A.J. Jacobs: The Know-It-All

[direstraits]

Just a quick update on my uncontrollable book buying habits - I was walking around a bookstore looking at the Politics section when I came across a book with a rather strange title. I picked it up, read the back blurb and a couple of pages, and I was hooked. The book is The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by J. A. Abrams, and it talks about how this chap, who is the editor of the Esquire magazine, realizes that he knows more about popular culture than hard facts - facts he used to know while studying. To cure himself, he subjects himself to a regiment of reading the ultimate tome of human knowledge - the Encyclopedia Britannica.

The result is this book, and it is hilarious. I usually don't buy books on a whim, but this one looked very interesting.

Actually, I went ahead and clocked in a couple of chapters, and I laughed out loud many a times. Ah, I think I finally weaned myself off my Lois McMaster Bujold phase (after Vorkosigan 3 books in succession!!!).

Damn. Looks like my Lolita will never get finished.

ds

p.s. If you're interested, I think the author as the first chapter up on his website. Go there and check it out.

 

[KristoCat]

DS: thanks for posting about this! It sounds right up my alley and went on my TBR list right away!

 

[direstraits]

No probs, KristoCat. Your turn to recommend me something.

I've posted this in my blog, and immediately someone else wanted the book too. Ah, two referrals in the space of a few hours. This AJ Jacobs needs to pay me soon...

ds

 

[abecedarian]

No probs, KristoCat. Your turn to recommend me something.

I've posted this in my blog, and immediately someone else wanted the book too. Ah, two referrals in the space of a few hours. This AJ Abrams needs to pay me soon...

ds

Maybe so, but you know enough not to hold your breath, right?

 

[direstraits]

Yeah, especially when I keep getting his name wrong. Somehow AJ Jacobs keeps coming out as JA Abrams. It's not even *close*!

I don't know what the heck is wrong with me...

ds

 

[MonkeyCatcher]

I read this a couple of months back, and really loved it. Made me want to purchase a copy of the encyclopaedia and give it a whack myself....but then I saw the price tag.

I really enjoyed how he managed to mix a bit of his life in amongst the facts. It really mixed it up a bit - plus he has really great anecdotes!

 

[Wells83]

Wonderful book. I was skeptical because the Encyclopedia is not all that interesting, but Jacobs made it come to life. I still remember some of the funny tidbits and it's been months since I read the book.

One note though--this thread should actually be in the non-fiction section. Maybe a mod could move it.