The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible
A.J. Jacobs
As the title says, it is book written in a journal form, chronologically recording the author's 1 year of following all of the rules and regulations in the Bible. This ranges from the standard "love thy neighbor" and "you shalt not steal" all the way to the more obscure ones like "you shall hang tassles from your garments" and "sing with a 10-string harp." The author's voice is witty and modern, and he does a good job of drawing contemporary comparisons to the situations he gets into, so that today's secular audience doesn't get turned off by the word "Bible" right away.
I liked that the author was honest about his feelings at the end. He does not convert to Christianity or Judaism, but he claims that he has a higher appreciation towards the things around him, as well as a better idea of God. As a Christian myself, I can't help being a little disappointed that such a drastic (albeit temporary) lifestyle change didn't do more to help him see Jesus, but in the end, it's all in God's time. I can't hate his penmenship--it was fun and funny to read, and I enjoyed discovering what it feels like to actually abide by some of the laws that modern Christians don't pay attention to anymore.
I can tell Jacobs did a lot of research, and devoted a lot of time into visiting experts in the field. I had no idea there were so many religious denominations in existance; my eyes have been opened to a whole new radical side of religion.
One thing I noticed about this book though, was that Jacobs made a lot of references to Biblical things that might be difficult for an audience that is not as familiar with the Bible. Most things, he does a good job of explaining in simple terms, but sometimes, often when he makes a pun or an inside joke, people who have not read the Bible as closely as others might go "huh?" It was hilarious and insightful for me, since I had read the Bible and am already familiar with most of the stories and traditions in the Bible, but maybe Jacobs skimped on explanations a few times.
Other than that, it was a light read. Not very religiously eye-opening or revolutionary, but something casual if you want to know more about the Bible and what it says (though the meanings are interpreted differently everywhere. This book does a good job of at least presenting the material for the audience to judge for themselves).
