Last word first: Funny and earnest, not to be missed (5/5).Description: After writing a book about reading the entire Encyclopedia Britanica (in preparation for a turn on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?), AJ Jacobs wondered how he can manage to top his debut book. Then he had a brilliant idea... what if he tries to live an entire year in literal accordance with the Bible? This memoir chronicles his efforts, from growing out his beard to stoning adulterers in the New York City (not as gruesome as you might think!).
My thoughts: I think there needs to be a new genre. Rather than just "non-fiction", we should have some type of designation for non-fiction that is not boring (NFNB?). This book is highly entertaining. There was a snicker on every page as I read about Jacobs' adventures in literalism. He travels to an Amish community, a creationist museum, and even to Israel in the course of his quest, and the people he encountered definitely opened my eyes.
Jacobs has done an excellent job at drawing attention to all that is bewildering about biblical literalism. As he points out, many people claim they adhere literally to the Bible, but the Bible has multiple translations and contradicts itself at times. And yet he hasn't gone in to this project attempting to make fun of religion, but rather to try and make sense of it.
I think this is a great book for everyone! It's funny, honest and it will make you think. And laugh. At the same time. What could be better?
About AJ Jacobs: Jacobs grew up in New York City. His father is a lawyer who holds the world record for the most footnotes in a law review article (4,824). His wife works for a highbrow scavenger hunt called Watson Adventures. He lives in New York with his family. He wonders if he fooled anyone with this third-person thing, or if everyone knows that he wrote this bio himself. - from the bio on his website
8 comments:
Sounds interesting and definitely different.
I've heard great things about this book. It makes me what to go out in the realm of non-fiction to read it. :)
Loved his other book! Seriously need to pick this one up...
Interesting review. I've seen this title many times and thought, "oh goody...another one." Yep, judged by title and cover (GUILTY!). Glad to hear my impression may have been wrong...thanks for shining a light on a book I may have kept skipping over!
I'm so glad to hear it wasn't boring! I might have to pick this one up!
Wow, great review! I heard good things about it, but I'm glad you enjoyed it too!
I really need to read this. There's a whole display with the author's books at the bookstore downtown, and I look at it almost every time I go (it helps that it stands very close to the coffee counter!) I think I need to read it really soon now :)
I have his new book on hold at the library. I am just waiting for it to come in! I look forward to reading this one eventually, too!
There is a term: Creative Nonfiction. Memoir, travelogues, narrative nonfiction, and generally not boring academic-y essays all fall under that category.
If you click on Creative Nonfiction on my blog on the right hand side, my reviews of everything I classify as CNF will come up...though I should probably write like, a post trying to define it.
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