's a beauty to forgiveness, especially forgiveness that goes beyond rationality. Unconditional love is an illogical notion, but such a great and powerful one." pg. 275


I am absolutely in love with the feeling and sincerity in those sentences. I might actually post them on my myspace somewhere. I've been thinking about it.
Aj speaks with absolute honesty and thoughtfulness through out his entire book. I'm thinking he is borderline genius. I almost feel like I know him. Like the quirky brother at a bbq. I often wonder if I could ever put so much of my soul out there for the world. It is touching and very connecting to the people in love with his projects.
For someone looking for an unbiased look on religion; this book is the way to go. Very informative, intelligent, and insightful. Aj lives through the bible and survives. Taking on almost all angles. From the ten commandments to Jerusalem... Aj will keep your interests high, and never disappoint.

Keep up the great work AJ!!!

A.J. Jacobs has created an insightful and respectful look at living out the Bible laws literally. His stated intention was to live out every commandment in the Bible in their most literal sense. What could have been disrespectful and sacrilegious turns out to be insightful, honest, reverent, and funny. It is an easy read, and you will learn much from Jacob's journey.

This book is also about Jacob's spiritual journey. While he doesn't convert to either Judaism or Christianity, he becomes what he calls a reverent agnostic. Having grown up in a secular Jewish family, he is unsure about religion and its impact on people. His experience with religious fundamentalism is, understandably, offsetting. But he also recognizes that secular humanism is not the best for his son either. By the end of the book, Jacobs has experienced the power of forgiveness, the joy of thanksgiving, and experienced a host of changes.

Despite a lack of agreement with many hard passages in the Bible, Jacobs does not soft-sell or bypass the passages. He takes on the tough passages from Scripture, explores various approaches to understanding them, and often comes to some form of understanding. He doesn't always agree or like it, but he does explore various approaches. I appreciate that he does not set up straw men to easily knock over.

By the end of his experience, I believe he has been changed in ways that he did not expect and may not even understand himself. He has opened a door, and who knows where that door may yet lead.

A.J. Jacobs is determined to live for an entire year as biblically as possible. As if this didn't have "wheeeee" written all over it, he goes even further to segment the year up according to the Old and New Testaments, so as to be as fair as possible. The amount of research, thought and planning that went into this memoir is part of what makes it so great. The author didn't just randomly pick passages to try and live, he went all out and not only got as close as he possibly could in these modern times (see the part where he tries "stoning" someone) with an insight that this reviewer could easily identify with. Mr. Jacobs asks the same innocent questions any other agnostic/non denomination person would when faced with a situation such as this.
From visiting with Hasidic Jews, Evangelicals, snake handlers, Creationists and a even a trip to Jerusalum, Mr. Jacobs meets some truly wonderous characters, one of which is a former relation. He retells the encounters with a quick wit and managing to retain an open mind (as best he can) toward the new and unfamiliar.
My favorite modern day conversion has to be when he finds that he must keep a "slave" per the Old Testament. In order to do this, he picks up an unpaid intern, who agrees per contract to be referred to as his "slave."
Other conversions are a little less successful (water and false idols!) and some just cause unintended public attention (if you saw someone with tassels attached to their shirt sleeves, you'd look too) but all in all, the point of view the author takes with this memoir is truly one any other curious agnostic or just non denominational anything could appreciate.

LOVE this book! It was funny, educational, informative, and honest. There ARE so many interpretations of the bible and 'religion' in general. After reading this book, there are even MORE than I had ever imagined. Even though AJ is now the 'reverant' agnostic, aside from all the do's and don't's in the bible, and the questions about God's intention, I believe His basic message is like the singer Oleta Adams put it many years ago...."I don't care how you get here, get here if you can". You are more connected than you realize Mr Jacobs. Enjoy it and thanks for passing it on! This book is a true blessing! Telling MANY to get it.

I also enjoyed reading this book about a man's struggle to take the Old Testament commands literally and apply them to modern day life. However, those laws were directed to the Jewish people at a certain time period. We are not under the jurisdction of the Mosaic law today or living in a theocracy. Those rules were for them then. It is an informative book with a humorous touch and I look forward to reading his other books.

please let me clarify that i am no discriminating reader. my criterion is as follows: i want to keep reading it. it doesnt have to be educational or high-brow. so, anyway, despite that, i am learning a bit even WHILE i enjoy this book! having considered myself a christian, i am somewhat surprised at how much i did NOT know. and i can appreciate the restraint the author shows in, as a liberal NY jew, not condemning the wacko right. i cannot promise that i would show same. the only thing that bugs me is his wife cried at the ultrasound because she isnt having a girl. that seems really... i dunno... ingrate. american yuppie. your baby is healthy! you should be thankful! or at least dont cry. anyway, i like this book; it is along the lines of bill bryson meets augusten burroughs meets david sedaris. i havent finished the book yet but am hoping the author picks up, at some point, on the vegetarian messages in Isaiah and Genesis.

I just happened to stumble across this book at a book store and I am so glad that I read it. It is the first book that I have ever laughed out loud while reading. It was sweet and funny and interesting all at the same time. I hope there will be more to come like this from A.J. Jacobs.

I've been reading the reviews of this book--especially the one-star reviews. Just curious how anyone could not like this book. I think those who don't get this book don't understand the premise. The premise is not that he's going to keep all the laws of the Bible and teach us the "deep dark secrets of religion." But rather the premise is how impossible, and even presumptious, to think that anyone can. Jacobs keeps an open mind (not sachryinne,(sp))and proves that legalism at worst is impossible, at best, exhausting. He adroitly lays the foundation for grace and mercy. That's where I'd like to live.
Plus the guy is hysterically funny. A.J., if you're reading this (may grace and mercy cover your pride), keep on going. I'll buy the next one too. Blessings.

I loved this book. It made me think, laugh and even cry. I think any person of any religion will enjoy this.

My cousin, who is my favorite book-recommender, not only urged me to read this memoir, but actually bought it for me. I had a wrong notion that it was a Bible-reading devotional at first, but once I actually read the first pages, I found out it was a memoir of one secular man's year long attempt to live Biblically. My cousin and I were raised in a very legalistic religion, where obeying the letter of the law was hugely desired. I thought we'd been hit with every single commandment, and was frankly amazed at all the other non-cultural Biblical laws we somehow missed. The tone of the book is even-handed, non-judgemental and wryly sweet, with occasional flashes of outright hilarity. Kind of a Jewish Bill Bryson, talking religion. I was relieved that the snake-handlers weren't made objects of derision, but treated with dignity. Though Mr. Jacobs apparently didn't intend such a thing, I came away from the book oddly at peace with my own beliefs. Recommended reading.

I was recommended this product by a Pastor friend of mine. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading AJ's experiences. They are both amazing and hilarious. Though you should be careful if you compliment him too greatly. He'll accuse you of making him commit the sin of pride :-)
Pastor Jason Frazier

There seems to be a contingent of New York City writers who have invented a whole new genre: "real life pretense." Let's pretend to be green for a year. Let's pretend to be religious for a year. Hey, I smell money in it!

What a sack of baloney.

In "The Year of Living Biblically," AJ Jacobs has written an engaging and entertaining book. I found myself rooting for him on his journey of exploring faith that he unabashedly admits he does not have. He fails in his purported attempt to be non-judgemental; while he quotes criticisms of the religious Right as having more in common with the Republican Party than with Holy Scripture, he fails to note the parallel critique of the religious Left, that it has more in common with the Democratic Party than Holy Scripture. Still, he concludes that everyone treats the Bible in a pick-and-choose cafeteria way. Jacobs himself clearly chooses the Old Testament over the New. Citing his Jewish family history, the sense of returning to one's own was simply not there for him amidst the Christian scriptures. Too, the book would have been better if Jacobs was a genuine spiritual seeker, rather than just a guy with a clever idea for another book. His subsequent writings indicate that he has pretty much abandoned the quest, something that a true seeker never does. Nonetheless, the book is a good choice for light summer reading, with just a touch of spiritual cache.

Aside from having a dry, self-deprecating sense of humor, A.J. Jacobs combines both a wondrous, open-mindedness about a number of faith traditions, while also offering razor-sharp insights. His observational scalpel cuts deep, not only into the questions of why we practice what we do in organized religion, but also into his own psyche, exploring not only the transcendent qualities of religion, but also the absurd, the inscrutable and the pragmatic.

As a writer on topics of faith and popular culture, I found it heartening to have my own attitudes about faith and religion challenged by someone who considers himself agnostic - though I would argue no one can avoid some degree of agnosticism, regardless of their faith tradition, or lack thereof. I have written several columns based upon Jacobs' sincere, witty revelations in this book, and I felt by the end that, not only had I been a companion on a fascinating journey, but I had also made a friend in a kindred spirit.

For me, it's one of the best books on faith out there, particularly from a non-practicing person's point of view. We should all strive to live so faithfully and be so open to the many mysteries and discoveries yet to be made about this journey of life which we all share.

My own prejudices prevented me from initially getting into this book. I am a former Protestant pastor and theologian with Ph.D. studies in theology and philosophy and, now, an atheist. Therefore, even its premise seemed ludicrous, as well as wasteful to me. The Bible isn't meant to be read literally, nor can it be followed as such. Furthermore, what's the point of exploring the various biblical paths to spirituality--so to speak--if one isn't truly vested in opening oneself to them risking it all by being willing to surrender to any one of them, as the author wasn't and isn't. At long last, after being both frustrated and elated by it, I am glad I read it. The author documents many aspects of his sundry experiences with a rich variety of characters and their respective beliefs, as well as their concomitant points of contact in his own personal life, be it as a father, friend, professional, husband or seeker of whatever he was after during his self-imposed quest. All aspects of his life were engaged throughout this year, i.e., sexual, economic, intellectual, professional, etc. He was both changed and challenged. So will readers of any persuasion if approaching this work with the same willingness to learn the author had all along. It reminded me of how beautiful and sad faith is. I remain an unbeliever in friendly terms with biblical faith.

My expectations were not high when I read this book. I mostly wanted to enjoy reading about someone else's experience with religion. That's what I got with this book. Jacobs goes about everything with such honesty about his feelings that I really felt in tune with his doubts and fears as well as his inspirations. As someone who has often felt the same about religion as the author, I could understand a lot of his stumblings as well as his happiness in finding some kind of joy in religion.

If you're looking for something that is religiously inspirational and changes your thinking, I wouldn't read this book. That's expecting a lot from a book that spends a lot of time stumbling into possible bits of inspiration here and there. If you're of the midset of Jacobs at the beginning of the book believing fully in secular and not really understanding the full meaning of why people follow the Bible, then this is the book for you. Jacobs does all the foot work for you, now all you have to do is read...and maybe (only if you want to) follow his example.

I am surprised to read that some were not grabbed by the book or felt let down by the promise of it being a good read.

Both books A.J. has written have completely enthralled me. I usually fly through books at a sometimes-surprising rate, even ones that I enjoy. This one had me prolonging it as much as I could, while also anticipating every "adventure" that A.J. embarked on during his yearlong quest. I was delighted to find that each new premise was treated with fairness, even if I, as a religious person, found it kooky.

I found the book to be intensely relative to my own life. I related immediately to the premise of "a normal person on a quest" that is present in both books. I also related to the thoroughness of the quest itself. (If I do something, I do it full-throttle.) I also laughed quite a bit and even sparked my 17-year-old sister to want to read the book after I gave her brief snapshots of what I was reading.

I also read this book at a time when I was meeting up with some relatives of mine that belong to another religion. Knowing I was setting myself up for a possible "schooling," I found the premise of the book to be a positive thing that I wanted to share anyway. In sharing, I got to learn how my relatives stood on various issues, which sometimes yielded surprising results.

I did expect more Borat-like encounters, as I know religion can make people do and say strange things. I am glad that A.J. encountered mostly good-natured people (if not sometimes seemingly "misguided") and not those who would make me thoroughly embarrassed to be a part of their belief system.

In conclusion: I laughed, I learned, I thought, and I shared. A.J. Jacobs is a very gifted writer and storyteller, as well as a pretty cool-sounding human being, quirks and all.

As an evangelical Christian who has grown up around religion I was eager to read a book about the Bible from an agnostic point of view - not opposed to the Bible, but mostly neutral. Jacobs tries his best to be neutral, but in American culture it is almost impossible to walk into any religious situation with a blank slate.

Many have critisized Jacobs for not going into enough depth, but honestly people, the Bible and religion are vast, detailed and intricate subjects. There is only so much one man can do in one year! His experiences range from chicken sacrifice to snake handleing and it is all told in a frank manner that I think conveys what his purpose was - to get to the core of the Bible. Honestly, I think he missed the heart of it, but I appreciate that he did not throw the baby out with the bathwater. It was worth a read, as a Christian, and caused me to take a step back when I read the Bible. I've spent more time thinking about what I believe and why, and what parts of the Bible I leave out and why. Don't expect a Fitzgerald-style masterpiece. Do expect a witty and thought-provoking read.

By the way A.J., if you're still checking your Amazon ratings, Hi!

I have enjoyed your articles throughly (I purchased a subscription just to read your articles). I even liked your book about the encyclopedia, unfortunately I did not like this book. I found it a bit contrived and laking.

The idea was predictable. I felt as if i could skip 20 pages and still know exactly what was happening and what was going to happen. I promise I am not omnipotent.

I expect great things of your next book. I hope this review does not add to the stress of infertility and aging.

Best wishes

I had no real expectations from this book, so I was pleasantly surprised by the humor I found in it. I didn't walk away from the book offended by anything. In fact, I ended up learning about other beliefs that I didn't know that much about. As a parent, I could relate to the various parenting blips A.J. shares and find the humor in them. As a Christian I found the approach of following the Bible as literally as possible interesting. I'm one of those New Testament Christians, spoken of in the book, who believes that when Jesus came He overrode the Old Testament rules. I'm just now starting the 2nd portion of the book where A.J. starts his NT journey. I keep hoping he'll have the ultimate epiphany he seems to desire at times. I get the feeling A.J. fears the potential epiphany as much as he desires it though. As a wife, I had to giggle over the story about Julie and her sitting in every seat in the house so A.J. had nowhere "clean" to sit. Sounds like something I might do to my husband. Okay, on to Month Nine.

I didn't find this as funny as some of the reviews led me to expect, though it certainly had its moments. On the other hand, it's much more intelligent than many of the other books on religion. He took the whole idea seriously as well as humorously, quite a trick. I was charmed by this book.

Early in the book the author states that, "one of the reasons I embarked on this experiment was to take legalism to its logical extension and show that it leads to righteous idiocy". Good news because that is exactly why I bought this book. It's also pretty clear by the cover that the author is going to take a humorous look at literalism which is cool with me. Religious literalism has and continues to cause tremendous suffering on our planet and some savage mockery might be the perfect antidote. Too bad this isn't what the author delivers.

In one part of the book the author addresses stoning. Since he is trying to live by the literal words of the bible he decides to engage in stoning people who he observes breaking biblical laws. Naturally he couldn't walk around actually stoning folks so instead he holds a handful of tiny pebbles and gently dropped them on the feet of sinners. It's rather cute until you think about the fact that some cultures actually continue to practice organized biblical stonings which involves a crowd of people bludgeoning a `sinner' to death with fist sized rocks. This trend of sugarcoating literalism continues throughout the book. The author is surprised out how tame Jerry Falwell's sermon is and charmed by a friendly Pentecostal snake handler.

What the book felt like to me was an episode of Wife Swapping or a Jerry Springer monologue. After all the adventure and turmoil we all learn an important lesson about life. In the authors case I guess he learned about religious tolerance and understanding. Unfortunately religious literalists are anything but tolerant and understanding. Mr. Jacobs compares strict observance of religious ritual with obsessive compulsive disorder and refers to religion as perhaps a `healthy neurosis' as if religious fundamentalism were a positive outlet for people with OCD. I would suggest that it's more likely to be used as justification for intolerance or confirmation of a person's already established beliefs. The author talks about the positives of `cafeteria Christianity' i.e. choosing what you wish from the Bible and discarding the rest. Someone might focus on the love thy neighbor portions while ignoring the stories of the Israelites slaughtering cities in God's name. On the other hand you can focus on the passages about gays being an abomination and ignore the much larger sections on Jesus helping the poor.

Whatever Jacob's goal was early on in the book it seemed to be completely lost by the end. We live in a world where woman are beaten for showing ankles or imprisoned for traveling unescorted and this kind of mentality isn't limited to the middle east. The author even mentions a small but frighteningly influential group of Christian literalists called the Dominionists who reside right here in the United States and long to see the laws of Leviticus used as the basis for our legal system.

`The Year of Living Biblically' was more mildly witty than laugh out loud and the author's attempts and sentimentality fell kind of flat given the subject matter. In the end it seemed like the book just lost its mooring and drifted off. According to the author his father enjoys scanning through reviews of his sons books on Amazon and gives not helpfuls to negative reviews so I suppose I can expect at least one. I'll be looking for it.

I had read that this was one of the best books from 2007 so I was excited to begin this book. The idea is interesting and I did laugh at a few parts but mostly I was bored. I consider myself to be somewhere between pantheist and agnostic so I can relate to the author's positions. However, I feel so much more could have been done with this book. The more serious sections seemed glossed over and almost afterthoughts. And, the parts of the book that had potential to offend were toned down. You can't write an interesting book on religion without offending somebody. Also, Jacobs relies on cheap gimmicks to provide humor and fails to capitalize on opportunities to showcase irony and hypocrisy. It was almost like he didn't know where he wanted to go with the book. As I said to my wife, "I kept waiting for the book to grab my attention and then it was over." That said, it was entertaining enough for me to read through to the end. Barely.

having grown up in an evangelical home with a father who thought the bible was the only book, i loved this "other" book. i have a sister who is a pastor's wife, a sister who is an "angry agnostic", a best friend who has discovered the messianic jews, and lots of confused friends. this book speaks to them all with out offending any. in fact, it made them all smile if not actually laugh out loud. in this mine field we walk in called religion, it's nice to find a book that won't explode in my face. thank you mr. jacobs! i have already bought and given away 5 copies so i am financially looking forward to "the year of living biblically" coming out in paperback.

This book was selected by our Pastor for a book discussion group. Many in the group could not put it down. It is pleasing and funny, yet so honest you have to look realistically at your own circumstances and where you want to be as a Christian. We had many evenings of laughter and wonderful discussions surrounding the author's escapades into Christianity. Very refreshing and yet thought provoking and deep. Don't just skim the surface of this book, go deep and explore it!

I adore this book! I first heard an interview with A.J. on NPR & immediately went online to buy it. I couldn't put it down! Whether you are religious or not, you will find the book enlightening, heart warming, and really funny! I imagine A.J. was already a pretty nice guy before the experiment but after a year of living biblically, he feels like he is a better person. I feel like a better person after having read it! No, really! If you've ever wondered why God doesn't want you to wear mixed fibers, what a "red letter Christian" is, or where to go in NY to sacrifice some livestock, this book is for you! Seriously though, the key takeaway of this book is, treat other people well (e.g., don't gossip about them, help them when in need, respect your elders) and your life will be far more enriching! BTW, I met A.J. in person and he really is a nice guy!

This book is funny, challenging, kooky and sometimes just weird. It will get you thinking about your faith and how much you adhere to its tenets. The author (Jewish by birth), totally non observant in his faith decides to tackle religion for an entire year. His revelations, misguided attempts at prayer, and his desire to follow things to the letter will leave you with a a myraid of emotions. The end of year leaves me sad. Because in the end, it was done to write the book and not to leave him with an extended sense of his faith. I had really hoped that he would decide that some of it would really stay with him. But as he shed his beard, he shed his quasi religious persona. Still a good book.

I heard about this book in one of my online reading communities. Not one person could speak anything other than praise. I bought a copy. I'm not Christian, Jewish or Muslim (I'm a polytheist pagan as a matter of fact) but I love to study all religions equally. I found the information in this book very illuminating and it was filled with "Ah-ha!" moments. So many traditions and rules make sense now. Thanks A.J.

Oh, and P.S. you really can't say any of the days of the week. Sunday is from the Norse goddess Sunna. Monday= Norse moon god Mani, Tuesday= Norse god Tyr. Wednesday= Woden's Day (Odin). Thursday you got, Friday=Norse god Frigga's Day. Just thought you'd like to know!

AJ notes in this book that he reads the Amazon reviews of his work, so I hope he will read this. Honestly, I never laughed at this book, though I was completely aware of every instance in which the author was trying to get a laugh. It is far too self-admiring, far too confident of the author's own preciousness. I never really believed him that he was really trying to understand what it is to be a believer.

My book arrived on time and was in new condition. It is full of good information and a hoot to read. It will be fun to discuss with my reading group.

This is truly a great book! Jacobs takes on a very serious subject, but does it with a grace and humor that few possess. I felt as though I was right there with him watching his beard grow. Very funny, very enlightening, and very entertaining.

This book was definitely entertaining! A.J. Jacobs' quest through this journey is quite funny. I found myself laughing out loud. Trying to live biblically for only one year is impossible, but he covered some "important" parts.

Unfortunatly this book and attempt of the author to "follow" the Bible's teachings seems more like a joke and mockery of the Christain faith. While I did learn some interesting facts and notes about Biblical times, I was let down by the lack of depth. It could have been so much more. As for trying many of the Bible's instructions, some were only brief moments and half-hearted tries, and may have been either not tried at all or searched for a more deep meaning.

This is a really terrific book. Jacobs is a good writer, first of all, engaging, witty, and deep by turns.

He is a Jew who grew up in a secular family that were rather embarrassed by this religion thing . He is a professional writer, and while looking for ideas for his next book, hit upon the idea of taking the Bible literally. It would allow him to get to know the best-selling book of all time, to open the door to spirituality and see if anything developed for him, and to explore the concept of biblical literalism. "But my suspicion was that almost everyone's literalism consisted of picking and choosing. People plucked out the parts that fit their agenda, whether that agenda was to the right or left. Not me. I thought, with some naivete, I would peel away the layers of interpretation and find the true Bible underneath. i would do this by being the ultimate fundamentalist. I'd be fearless. I would do exactly what the Bible said, and in so doing, I'd discover what's great and timeless in the Bible and what is outdated." (p. 6-7)

So he bought a variety of versions of the Bible as well as other books about the Bible and read them all. He decided to devote 8 months to the Old Testament and 4 months to the New. He made a list of the rules in the Bible and carried it with him, sometimes binding a copy to his forehead and his arm. He came up with a list of what seemed to him the most bizarre rules in the Bible and investigated some of them early on. For instance, the prohibition against mixing cloth. He figured that no one was actually following this rule, but found that, on the contrary, there are people who are shatnez (mixed fiber) testers. He found one named Mr. Berkowitz who came and inspected his clothes for forbidden cloth... turns out the rule is about mixing linen and wool. Mr. Berkowitz found one suspicious garment which Jacobs put away for the rest of the year. Mr. Berkowitz becomes one of Jacob's mentors into Judaism. He is firmly of the belief that one doesn't need to understand all the rules in the Bible, but simply practice them, and by doing so draw nearer to God.

Jacobs has several mentors in his year, both rabbis and ministers. He visits representatives of all sorts of religious groups, everywhere along the path from rigid literalists to those who see the Bible more in terms of metaphor. He visits the Creationist Museum, Jerry Falwell's church, snake handlers, gay evangelicals, and of course Israel. Many of those he expected to dislike he found he did like, even when he didn't agree with them.

Some things he followed seem pretty silly. There's a funny scene where he decided he needed to stone someone, as it was the most common form in the Bible of capital punishment, and prescribed for numerous sins. So Jacobs gathered up some pebbles and went in search of sinners. He finds an angry old man who wants to know why he is dressed so queer, and he says he is stoning sinners. The old man says he is an adulterer, and Jacobs shows him the pebbles, the old man throws one at him, and he throws one back, and they part.

Other things Jacobs tries have a profound effect on him. He begins praying every day at the beginning of the year, and at first it leaves him feeling empty. Yet by the end of the year he finds himself praying spontaneously, for his son's protection, for instance, or small frequent prayers of gratitude for the small sweet things in life for which he had not before thought to be grateful.

His summary of the year on pages 327-329 worth the price of the book. He, who starts he year as an agnostic, ends the year as still an agnostic... but a reverent one: "I now believe that whether or not their's a God, there is such a thing as sacredness. Life is sacred. The Sabbath can be a sacred day. Prayer can be a sacred ritual. There is something transcendent, beyond the everyday. It's possible that humans created this sacredness ourselves, but that doesn't take away from its power or importance."

As for the Bible himself, he comes away with two ideas from two of his mentors. One is: "Try thinking of the Bible as a snapshot of something divine. It may not be a perfect picture. It may have flaws; a thumb on the lens, faded colors in the corners. But it still helps to visualize." The other idea is that if one sees the Bible as the ending point of our relationship with God, one is using the Bible as an idol, worshiping the words rather than the spirit.

As a librarian, I tend to notice the bibliographic extras: the book has a great set of notes, an excellent bibliography that puts together books written from all viewpoints about Judaism and Christianity, and a detailed index.

Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed "walking" this journey with you Mr. Jacobs. This was a book I couldn't put down, and if I didn't have to sleep I wouldn't have. No matter what any of your Christian critics may say, you did more in one year than most Christians will ever do in a life time of following the Lord. Myself included. It really inspired me to review my own walk. I live in San Francisco and grew up in Daly City...who knew....

I most respected the different types of religious and not so religious people you sought out, the fact that you spoke to everyone from Hasidic Jews to Atheist.

Thank you for including a picture of your wife, I wish you the best with your twins, who may be about 2 or 3 years old by now.

I have never written a review of a book, and was driven to write this for you. I haven't read the encyclopedia book yet, but that is my next one!

If David Sedaris and Chuck Klosterman had a son who grew up deciding that memoirs needed more than just pop culture references, then AJ Jacobs would be it. Of course, his neuroses is more charming than Sedaris' and his pop culture references are more subtle than Klosterman's.

While The Year of Living Biblically is a memoir, it isn't pointless self-indulgence. Jacobs spends the year (and two week of overtime) discovering all he can about any religions that stem from the Bible. It is an informative read, as well as an amusing insight into the author's life. From his love for his rather epic beard (which is how the story starts) to his infiltration of the Falwell church, every step of this journey is engaging and a little heartwarming.

Whether you're a devout follower of one of the Biblical religions or you're an atheist looking for some funny insight into a life you don't lead, this book will keep your attention and be worth your money.

A young agnostic American with a secular Jewish background decides to try out living by biblical rules for a whole year. What sounds like nothing more but a publicity stunt and will certainly be considered outright blasphemy by many solid believers turns out to be a charming encounter with and exposure to scripture. Well, it is not all the time that charming, it can also turn quite stale when he covers serious issues, but avoids addressing them seriously.
So actually I would like to give only 3 and a half star. The eighth half star is for sympathy value. This guy is fun to follow in his silly adventures.
AJJ is essentially skeptical towards fundamentalism. Still, he meets all kinds of people and groups with respect and a baffled sort of openness. Take as an example Mr.Berkovitz, who is a specialist for detecting forbidden mixtures of textile fibres. Particularly wool/linen mixtures are forbidden by the Bible. Berkovitz is God's wardrobe detective, like an Orthodox CSI. He will admit that homicide is a somewhat more serious crime than wearing unkosher blazers, though in essence all commands are equal. Many other encounters are less neatly handled, there is frequently a sense of dissatisfaction with the pointilistic approach: jumping from this to that and never digging in.
The book is constructed like a diary, with stories and thoughts about different issues for every day of the year. AJJ keeps describing his own 'spiritual' development as if he could observe it without interfering with it. That can't even be done in particle physics, much less in matters of the mind and spirit.
But then, as we learned recently, nowadays one needs the ability to live with conflicting notions without going insane. A useful ability for this adventure trip. With every month down the road he gets more baffled. He quotes a friend who said that observing Sabbath in his case is breaking Sabbath, since it is part of his job. That one, he says, gave him a 2 hour headache.

This book was selected for a book club to which I belong. The style of this book is blog-like, and its humor and format make it a very quick and enjoyable read. I enjoy humorous memoirs, so this was right up my alley. Also, as someone who was raised religious and has thus turned agnostic, it was interesting to read about the author going in the opposite direction.

The author has no doubt done his homework, reading multiple versions of the Bible and a long list of supplementary material. But, like other reviewers of this book, I thought that his actual execution of "living Biblically" was subpar. What struck me most, and I notice that this has not received much attention, is the relative casualness with which he treats the New Testament material.

I admired the attention to detail he paid to following the Old Testament. And, although being very secular, Jacobs admitted to at least trying to believe in God. What that actually means of course, is anyone's guess, but reading the first part of his book, you could actually see changes in his disposition towards God and his opinions toward those who are of faith.

However, I was very disappointed when he discussed his justification for not attempting to believe in Jesus. He admitted to being raised secularly, so I almost felt as if he was using his Jewish background as a free pass not to carry out this phase of the project. The latter part of the book comes off as more of a travelogue than an honest attempt at following the Christian faith. Some reviewers have argued that the Old Testament does have more rules, and therefore deserves more attention. I think that this point was addressed initially when he decided to break his year into the 8 and 4 month segments. I was fine with that, but even still thought that his treatment of the New Testament was deficient. Also, many may claim that I am biased because of my Christian upbringing. Fair enough; but I think that most readers will agree that the last part of the book feels more like a glossing over of Christian fundamentalism compared to a more reverent attempt to practice the faith.

That is not to say that Jacobs is disrespectful; for someone who is approaching the topic of religion as, let's face it, a publicity stunt, he is very respectful towards, perhaps at times even envious of, devoted religious followers. But some of his actions appear obviously motivated to create more entertaining material. His experiment with truth-telling was cringe-inducing; the most obvious example was when he was invited to spend time with an old friend of his wife's. Any well-adjusted member of society could have told him that it's possible to tell the truth and still be polite, but instead Jacobs takes advantage of his rules to create an awkward social situation at the expense of himself, and, indirectly, his wife.

If these incidents had been interspersed with deeper introspection, it would have been a great book regardless of these flaws. But even as Jacobs admitted to enjoying some aspects of his newfound religious practices, and hinted at, perhaps, becoming closer to God, I never felt convinced that there was much heartfelt emotion behind his actions. The book's ending was testament to this; I was hoping for some treatment of how this yearlong experiment changed his life in the long term. Instead, the book ended tidily as soon as the experiment ended, which suggested that he was eager to get back to his secular life, and perhaps start his next book-worthy fiasco.

Overall, the book is fun and interesting, if you are willing to accept it on its terms. If you're looking for something more profound or heartfelt, though, don't bother.

There comes a time each year that anyone that has even the slightest religious background begrudgingly decides that it is time for them to head to church. It is usually what is colloquially called "The Holidays" that brings about a sense of religious commitment of one sense or another and all of a sudden an inclination that perhaps religion is important rises up within each one of us.

Certainly, religion has a way of instilling within each one of us a certain presence. Though we at times know religion is there, often times what to do with it is what really boggles the mind. A sort of parable of a potter knowing he has a surplus of good clay in the other room but just can't seem to put his finger on what to do with all that left over clay.

But imagine for a moment if you were an agnostic and all of a sudden you decided that it was time for you to perhaps put away your personal thoughts and preconceptions of what the purest form of religion might entail and instead would allow modernity to take a step back into biblical times. You might agree that task seems to set a bit more significance than heading to mass on Christmas Eve just so you can open a present a day early.

Written by A.J. Jacobs, The Year of Living Biblically is a humorous and learned take on one man who decides that he is going to try and step back in time and live the way of the Bible in the most modern of circumstances. See, Jacobs is an editor for Esquire Magazine (not typically known for its biblical following) and is an agnostic in terms of religious preference. Living in a metropolitan area with a wife and child, the trek that Jacobs sets upon is one that is fundamentally rooted in trying to live the words of the Bible as literally as possible.

The book is set up in a day by day journal format and for most entries there is usually a corresponding section of the Bible that Jacobs is trying to live as literally as possible. For instance, when the Bible tells Jacobs that he cannot wear mixed linens, Jacobs enlists the help of a rabbi that specializes in wardrobe adherence to the written word and Jacobs then needs to weed through what he can and cannot wear.

Though the book is certainly religiously based, if what you are looking for is a high-level and educated interpretation of the Bible then this book is not for you. Rather, the book's success is on finding the right balance between demonstrating what is said in the Bible and how it might be interpreted when attempted to be acted out currently. There is no shortage of humor in the book thanks in part to Jacob's keen way at turning the rather stuffy messages of the Bible into something comprehendible with a more modern spin.

Certainly, Jacobs has a goal at showing how impossible certain aspects of living the Bible literally would be in modernity and what he shows through his actions is that the Bible is meant to be interpreted time and time again and not taken literally as some might suggest. For instance, when Jacobs decides that he needs to purchase a small and portable fold up chair just so he will not sit where a woman that perhaps was menstruating may have sat as the Bible forbids, the reader can clearly see that a literal translation of the Bible might be a bit farfetched.
Jacobs does do a fine job bringing other parties into his work in an examination of sorts in terms of what religion might mean to them. For instance, if Jacobs just read something that sparked his interest, he might reach out to a spiritual leader that has spoken or written on the subject to gain a better appreciation for their point of view. Thankfully for the readers, Jacobs does not shy away from approaching evangelicals, rabbis and Bible-thumping lunatics in an attempt to inquire as to why they might interpret a portion of the Bible (or Torah) one way or another. There is almost an investigative side to the book that is well done.

Published Simon & Schuster, The Year of Living Biblically is a great find and well worth reading. People that consider themselves ultra-religious to those who consider themselves casual believers all the way down to atheists themselves might read Jacobs' book and agree that the way in which he gets the message and his attempt to live the Bible literally is creative to say nothing else.

Jacobs has now formed for himself an interesting little craft market for himself amongst authors with this book and his prior book that examined his decision and ultimate task of reading the entire set of encyclopedias. One can only hope that Jacobs continues to tithe ten percent of his book sales for it is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than it is for a greedy author to enter the gates of heaven.

---May Spoil the Book---
The book was a fun look at trying to follow the rules. I enjoyed the read and, looking back at his conclusion, it is almost profound. I enjoyed his trying to follow the rules and realizing that it is impossible. And, really, his findings show us why Jesus' death and resurrection are necessary, simply because perfection is out of our reach, God is out of our reach and Jesus allows us to be with Him, anyway.

I wish this would be a glowing review, but this is the kind of book where paragraphs can be skipped, and the narrative is no worse for wear. This would have worked better as a little blog, found by accident, and them followed daily. Having chosen to undertake this task for the purpose of getting a memoir out of it, the motives remove much of the humble aspect of the project.

This is a proper book to borrow from the library, because there are some interesting ideas (like the FedEx logo has a hidden arrow), but there is no reason to buy it.

The book: The Year Of Living Biblically is fantastic!. I read alot of books. (Mostly from Amazon) This one is the best I have read in a long time that not only educated me but made laugh out loud. Each page is a classic. It is a look at ourselves through some one elses eyes ( A.J.'s eyes and I am glad his were not "plucked out!") I ordered more copies and sent emails to friends to "get it". Well done Mr. Jacobs. Shalom!
Ted Seymour, Boca Raton FL (An Evangelical Presbyterian Christian)

I expected something funny and a little snarky from an editor of Esquire Magazine. Okay, often funny, but to my surprise and pleasure, this book was very warm, respectful of even the oddest points of view, and filled with fascinating history. I like the way he weaves his family story throughout the book. (I can't imagine living with a hut in the living room, not to mention blood on the door jamb. Can we say long-suffering wife?)

Thanks for living your biblical year, A.J. Now I'm eager to read the encyclopedia book.

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible A.J. (as his one- then two-year old son calls him - either bearded or unbearded) takes his quest seriously in following every possible applicable law (esp. the strange Old Testament ones), but also gives us details to laugh hysterically over. His wife should be awarded sainthood for her, mostly, cheerful participation. Then there is the secretary at Esquire who plots her menstrual cycle on Excel for A.J. And the expert who declares A.J.'s clothing of one or more materials. An agnostic, he has not had much practice in prayer; I found it heartening that he found it easy to pray thanksgivings, but felt akward to petition. A lovely book to give or keep (I've done both); along with A.J., one learns a great deal, not only about the Bible.

This book is a great read! It is not only hilarious, but it taught me a lot about different faiths such as Judaism, Evangelical Christians, etc. A.J. Jacobs is not only funny but also insightful. He writes honestly about his struggles and triumphs of trying to live a holy life. The real saint in the story is not A.J., it is his wife, Julie, who despite being pregnant during most of the book puts up with his antics! A must read for anyone interested in religion.

Religion, humor, and life. I learned a lot about religion and enjoyed it the whole time.

Religion is one aspect of all of our lives that has the potential to enrich and impoverish our lives. Religion helps us create relationships and can also usher the breaking apart of friendships and loves. A.J. Jacobs attempts to understand religion through a strict adherence to the strictures presented in the Bible. The result is enlightening and amusing.

Jacobs is an avowed doubter. He distrusts religion, and tries to steer his son away from it. The religious building blocks given to young Jasper are hidden away out of fear. When Jacobs embarks upon this project, he has a hard time. Becoming a believer when you have spent all your life doubting God's existence is like doing a 360. But, as the months pass, Jacobs sees the good in religion. He is able to break the surface and see how the basic tenets of any faith encourage goodness and kindness to those around us. The ugliness and xenophobia are additions made by men for wordly gain.

By the end of the book, Jacobs isn't a believer. But he sees the value religion has as a compass for life and as a blueprint for a 'good' existence. He sees that a lot of non-believers have preconceptions about religion and faith that are as erroneous as the assumptions made by believers about homosexuals.

This is a great book for those with and without faith. By disguising the themes of this book in entertainment and social experimentation, Jacobs helped me understand a lot I didn't know and didn't want to know about faith.

I loved AJ Jacobs book The Know It All, so I was eager to read the Year of Living Biblically. It did not disappoint! I enjoy the author's sense of humor; the book is not "laugh out loud" funny, but there were several times that I found myself chuckling at his insights and observations. I come from a family that is not religious and I admit I don't know alot about the Bible, so I actually learned some things while reading this book. I also found the parts where he would visit people of different religions very interesting and informative. I think I enjoyed this book so much because I can really relate to the author - I, like the author, am a little skeptical when it comes to religion and a little puzzled when it comes to certain religious observances or beliefs. I think this is an enjoyable book for anyone, whether you are religious or not.

An excellent and very interesting book. The author wondered if he would obtain a new spirituality by following the bible. He achieved that goal. A.J.'s research was very interesting and presented in a smooth writing style. At times his humor resulted in laugh out loud responses. At the end, like A.J., I felt an heightened spituality. Recommended for anyone whether evangelical, agnostic or atheist.