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The Year of Living Biblically
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible | A. J. Jacobs
Documents the author's quest to live one year in literal compliance with biblical rules, from being fruitful and multiplying to growing a beard and avoiding mixed-fiber clothing.
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Julz422
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Pickpick

I am cruising along finishing all the books I‘ve started this year- that‘s what summer is for! I‘m biased since I teach Scripture, but I really enjoyed this book. I appreciated his perspectives and found myself being reaffirmed in my faith a little bit 😊 recommend for believers and non believers alike!

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Julz422
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First days of summer and summer reading 😎

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keepingupwiththepenguins
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Pickpick

Jacobs is genuine in his approach, which I really appreciated. In the hands of a determined cynic, it would have been a very different book. He sets aside his cynicism in favour of curiosity and commitment to the project. He‘s not here to make fun of the Bible or those who adhere to his teachings, nor does he accept everything in it blindly. Excellent read! Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/the-year-of-living-biblically-aj-jacobs/

marleed Interesting review - now I‘m intrigued to read this one which surprises me because I tend to avoid religious discussion during this particular political climate. I support the separation of church and state - freedom of and freedom from religion. 2y
42 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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rwmg
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Not a large number of choices for #LetterY in the #alphabetgame, but this was amusing and thought-provoking.

@alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

eeclayton I heard him talk in the You Are Not So Smart podcast about another book of his. He was funny 🙂 2y
26 likes2 comments
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Jody3
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Mehso-so

This book was entertaining, but I was upset that AJ didn‘t learn anything after a year of “living biblically.” He is an agnostic author who resists the possibility of God as portrayed in the Bible. This is not a book about a transformative journey but instead a book about a man who plays pretend for a year and ultimately decides he already had the bible figured out.

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SheReadsAndWrites
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This book, hands down, made me laugh out loud often and at times until tears streamed down my face. The scene where he tries to stone a guy in the park is worth the price of admission alone. So. Funny. I LOVE his books. Love. ❤️📚
#fridaydfeeling
@Cuilin
@Joy4Lit @TheSpineView @mcipher @Graciouswarriorprincess

Cuilin This sounds hilarious in a Monty Python kind a way. Brilliant. Thanks for playing. 4y
SheReadsAndWrites Yes! Exactly. 😂 @Cuilin His experimental journalism is so, so good and many times with him, very funny. 😊 4y
TheSpineView Thanks for the tag! 😍 4y
22 likes3 comments
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mcctrish
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Pickpick

My bookstore isn‘t finished but my book is. I quite enjoyed listening to the author read his story. It was entertaining and informative. I feel like I know AJ now

britt_brooke Ahhhh, I want that Lego set! And I adore AJ Jacobs. 💚 5y
RowReads1 Yeah. I‘ve been eyeing that LEGO set.The only thing holding me back is the huge likelihood the cats will play soccer with the pieces. 5y
mcctrish @britt_brooke it‘s the greatest Lego set!!! I‘ve ordered a cross stitch kit to work on when I‘m finished 5y
mcctrish @RowReads1 I don‘t know what life with cats is like but I have heard things 🤣 5y
38 likes4 comments
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mcctrish
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Only 2 bags/2 sections left of my Lego Bookstore. I admit I am dragging my feet a little on finishing it. I love the act of building it so much and that it is a bookstore and that I‘m listening to an audio book while I build it. I am seriously living my best life

Meaw_catlady I need this in my life!!! All caps ! 5y
mcctrish I think everyone here in Litsy Land does need this @Meaw_catlady 5y
Eyelit That is a cool! 5y
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mcctrish @Eyelit I think it is and I‘m not sure what set to aspire to next 5y
Mrs_B It‘s awesome! Has it got mini Lego books inside? 5y
mcctrish @Mrs_B it does have bookshelves and there are a few books and then Lego to look like books 5y
48 likes6 comments
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MissAimz_55
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Pickpick

A memoir I read a long long time ago that surprised me and made me read a lot more of his books. This book might not be for everyone but it really opened my eyes to a lot of things and has stuck in my mind as a book I often recommend . I think it‘ll probably be time for me to do another reread . #memoir #februaryfeels #reallyrandomfebruary Exceeded #expectations

Eggs Great double play👏🏻👏🏻 5y
OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚😊 5y
28 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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mcctrish
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Spending my day building and listening and puttering

wanderinglynn Ooh, I love Legos! ❤️ I ordered some new sets from Amazon that arrived today. I can‘t wait to get home and open them. 5y
mcctrish @wanderinglynn what did you order? I grabbed a coffee cart from Target ( it‘s called Bean There, Donut That) to put in front of my bookstore when it‘s done 🤣 5y
wanderinglynn That‘s awesome! I got the Lego City Rover to go with the Lego City Space Mars Research Shuttle I just bought at Target to put with my sci-fi books. Legos are addicting! 5y
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mcctrish @wanderinglynn what a great idea 5y
j.rye I love building legos... but without my kids. Haha 5y
mcctrish @j.rye my youngest (17) hasn‘t wanted to build Lego for a year or 2 but he keeps circling by and looking at the plans and fiddling. I‘m being firm, this is MINE! He has 2 sets from christmases that he can crack open, the bookstore is off limits to EVERYONE 5y
36 likes6 comments
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mcctrish
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Started this while making beef stew for dinner

keepingupwiththepenguins I've had my eye out for a copy of this forever and never found one - maybe I should try the audio. I think it sounds fascinating!! 5y
mcctrish @keepingupwiththepenguins so far I am quite enjoying listening to it ( I do wish I had a print copy so I could reference the bible verses, so I‘m going to need to up my second hand book shopping) 5y
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mcctrish @Scochrane26 no, I‘d forgotten about that one 5y
Scochrane26 @mcctrish I didn‘t know about the one you‘re reading. If it‘s funny, I might check it out. 5y
rwmg @Scochrane26 I found it funny, but funny with a serious point 5y
Scochrane26 @rwmg thanks for the info. RHE‘s has some humor w/ a serious point, so I‘d prob like the tagged, too. 5y
mcctrish Thx @rwmg for commenting, it‘s early in the book for me @Scochrane26 and so far I find it amusing ( movie choices and mixed fibre clothing crisis) so I expect it will continue 5y
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monalyisha
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1. Picture book: The Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein; Chapter: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
2. Are you sure you want to ask someone who just said her favorite Children‘s book was Bridge to Terabithia? 🙈😭 Anything by AJ Jacobs (esp the tagged) or Mary Roach SLAYS me!
3. Not my fav genre. I like the Veronica Speedwell mysteries (set in the Victorian era).
4. It‘s impossible to choose between eggs benedict & pancakes!
5. 🙌🏻

monalyisha I don‘t play favorites. 😉 Tagging some past swap-mates, instead! @Judybskt @AmberWB @UnidragonFrag @whippoorwill815 (edited) 5y
monalyisha Real answer to 4: Bloody Marys. 😆🍹🍅 5y
Eggs Thanks for playing 🤗💗 5y
47 likes4 comments
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Court7
Pickpick

Re-read

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JenniferEgnor
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That‘s another thing: lamb‘s blood; I needed to do something about that. After several phone calls, I had determined that selling lamb‘s blood in the U.S. is illegal. Which was a relief. I didn‘t really want a bucket of blood in the fridge—too Dahmer-esque.

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JenniferEgnor
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“Every time I read a book, it‘ll mention three other books I feel I have to read. It‘s like a particularly relentless series of pop-up ads.”

#thisishowstacksaremade

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trueisa4letterword
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Pickpick

Man I was in such a slump and it feels good to check off another book on #LitzyAtoZ!

This was a funny and fascinating book. There were parts I skimmed. There were also parts that I enjoyed, read aloud to my boyfriend, and/or bookmarked for later.

#nonfiction #memoir #humor

As an intentionally ignorant atheist, I didn't expect anything. But the author did a fine job of making sure someone as unaware as me could still follow along.

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trueisa4letterword
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Chuckled at this one...

#nonfiction #memoir #LitsyAtoZ #Y

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mirpoulson
Pickpick

This was a wonderful read of what it means to live fully by the Bible. I would recommend it to religious and non-religious folks alike.

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mirpoulson
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Since we just celebrated Father's Day, I decided to read a book my dad has been recommending for several years now. It has yet to disappoint. 😊

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MissAimz_55
Pickpick

A book that I think deserves more readers is any book by AJ Jacobs. While this one is my favorite , I love all of his books. Regardless if you are a religious/spiritual person or not , I feel this book is a great one to read. #riotgrams #bookdeservingmorereaders

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EKonrad
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Pickpick

Such an interesting concept...Jacobs passes the year living solely according to the Bible. His examination of religions and faith is insightful and honest. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

MinDea I loved this book!!!! 7y
EKonrad @MinDea Me too! Have you read any of his other books? 7y
MinDea I have read them all! This one was my favorite. The Know It All and My Life as an Experiment were pretty good too. 7y
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britt_brooke
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Pickpick

“I've rarely said the word ‘Lord,‘ unless It‘s followed by ‘of the Rings.‘”

I first read this about ten years ago and fell in love with Jacobs‘s witty approach. I‘ve since read many of his unusual journalistic ventures and I must say his wife is a very patient woman! This time I listened to the audio and loved it all over again. He goes in with an open mind and presents a funny, yet thoughtful and balanced report on his year. #reread #audio

MicheleinPhilly That first sentence made me 😂. 7y
KarynGood I gotta read this book! 😀 7y
britt_brooke @KarynGood It‘s a good read! I‘ve enjoyed all of his books so far. Planning to start is new one this evening. 7y
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Reviewsbylola 😂😂 I thought the same thing about his wife as I read this. 7y
britt_brooke @Reviewsbylola She‘s seriously a saint. He would‘ve driven me nuts!! 7y
Reviewsbylola I loved that he couldn‘t sit after a menstruating woman. It‘s a very interesting idea though, following the Bible so literally. 7y
britt_brooke @Reviewsbylola Ha! Yeah, and then his wife sat on every chair in the house so he couldn‘t sit anywhere. 😆 7y
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britt_brooke
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Bookish.Heart 🤣🤣 7y
CoverToCoverGirl I love the Olive Garden! 😏 7y
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AmyG Ha!!! 7y
megnews 😂 7y
Reviewsbylola 🤣🤣🤣 7y
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Blaire
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Pickpick

Jacobs becomes a literal #observer of the Bible for a year. I enjoyed following this spiritual if gimmicky journey as he discovered the beauty in some of the Jewish traditions and the oddness of some biblical prescriptions/proscriptions. I appreciated his conclusions. A fun audiobook. #nuyear

Cinfhen I ordered this book a while ago! Looking forward to reading it!!! 7y
TrishB Interesting study 👍🏻 7y
Blaire @Cinfhen I think you‘ll enjoy it - he‘s open about the gimmicky nature of it which makes it fun and still insightful. I also want to read (edited) 7y
28 likes3 comments
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Cinfhen
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#NovemberByTheNumbers It‘s the #20th anniversary for both of these books which are still on my TBR 🙄making 2018 the year I read them...

ferskner 20th?!?!? How is that possible? (Time goes by so fast!) 7y
Listener15 20th already? Yikes! 7y
monalyisha The AJ Jacobs book is THE BEST. I laughed so much my husband got jealous. 😂 (edited) 7y
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Cinfhen I know @ferskner @Listy I remember the book display at BORDERS 😬😜😂I‘ve been told the Jacob‘s book is hysterical ~ don‘t know why it‘s taken me so long to get to it @monalyisha (edited) 7y
vivastory I really need to read both of these 7y
TrishB You've waited 20 - what's another one 😂 7y
Cinfhen Hahaha @TrishB the price finally dropped!!! Found it on BookOutlet for $3.69 😀 7y
MinDea I LOVED A Year of Living Biblically. I have read all his books but I think this is his best one. 7y
alanacristin Already 20?!? I've had Yiddish since it came out in paperback and still haven't read it 😳 7y
Cinfhen Hahaha 😂it might be time @alanacristin 7y
saradxxiii OMG A.J. Jacobs is hilarious. I loved The Year of Living Biblically and have read all of his other ones as well. You will not be disappointed! 👍🏻 7y
ElishaLovesBooks AJ Jacobs book is great! I met him and he is charming in person! I think he has a new book out! 7y
APLitlife Loved The Year.... ! 7y
Reviewsbylola I thought Biblically was a lot of fun! 7y
bookandcat HOW ARE THEY 20 YEARS OLD ALREADY THE 90S WERE LIKE BASICALLY YESTERDAY 7y
Cinfhen I know!! Time flies @bookandcat 7y
Blaire These are both on my tbr as well. 7y
Cinfhen There‘s lots of #LitsyLove for the AJ book @Blaire ~ I‘m definitely gonna read that one ☺️ 7y
102 likes1 stack add18 comments
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rwmg
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Breakfast and a book

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Cindyelizavaz
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#nowreading something that has been in my #tbr pile for a while!

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GlassAsDiamonds
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Pickpick

I liked this more than I expected to. It was an odd segue from Roosevelt to "Secular Jewish guy lives the Bible" but I'd heard the author speak on Gretchen Rubin's podcast and am having arguments with relatives over the Australian same sex marriage plebiscite so... I wanted ammo which Jacobs provides with respect and research. Funny, at times maddening and I feel so much for his wife but a good, enjoyable and educational read. ???
#review

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GlassAsDiamonds
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Not at all off putting baby girl, not at all....🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

#catsoflisty #littenkitten

AmyG She is gorgeous and quite regal. 7y
GlassAsDiamonds I'm terribly biased but I think so too!! 😊😊❤️❤️😊😊 7y
rubyslippersreads 😻😻😻 7y
15 likes3 comments
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WanderingBookaneer
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52 likes2 stack adds
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BookishMarginalia
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Pickpick

This one is classic Jacobs: fun, interesting, quirky, and light. Good palate cleanser!

Shortstack Chaz has been trying to get me to read this for ages 8y
Cberbs I read this several years ago and really liked it! 8y
MinDea I absolutely loved this book. I like his other books too but this is my favorite. 8y
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freyaheart Great book! I listened to it forever ago. 8y
Reviewsbylola This was hilarious! 8y
bookishbitch I loved this as well. He's darn funny! 8y
lute Loved this book! It educates AND makes you laugh. 8y
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britt_brooke
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Highly recommend!!

Cortg I read this years ago and still think back to some of the things he did for the book....so funny! 8y
APLitlife I loved reading it. 8y
Melissa_J Thanks for the tip! Kobo also has it in sale so I bought a copy 😊 8y
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britt_brooke @LeahBergen Loved that one, too! 8y
Thedrunkstrawberry This is a great book!!!! 8y
britt_brooke @Melissa_J Yay! 🙌🏻 8y
britt_brooke @Cortg @APLitlife @Thedrunkstrawberry Happy to see some other AJ Jacobs fans! His writing is so funny and smart. 8y
Nat_Reads This book was hilarious. I loved how he characterizes his wife's response to all his antics--especially sitting on all the chairs while she was on her period 😹 8y
britt_brooke @Flaneurette 😂👏🏻 That was the first of his books that I read. I love his lifestyle experiments. 8y
britt_brooke @Nat_Reads Hahaha, yes!! 8y
Cortg @Nat_Reads I was laughing so hard at that part! 8y
MarticaMustRead Such a fun read!! 8y
britt_brooke @MarticaMustRead He's such a fun author. 💚 8y
78 likes7 stack adds15 comments
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britt_brooke
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Leelee08 Omg, I looooove Lamb AND The Year of Living Biblically! 8y
Zelma Lamb is one of my favorites! We read it for a book club years ago and had an incredible discussion. 8y
britt_brooke @Zelma It's so clever and well-done. It's one of the few books I've reread. 8y
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britt_brooke @Leelee08 You have great taste! I love AJ Jacobs. Have you read any of his other books? 8y
Leelee08 @britt_brooke I have! I have all of them. If he writes a book, I buy it.😂😍 8y
britt_brooke @Leelee08 Me, too! 😁 8y
vivastory I've never heard of A. J. Jacobs, but this sounds hilarious. Stacked! 8y
Ange44 I love A.J. Jacobs! He's so hilarious! 8y
britt_brooke @vivastory 🙌🏻🙌🏻 He's a journalist who writes mostly about lifestyle experiments. His books are smart and hilarious. (edited) 8y
britt_brooke @Ange44 You have good taste! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 8y
KellyMuser I read this book years ago, and it was great. Thanks for reminding me to look for more of his work! 8y
britt_brooke @KellyMuser 😁🙌🏻👏🏻 8y
126 likes12 comments
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TriniCapini
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It's #nonfictionnovember AND naptime! I'm listening to Issac's Storm (Erik Larson) and The Nazi Officer's Wife on my kindle. Figured I'd tackle some of these old hardcover books as well. Ha!! Are you reading any nonfiction this month?

Reviewsbylola I got a kick out of this one. 8y
Samantha.1020 I'm reading Brain on Fire for #nonfictionnovember. Have you read it yet? I'm enjoying so far. 8y
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britt_brooke
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#recommendsday: AJ Jacobs! He's a sharp-witted journalist (Editor at Large at Esquire) and lecturer who writes largely of lifestyle experiments. This book is fun and weird and smart and hilarious.

BekahB Yes! AJ Jacobs is fantastic! I love his column in Mental Floss magazine. 8y
Leelee08 I have all of his books! Love him!😍🤓 8y
britt_brooke I need to check out Mental Floss! @BekahB 8y
britt_brooke He's fantastic! I've also read Know It All, Guinea Pig Diaries, and Drop Dead Healthy. 👍🏻 @Leelee08 8y
43 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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AlleyChen
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Me too, Jacobs. Me too.

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Bkwurm
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Pickpick

I'm not religious, but I have a fascination w religions...the more weird & out there the better. This fit right into my "genre kryptonite." A.J. Jacobs' experiment is a thoughtful, fair, & absolutely compelling journey through the past and present, the weird and the holy. I loved it!

Onceuponatime Sounds interesting and enjoyable! 9y
Autumnscribe I loved this book. It is one of his best. 9y
14 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Coleen
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Mehso-so

This week's audio selection. Didn't like this one as well as Jacobs' Guinea Pig Diaries. Seemed like it had the potential to be quite funny, but it was a little lackluster in that department. Might've been the abridgment. Still interested in reading his other titles, however.

EricaReads I DNF'd this audiobook. I'm not a huge fan of audiobooks in general and this one didn't capture me at all. 9y
5 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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britt_brooke
Pickpick

I love AJ Jacobs!

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Jayp
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Jayp
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