A great joker and adventurer, he decided on a new experiment. According to him, the most significant in life.
He lived for 380 days, following the biblical rules, of which there were more than 700. Below you will read my impressions of this experiment and the book written based on it.
AJ Jacobs
New York journalist, editor of Esquire magazine. He also collaborated with the New York Times and The Washington Post. Author of several bestsellers: “Know-It-All,” “A Year Lived Biblically,” “Healthy to Death,” “My Life as an Experiment.” Likes to completely immerse himself in the topic he writes about. Therefore, each of his books is his personal experience; and he defines his life as a series of experiments.
My religion is tolerance
First, a few words about my religious views. If you are not interested, move on to the next point. But I think the following maxim will help understand my impressions of the book.
So, I believe that faith and religion are different things. The first is the deepest beliefs, the spiritual foundations of a person.
What you believe in is what you live.
A person has the right to believe in God, evolution, himself, the energy of the Universe, the leg of a chair. Anything. If only it would help him create.
As for religion... I am Orthodox by birth. But I don't wear a cross.
Instead, I have a medallion with Saint Anastasia on my neck. Why? Because my mother gave it to me.
My mother and all my relatives were raised in Orthodox traditions. They do not go to church on Sundays, do not fast, but there are icons in every house, they read prayers from time to time, and the 10 commandments are the basis of their value system.
I believe that I do not have the right to tell my mother or anyone close to me who grew up in Orthodoxy: “Hmm, you know, I won’t paint the eggs and let’s put out the lamp, because I have different views on this matter.”
Just as no one has the right to impose their religious views on others.
Relations in society need to be unified, and for this there are two regulators - normative (law) and non-normative (social rules of behavior, including religious ones). I clearly distinguish between these areas, so the artificial introduction of moral and ethical norms into the legal sphere causes me chilling horror.
Yes, you understood correctly, I am talking about the so-called law on the protection of the feelings of believers, or rather, introducing appropriate amendments to the Criminal Code.
For me, theism and atheism are the two pillars on which the world rests. And I don't like it when they start hitting each other with their tails. I don't like it when atheists make fun of religious people just as much as I don't like it when the latter despise the former. My religion is tolerance.
What I didn't like about the book
Literalism
I don't think of the Bible as "holy scripture." For me, this is a historical and cultural literary work. A non-systematic collection of social, moral and everyday norms accumulated over centuries. Moreover, as the author himself noted, the Bible is similar to Wikipedia - it was edited by all and sundry.
The literalism that AJ Jacobs followed irritated me. It served one purpose - satire, and had nothing to do with the author's statement:
...this project will be my passport to the world of spirituality. I will not just study religion, but live it.
References to Western culture
To say that there are many of them means to remain silent. There are allusions from Western pop culture on almost every page. Across the page - comparisons with American actors, writers, religious leaders. A considerable part of humor is built on this, and it prevents the formation of images.
Compare, when it is written: “In appearance he is Chekhov of the 21st century, only without pince-nez,” you immediately imagine an intelligent man, about 40 years old, fit, in a neat suit, but without glasses. And if you read: “He looks a little like Jackie Mason,” the flight of fantasy ends. Sorry, I don't remember what Jackie Mason looks like.
Of course, there are explanatory footnotes throughout. But the feeling that this book is not for us, not for the Russian-speaking reader, does not leave.
(The absence of a study of Orthodoxy as part of Christianity in the experiment strengthened this feeling.)
What I liked about the book
Language
Light, slender and witty. For those, like me, who work with texts, this book is a godsend. If you keep a notebook with interesting figures of speech and metaphors, then, while reading, add a couple of dozen “copies” to it.
(I think the translator also deserves a lot of credit for this, therefore, as a sign of respect, I will indicate her name - Taira Mamedova.)
Humor
Although I did not like that the book was built on ridiculing the Bible from a literalist position, I must pay tribute to the author’s sense of humor.
He describes people and events very ironically, but absolutely not evil. In addition, he knows how to laugh at himself. Holy fudge, how does he do it? :)
Cognition
By reading the book, you will learn a lot about religion and its manifestations. I didn’t even know about some religions. I can’t say that creationists or snake-keepers have piqued my interest enough to warrant further googling, but it’s quite educational. The book broadens your horizons.
Plot and personal background
AJ Jacobs lived his year biblically. The key word is lived. He worked, and that year he and his wife had twins. The author describes his personal life, thereby forming another storyline.
In my opinion, this is an excellent literary device that makes you sympathize with the hero even more.
Philosophy
Despite the fact that, in my opinion, the book is entertaining and not philosophical, from time to time quite serious topics are raised on its pages.
Lies (to yourself and others), gratitude, example to your children, fanaticism (including religious), stem cells... All these are serious ethical problems. There's a lot to think about.
Finally, I liked AJ's main point. I think his “cafeteria religion” does a good job of demonstrating the position of the Bible in modern society.
Reviews (7)
3/4 Old, 1/4 New
This book is a remarkable example of a job well done. I read one of the most popular, mysterious and controversial books - the Bible. While reading, the author painstakingly collected all the laws, rules and instructions that are in the text. And in the end I decided to live a whole year observing them all. Let the reader decide to what extent he succeeded.
The book is written in wonderful, lively language and the translation is beyond praise. The author describes in detail his emotions and feelings while performing various rituals and following the rules.
Who is this book suitable for? Anyone who is interested in the Bible, who knows it, doesn’t know it, or is planning to study it. But I hasten to warn you that the author examined the texts of the Bible rather one-sidedly. I devoted the lion's share of time to the Old Testament, and the New Testament was given very little time at the end of the year. It is felt that the author did not like this section of the Bible for some reason.
Despite this shortcoming, the book is wonderful. A must have for anyone interested in good books!
I read it. Interesting, instructive. In general, I like the way Americans write, everything is honest with them - if you describe something, then it is as detailed and comprehensive as possible. Applies not only to this book, but also, for example, to a guide to self-repairing VCRs. According to the book: the author mainly describes life according to the Old Testament, the New Testament is covered a little concisely, it seems to me, and Orthodoxy is not mentioned at all. The position of the “Red Letter Christians” has a right to exist, but for Russia this is probably not very relevant. But it’s generally interesting, I read it with pleasure, but I wouldn’t buy the paper version.
Hundreds of thousands of books, if not millions, have been written on the subject of the Bible and related religions. However, there are not many fiction books that show life according to it in practice - the everyday, spiritual and moral side in the modern world, especially those written by agnostics. The writer studies the life of various religious communities, both traditionally recognized and minorities, which are classified as outright sects. This is a view from different angles, albeit a superficial one, which the author himself does not deny. What does it mean to live according to the Bible and how to do it? Should everything written be taken literally? AJ tries to figure it out and spends a year with the Bible.
I found many interesting thoughts for myself, learned about the existence of various religious movements. The book is easier to read for those who have read the Bible at least once or know some passages from it, because... There will be many references to Her throughout the story. Although even without this knowledge, the book will be of interest to a wide range of readers.
I am not a religious person, but I read the book with great pleasure. This is an unusual experience, which is described in very detail and excitingly. And after a trip to Jerusalem, I was curious - what do devout Jews do on Shabbat. I found the answer. The undeniable advantages of the book are links to a huge number of sources, often opposing points of view on the same thing, the opportunity to understand, feel and decide whether you need it, whether it resonates.
There is one and obvious disadvantage - all this is subjective.
3 more reviews
A great joker and adventurer, he decided on a new experiment. According to him, the most significant in life.
He lived for 380 days, following the biblical rules, of which there were more than 700. Below you will read my impressions of this experiment and the book written based on it.
AJ Jacobs
New York journalist, editor of Esquire magazine. He also collaborated with the New York Times and The Washington Post. Author of several bestsellers: “Know-It-All,” “A Year Lived Biblically,” “Healthy to Death,” “My Life as an Experiment.” Likes to completely immerse himself in the topic he writes about. Therefore, each of his books is his personal experience; and he defines his life as a series of experiments.
My religion is tolerance
First, a few words about my religious views. If you are not interested, move on to the next point. But I think the following maxim will help understand my impressions of the book.
So, I believe that faith and religion are different things. The first is the deepest beliefs, the spiritual foundations of a person.
What you believe in is what you live.
A person has the right to believe in God, evolution, himself, the energy of the Universe, the leg of a chair. Anything. If only it would help him create.
As for religion... I am Orthodox by birth. But I don't wear a cross.
Instead, I have a medallion with Saint Anastasia on my neck. Why? Because my mother gave it to me.
My mother and all my relatives were raised in Orthodox traditions. They do not go to church on Sundays, do not fast, but there are icons in every house, they read prayers from time to time, and the 10 commandments are the basis of their value system.
I believe that I do not have the right to tell my mother or anyone close to me who grew up in Orthodoxy: “Hmm, you know, I won’t paint the eggs and let’s put out the lamp, because I have different views on this matter.”
Just as no one has the right to impose their religious views on others.
Relations in society need to be unified, and for this there are two regulators - normative (law) and non-normative (social rules of behavior, including religious ones). I clearly distinguish between these areas, so the artificial introduction of moral and ethical norms into the legal sphere causes me chilling horror.
Yes, you understood correctly, I am talking about the so-called law on the protection of the feelings of believers, or rather, introducing appropriate amendments to the Criminal Code.
For me, theism and atheism are the two pillars on which the world rests. And I don't like it when they start hitting each other with their tails. I don't like it when atheists make fun of religious people just as much as I don't like it when the latter despise the former. My religion is tolerance.
What I didn't like about the book
Literalism
I don't think of the Bible as "holy scripture." For me, this is a historical and cultural literary work. A non-systematic collection of social, moral and everyday norms accumulated over centuries. Moreover, as the author himself noted, the Bible is similar to Wikipedia - it was edited by all and sundry.
The literalism that AJ Jacobs followed irritated me. It served one purpose - satire, and had nothing to do with the author's statement:
...this project will be my passport to the world of spirituality. I will not just study religion, but live it.
References to Western culture
To say that there are many of them means to remain silent. There are allusions from Western pop culture on almost every page. Across the page - comparisons with American actors, writers, religious leaders. A considerable part of humor is built on this, and it prevents the formation of images.
Compare, when it is written: “In appearance he is Chekhov of the 21st century, only without pince-nez,” you immediately imagine an intelligent man, about 40 years old, fit, in a neat suit, but without glasses. And if you read: “He looks a little like Jackie Mason,” the flight of fantasy ends. Sorry, I don't remember what Jackie Mason looks like.
Of course, there are explanatory footnotes throughout. But the feeling that this book is not for us, not for the Russian-speaking reader, does not leave.
(The absence of a study of Orthodoxy as part of Christianity in the experiment strengthened this feeling.)
What I liked about the book
Language
Light, slender and witty. For those, like me, who work with texts, this book is a godsend. If you keep a notebook with interesting figures of speech and metaphors, then, while reading, add a couple of dozen “copies” to it.
(I think the translator also deserves a lot of credit for this, therefore, as a sign of respect, I will indicate her name - Taira Mamedova.)
Humor
Although I did not like that the book was built on ridiculing the Bible from a literalist position, I must pay tribute to the author’s sense of humor.
He describes people and events very ironically, but absolutely not evil. In addition, he knows how to laugh at himself. Holy fudge, how does he do it? :)
Cognition
By reading the book, you will learn a lot about religion and its manifestations. I didn’t even know about some religions. I can’t say that creationists or snake-keepers have piqued my interest enough to warrant further googling, but it’s quite educational. The book broadens your horizons.
Plot and personal background
AJ Jacobs lived his year biblically. The key word is lived. He worked, and that year he and his wife had twins. The author describes his personal life, thereby forming another storyline.
In my opinion, this is an excellent literary device that makes you sympathize with the hero even more.
Philosophy
Despite the fact that, in my opinion, the book is entertaining and not philosophical, from time to time quite serious topics are raised on its pages.
Lies (to yourself and others), gratitude, example to your children, fanaticism (including religious), stem cells... All these are serious ethical problems. There's a lot to think about.
Finally, I liked AJ's main point. I think his “cafeteria religion” does a good job of demonstrating the position of the Bible in modern society.
© A.J. Jacobs, 2007
© Translation into Russian, publication in Russian, design. Mann, Ivanov and Ferber LLC, 2013
All rights reserved. No part of the electronic version of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet or corporate networks, for private or public use without the written permission of the copyright owner.
Legal support for the publishing house is provided by the Vegas-Lex law firm.
© The electronic version of the book was prepared by liters company (www.litres.ru)
All the events described in the book actually happened. In some cases, their sequence has been changed, as well as some names and identification marks.
Dedicated to Julie
Introduction
Now, as I write these lines, I have a beard like Moses. Or Abraham Lincoln. Or Ted Kaczynski's. I was told that I looked like all three.
And this is not a well-groomed, “socially acceptable” beard, but a mop of hair that creeps over the eyes and falls to the collarbone.
I haven't grown facial hair before. The experiment turned out to be strange and instructive. I was accepted into the secret brotherhood of bearded men: we nod to each other on the street and exchange barely noticeable smiles in understanding. Strangers come up and stroke my beard as if it were a Labrador puppy or a pregnant woman's belly.
And I suffer. Beard gets stuck in zipper. My surprisingly strong two-year-old son is pulling it. I lost a lot of time answering security questions at airports.
People ask me if my last name is Smith and if I and my brother sell cough lozenges. ZZ Top is mentioned at least three times a week. Passers-by shout: "Yo, Gandalf!" And once they called him Steven Seagal - I wonder why, because he doesn’t have a beard.
I'm struggling with the heat and itching. I spent a week's earnings on balms, powders, ointments and conditioners. My beard became a haven for cappuccino foam and lentil soup. She also upsets people. As of today, two girls have already burst into tears, and one boy hid behind his mother’s back.
But I have good intentions. The hair on my face is only the most obvious physical manifestation of the spiritual quest that I began a year ago.
My goal is this: to live according to the Bible in everything. More precisely, follow it literally as far as possible. Keep the Ten Commandments. Be fruitful and multiply. Love your neighbor. Pay tithe. And also follow the rules that are often neglected: do not wear clothes made of mixed threads, stone adulterers. And, of course, do not spoil the edges of the beard (Leviticus 19:27). I try to follow the Bible as a whole, without dissection.
A few words about my background: I grew up in a completely secular family in New York. Technically I am Jewish, but essentially no more than Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant. That is, not really. I didn't go to Hebrew school or eat matzo. In my family, Judaism manifested itself only in the form of a classic paradox: when we placed the Star of David on the Christmas tree.
It's not that my parents disapproved of religion. They just didn't need her. We lived in the 20th century, after all. In our house, faith was almost a taboo topic, like my father's salary or my sister's addiction to clove cigarettes.
My contacts with the Bible were short and superficial. Next door lived Reverend Schulze, a good-natured Lutheran pastor who bore a strong resemblance to Thomas Jefferson. (By the way, his son became an actor and, oddly enough, played a creepy priest in The Sopranos). The Reverend had a great talk about the student sit-ins in the 60s. But as soon as he started talking about God, it seemed to me that the pastor was speaking in an unfamiliar language.
I've been to a bar mitzvah a few times where I passed out during the service and wondered who was bald under the yarmulke. At my paternal grandfather's funeral, I was surprised to see that the ceremony was being conducted by a rabbi. How could he praise a person he had never seen in his life? I was puzzled.
Perhaps this is all I can say about religion in my childhood.
I was an agnostic, although I didn’t yet know what that meant. Part of me couldn't accept the existence of evil. If there is a God, then why does He allow wars, diseases, and my teacher Miss Barker, who forced the fourth-graders to bring sugar-free baked goods to the “sweet fair”? And most importantly, the idea of God seemed superficial to me. Why do we need an invisible and inaudible deity? He may exist, but we will not receive evidence in this life.
College didn't promote religiosity either. I went to a secular university where they studied the semiotics of neo-pagan rituals rather than the Judeo-Christian tradition. And the Bible was perceived as literature, a mossy book, with no more truth than in The Fairy Queen.
Of course, we studied the history of religion. We knew how the Bible contributed to many of our greatest achievements: the civil rights movement, philanthropy, the abolition of slavery. And of course, how it has been used to justify the worst things in the world - war, genocide and oppression.
For a long time I thought that religion, for all its benefits, was too risky in modern conditions. There are so many opportunities for abuse. I believed that it would gradually disappear, like other archaisms. Science moved forward. We were soon to find ourselves in a neo-Enlightenment paradise, where all decisions were made on the basis of iron logic in the spirit of Spock.
Of course I was wrong. The Bible—and religion in general—remains a powerful force, perhaps even more powerful today than it was in my childhood days. So in recent years it has become an obsession of mine. Is half the world really wrong? Or is my religious blindness a serious personality defect? What if I'm missing something important - like someone who has never heard or loved Beethoven? And most importantly, now I have a little son. And if unbelief is a vice, I don’t want to pass it on to inheritance.
That’s how I realized I wanted to explore religion. All that remained was to figure out how to do this.
My relative, Uncle Gil, gave me the idea. More precisely, a former uncle. Gil married my aunt and divorced her a few years later, but remains the most prominent member of our family. We are absolutely secular people, and Gil takes the rap for everyone. He may be the most religious man in the world. Gil is spiritually omnivorous. He's a Jew who became a Hindu, a self-proclaimed guru, who sat on a Manhattan park bench for eight months without saying a word, founding a hippie cult in upstate New York. Then he became a Christian again, and in his last reincarnation, an ultra-Orthodox Jew from Jerusalem. Maybe I missed something - it seems he also managed to be a Shintoist - but the general idea is clear.
At some point in Gil's spiritual journey, he decided to take the Bible literally. Absolutely literally. The Bible says to tie money to your hand (Deuteronomy 14:25). Gil withdrew three hundred dollars from the bank and tied them to his palm with a thread. The Bible says to wear tassels on the edges of clothes (Numbers 15:38) - so Gil bought some yarn at a craft store, made tassels and sewed them onto the collar and cuffs. The Bible says to give money to widows and orphans - and the uncle began to wander the streets looking for widows and orphans in order to give them cash.
About six months ago, over lunch at a sandwich shop, I was telling my friend Paul about Gil's bizarre life—and then it dawned on me. Exactly what is needed. I too must follow the Bible literally. And there are several reasons for this.
What does it mean to follow the Bible literally—every word, absolutely exactly, without deviating one iota? Can a modern person, in principle, follow all its rules? A. J. Jacobs tried to do just that: for a year he lived, trying to follow as closely as possible all the rules and guidelines he could find in the Bible - there were more than seven hundred of them. He grew a beard, avoided menstruating women, observed the Sabbath, prayed three times a day, danced before our Lord, threw stones at blasphemers... “The Year Lived Biblically” is both a memoir and a story about learning and education, and the present, deeply felt a spiritual journey that will make you think differently about the most influential book in human history.
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