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

It doesn't get much better than this folks.

A. J. Jacobs, who is Jewish "in the same way that the Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant," challenges himself to live up to biblical standards for one year without being "picking and choosing." After all, 33 percent (ahem, excuse me, 63 percent; no, 55 percent!) of the American population believe in the Bible literally. But what would it mean to live the Bible literally?

That means Jacobs not only honored his father and mother and refrained from murdering anyone, but he grew a beard, bathed after sex, declined fruit from a tree less than five years old, and did not mix linen with wool. And Jacobs tries to answer all those biblical-scholar-pleasing bits too, like which Bible he should use, what does it mean to take the Bible literally, and should he obey the Old Testament, the New Testament or could he obey both?

Most of all, Jacobs approaches the task he sets for himself with empathy and humor. He speaks with all sorts of people who try to live out the Bible literally from the Amish to the ultra-Orthodox to Pat Robertson. So take my words literally: read this book.

Want more?:

• Slate.com's Matt Labash and A. J. Jacob's discuss the book.
• Read an excerpt.
• Rumors about a cinematic adaptation...