The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs

Grade: B
by Radley Little
  
The Year of Living Biblically is just that. The author A.J. Jacobs is working as an editor for Esquire magazine and decides to follow the rules of the bible as literally as possible for an entire year, devoting roughly six months to each testament. The result is this book, which gives a month-by-month documentation of how his life and views on spirituality change along the way. What becomes obvious as you first start to read this book is that the author takes the whole thing very seriously. He buys quite a few different versions and translations of the bible, reads them all and adds any rule or decree he can find to a list, which he then obeys, much to the disdain of his wife.

You should probably first know that this book isn't really that funny. The pictures on the front and back covers might lead you to believe that A.J. spent the whole year walking through Manhattan with a sheep and screaming "Cast stones upon the transgressors!" This isn't the case. The book has quite a few funny moments, but if I ran a bookstore I definitely wouldn't put it in the humor section next to Jeff Foxworthy's latest crappy book of redneck jokes, unlike like my school bookstore did. Come to think of it, I wouldn't put either in the humor section. This is more of a contemporary theological experiment, some of which is coincidentally funny. I wasn't always laughing when I turned the pages, but my interest was held and I was curious to see how it all unfolded.

A.J.'s writing is very theologically introspective. In mostly every chapter, he devotes a little time to his experiences of trying to obey some quirky arcane law that's completely irreverent by today's standards, but the bulk of the book is spent giving perspective on his changing pseudo-spiritual relationship with God and everyone else in his life, including himself. This is done through rabbinic consultations, trips to places like the Amish country and big southern churches, and some laughable trips to Brooklyn.

For the most part, the author adheres to his self-imposed rules pretty well, but there is one technical flaw that I think would make this book a little more enjoyable. There are some tasks he only carries out once, seemingly just to mark it off his list. These are some of the more humorous yet consequential rules about stoning adulterers and living in a hut. I'd really like to read a book about a guy who did all these things all the time, not all of them at least once by a certain date. I suppose for the sake of logistics and common morality, it'd be kind of hard to do, but it's something to think about.

A.J. Jacobs is a really talented writer with some memorable commentary set forth in this book. Regardless of your religion, there's a good chance you'll enjoy The Year of Living Biblically. It's a light-hearted reflection that will give you some insight about other religious aspects and maybe think about your own beliefs.