Year of Living Biblically

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible AJ Jacobs

AJ Jacobs is "Jewish in the same way the Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant. Which is to say: not very." He sets out to explore the Bible in the only way he can-- by trying to live it as literally as possible for a year. He has a stack of different translations and versions, and several spiritual advisers from all faiths to call on with questions. He looks at the rules, how they're followed or not, and tries to follow them as literally as possible. He finds an adulterer in Central Park and tosses a pebble at him. He grows his beard. He takes a piece of string and ties a print out of the 10 Commandments to his forehead every morning. (He does at one point have someone over to show him how to wrap Tefflin, the traditional way that orthodox Jews follow Deuteromony 6:8 "Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.") He carries around a handi-seat so he won't accidentally sit anywhere a menstruating woman has sat (which ties in well with his germophobia.) His wife, in revenge, sits on every flat surface in their apartment one month. He wonders about how much trouble he'll be in with his landlord for painting his doorposts with lamb's blood (and does it when his son, who has developed a liking for drawing on walls, can't see him.)He visits different houses of worship, and goes to Israel to visit with the Samaritans and herds some sheep.

It's a fascinating look at the role religion plays in people's lives, especially those who are Orthodox in their faith. It's a hilarious tale of trying to live an old school life in modern New York. He struggles with lustful thoughts and tries to censor everything, including the Land O'Lakes girl in his apartment to make things easier. Then his bosses at Esquire assign him all the interviews with starlets, just to mess with him. He starts wearing all white in a city that dresses in black.

But, through the humor it's striking in how much the experience changes him. It doesn't necessarily make him a believer, but does make him more thoughtful about how he lives his life and how he interacts with other people. His insights as he tries to wrap his head around these rules, people who live their life by these rules, and how many religions spring out of various interpretations of them, are honest and sometimes profound.

Extremely readable and enjoyable, but will also change the way you look at religion and the role it plays in your life, and lives of others.

Book Provided by... my friend Kathleen, who loaned it to me.

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Saving Maddie

Saving Maddie Varian Johnson

It's been five years, but Maddie Smith is back in town. Joshua Wynn is the preacher's son who's always been so preoccupied with being the perfect example to his father's congregation-- Ceaser's wife and the preacher's family must be beyond reproach. The problem is, he's just always followed the rules and never thought about what he wanted to do.

And then Maddie Smith shows back up, with purple-painted lips and tops cut down to there and a history that has tongues wagging. Joshua's father wants him to save her, to bring her back into the church's fold. Joshua's not entirely sure Maddie needs saving in the first place.

I cared so much for Maddie and Joshua. I loved how complicated it all was. Johnson tells a fairly straightforward story, but Maddie wasn't a bad girl, but she also wasn't just a misunderstood good girl. She had issues. The church wasn't the answer or the problem. I will admit that, initially, Joshua's parents really angered me, in their attitude towards Maddie but that had lessened towards the end. My anger at Maddie's father though... that just got worse.

I was surprised by how strongly I reacted to this book. I struggled with it. I was so angry about how the adults in this community were so quick to judge based on looks and rumor, how Maddie was thrust into this role and had to play it, which happens way too often in real life. But then, it ended so perfectly.

This is a quietly powerful book. It didn't whack me upside the head with its power, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.


Book Provided by... the author for review consideration

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End of the Affair

Last Sunday, I was reading in bed and Dan was whistling Forever Young. It was unbelievably annoying so I asked him to stop because I was trying to read. He's used to me being able to read through anything, so he looked over "Really? What are you read-- wait? GRAHAM GREENE? You're reading a book for adults?!"

I think his brain might have exploded this weekend when he caught me with some Elizabeth Gaskell.

The End of the Affair Graham Greene

On the surface, this is the story about what happens when our narrator, Maurice Bendrix runs into Henry Miles one night. Bendrix used to be having an affair with Henry's wife, Sarah, but she left him eighteen months ago. Bendrix hasn't gotten over it. Having the Mileses appear back in his life reopens the wounds that Sarah left. Bendrix wants to hurt her like she hurt him--he wants his revenge. As the story progresses, we get bits and pieces of their original relationship, how it began and the day it ended...

In the beginning, Bendrix claims that this is a record of hate far more than of love, for he hates Sarah now and wants to destroy her. Of course, despite Bendrix's protestations of hate, as the story goes on we see how his hate is a mask for his pain, he doesn't really hate at all. As Sarah says, ...Maurice who thinks he hates, and loves, loves all the time. Even his enemies.

It's a story of acceptance of loss, of London during the war (such minor details, such as standing on the sidewalk, the glass of blown-out and shattered windows under their feet). And it's a book about spiritual growth. Sarah left Bendrix for God. At the beginning, none of the characters believed, but in examining what happened and what happened after, Sarah becomes a Catholic believer and at the end, Bendrix and Henry aren't as sure in their atheism. For, in Bendrix's destroyed house, only the stained glass window survived, unmoving and unblemished by the bombs.

Perfectly crafted, Greene explores these relationships between people and religion with a slight hand (the entire book is only 192 pages). The prose is quiet and understated, but there is so much depth. I can't wait to read more of his work.

Book Provided by... my local library

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Two Looks at Polygamy

I read both of these books within a month of each other, and so it's very hard not to compare them. They were both fantastically good, but if I had to sum each on up in one word, the first book would be "gripping" and the second "compelling."

The Chosen One Carol Lynch Williams

Kyra lives with her family in a polygamist religious compound. The current prophet has isolated the community and banned all reading except for the Bible. Kyra has been chosen, meaning that she, at age 13, will marry her uncle, age 60. She will be his 7th wife.

Kyra knows she has sinned. She has snuck out at night to kiss a boy and hold his hand. Even worse, she sneaks out during the day to visit the book mobile.

I am not a huge fan of books where reading opens a whole new world to a character and the power of books blah blah blah. You tend to be preaching to the choir. At worst, it's just authors talking about how important they are to the world.

This isn't like that. Kyra likes her books, but they serve as her personal, private rebellion. It's also not the main plot line, but the bookmobile (and the fact it's mobile) is a very important device in the plot. If that makes any sense.

When Kyra is promised to her uncle, she is torn--torn between her desire to run, to flee and her family--running means never seeing them again, it means her mothers might be reassigned to other men, men who are not as nice as her father is.

William's language is immediate, Kyra's thoughts are short, concise, almost choppy, which leads the tension and the drama as she decides what to do.

Powerful, amazing stuff.

Sister Wife Shelley Hrdlitschka

Unity is a fundamentalist religious community in British Columbia and the home of three very different girls. Celeste has impure thoughts and has feelings for a boy in her community, but she it is almost time for her to be assigned to a husband. Nanette, her younger sister, is pure and pious and cannot wait to be assigned--she feels she is ready to be a wife and a mother. Taviana is from the outside and was living on the streets until someone from Unity found her and brought her in.

After Taviana is kicked out of Unity, Celeste is assigned to the father of the boy she likes and she wants to leave Unity, but she can't figure out how she would be able to leave her family.

The story is told in alternating chapters from the three girls' points of view. The subject matter is compelling enough, but it's a slightly quieter and slower book than The Chosen One. But, I liked the different points of view presented. Celeste's husband, while quite a bit older, is not a bad guy, but a complex character who tries to be kind and gentle and nice. Nanette sees nothing wrong in her lifestyle and can't understand why Celeste doesn't just pray harder to rid herself of such impure thinking. Taviana knows Unity isn't for her, but is grateful for the safe place it gave her when she needed one the most.

I liked this one better, because it was more nuanced and complex. It wasn't as gripping and terrifying, but it had much more meat.

More Books from 2005

Ha ha ha! You thought I was done with this already! I'm at a library training right now and this afternoon we're learning how to blog, but, obviously, I already know this. So I'm just messing around.

100 Best Books for Children Anita Silvey: Loved. Not only does it outline the whats and whys of the 100 best books for kids, but it tells the story of how each book got published and explores the relationships between author, publisher and illustrator. Really interesting, even though I only read it because my boss told me to.

Judaism: A Very Short Introduction Norman Solomon: Short, dense, and focusing more on history and philosophy/theology than practice. Intersesting.

The Year Of Secret Assignments Jacyln Moriarty: I talked about this already. But this is a fun story that's well written and told in letters. Not only is there correspondance between the characters, but the main character also gets notes from such groups as the best friends club and the society for teenagers. Plus, it's Australian. I really liked it and recomend it if you ever go for teen-lit stuff. A shining example of the genre.

Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography, The Penultimate Peril, The Grim Grotto, The Slippery Slope, The Carnivorous Carnival, The Hostile Hospital, The Vile Village, The Ersatz Elevator, The Austere Academy, The Miserable Mill, The Wide Window, The Reptile Room, A Bad Beginning: I talked about these already. They were great. I highly recommend the "Unauthorized Autobiography" if you've read the series.