By that title I mean for the underlying messages, not the surface words.
The aspect of this book I love the most is how well the author questions and second-guesses himself. Even towards the end of the project after the dance floor moment with his son he still questioned the experience. That's very important to me, to constantly question oneself, especially during a project as big as this.
The book is an easy read, linguistically, but a difficult read in content for me. I really needed to read this, I've been curious about performing this sort of experiment myself, so I paid a great amount of attention. I went back a few clicks and re-read portions if I zoned out even a little. I focused closely on almost every topic, reading them very slowly and laboriously, ever scrutinizing A.J. and his efforts like a nun holding a ruler. This project was important to me, and the author didn't let me down (at least not often enough to bother noting. Nobody's perfect.). It might be a very easy, very quick read for someone else, someone who didn't really need to read it and just read it for entertainment could probably power through this book in two afternoons. I was actually a little bit relieved when I got to the Notes section at the end because I could start reading casually again without having to focus so much.
There are very interesting sociological evaluations that can be done on this book; the power of cognitive dissonance, re-education tactics, and brain-washing methods to name a few. That might sound negative, but once you've read the book you'll realize it isn't. It simply is, there's no need to add a moral connotation.
You'll find many commentators simply address the grass without looking at the dirt from which it grows in their reviews of this book, but that's the wrong path to take. Read this from its digital (kindle edition) cover to its digital cover (much like how you should read a bible) before you judge it. The author does an excellent job making it clear that he isn't religious and this is off-putting apparently for some religious readers. They judge A.J. harshly for his efforts which I'm sure he expected. One can't write this sort of book without pouring symbolic lighter fluid all over oneself and passing out matchbooks. The philosophy behind the book, the lessons A.J. picks up from his experience and the changes in his life and outlook he received from this project are what readers should take away from this book, setting nit-picking aside and reading it realistically with reasonable expectations. A.J. builds a strong case for how living by a reasonable moral code, either self-imposed as many atheists do or biblical as many religious people do, can improve one's life. He builds a good argument for "cafeteria religion" in his words.
I also especially enjoyed his experiences with charity. Charity really is its own reward, and it knows no religion. Atheists, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, all walks of life from the very non-religious to the most perform acts of charity without seeking thanks for it. It didn't offend me when he said he never saw any atheist charities (I'm atheist), it made me feel really good. It means we're doing a good job not seeking recognition or reward for our giving.
I gave it four stars because while it was an excellent book, A.J. really did run out of time for the project. I loved the in depth way he covered the O.T., but when he got to the N.T. he was obviously being rushed by his calendar, and that's unfortunate. I don't blame him, he had a very tolerant wife a young child and (during the book) a few new ones, but the way he seemed rushed in the New Testament did detract a little bit from the book as a whole for me. I would have very much enjoyed a similar level of attention being paid to the minusia of the New Testament as was to the Old.
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I Actually Do Like this Book, But Due To Formatting
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2013
I Actually Do Like this Book, But Due To Formatting Issues in the eBook Version...My First Problem is in how I had to find a Way to Tell Amazon.com about the issues of this eBook...There is No Link in the Order Summary to Report a Problem With That Order Other Then Asking for a Refund, I Do Not Want a Refund at this time! I Want the Format Issues Fixed, and needed a Way to Tell Amazon. I will also Probably also report this Issue in a Phone Call to Amazon Customer Service, as a Back up to this Notification..Now to the Main Purpose of My Concern: Order #D01-1830617-7900852 May 29, 2013The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible...A.J. JacobsHas Formatting Issues: The Selected Bibliography, Bible Bibliography and Index - All Run Off the Left Side of the Page Margin, and Make it Nearly Impossible to Use these parts of this eBook..Can You Put a Speed Up on Fixing this Issue, So I can use these Sections of The New eBook, I have a Bible Study Starting in a Few Months, and Need to Use These Parts of this eBook for the Bible Study!!Here's to Hoping You Can Fix this ... Thanks Al Adams
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2013
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everyone should read this
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 11, 2014Amazon Customer
Funny, poignant and an all round good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 23, 2014
