A.J. Jacobs
Encyclopedia
Arnold Stephen Jacobs, Jr., commonly called A.J. Jacobs (born March 20, 1968, New York City
) is an American
journalist
and author.
to Jewish parents Arnold Jacobs Sr., a lawyer, and Ellen Kheel. He has one sister, Beryl Jacobs. Jacobs attended the Dalton School and studied philosophy
at Brown University
. He is married to Julie Schoenberg and has three sons: Jasper Kheel Jacobs (born March 11, 2004) and twins Zane and Lucas Jacobs (born August 24, 2006). He is the editor at large for Esquire
and previously worked for the Antioch Daily Ledger
and Entertainment Weekly
.
Jacobs is a first cousin to the legal scholar Cass Sunstein
.
In one of these experiments ("stunts") Jacobs read all 32 volumes of the Encyclopædia Britannica
. He wrote about it in his humorous book, The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
(2004). In the book, he also chronicles his personal life along with various endeavors like joining Mensa
.
In 2005 Jacobs out-sourced his life to India such that personal assistant
s would do everything for him from answering his e-mails, reading his children good-night stories, and arguing with his wife. Jacobs wrote about it in an Esquire
article called "My Outsourced Life" (2005).
In another experiment Jacobs wrote an article for Esquire
called "I Think You're Fat" (2007), about the experiment he conducted with Radical Honesty
, a lifestyle of total truth-telling promoted by Virginia therapist Brad Blanton
, whom Jacobs interviewed for the article.
Jacobs' book The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible (2007) chronicles his experiment to live for one year according to all the moral codes expressed in the Bible
, including stoning adulterers, blowing a shofar
at the beginning of every month, and refraining from trimming the corners of his facial hair (which he followed by not trimming his facial hair at all). In 2007, Paramount Pictures announced it was developing a film version of The Year of Living Biblically, with director Julian Farino
attached and Jay Reiss adapting the screenplay, though as of 2010, no further announcements have been made.
The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment (2009) is a series of first person essays about his experiences with various guides for human behavior.
Jacobs is also the author of The Two Kings: Elvis and Jesus (1994), an irreverent comedic comparison of Elvis Presley
and Jesus
; and America Off-Line (1996). He also writes for mental floss
, a trivia magazine.
Jacobs is currently working on The Healthiest Human Being in the World.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Media of the United States
Media of the United States consist of several different types of communications media: television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based Web sites. The U.S...
and author.
Personal
Jacobs was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Jewish parents Arnold Jacobs Sr., a lawyer, and Ellen Kheel. He has one sister, Beryl Jacobs. Jacobs attended the Dalton School and studied philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
. He is married to Julie Schoenberg and has three sons: Jasper Kheel Jacobs (born March 11, 2004) and twins Zane and Lucas Jacobs (born August 24, 2006). He is the editor at large for Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
and previously worked for the Antioch Daily Ledger
Antioch Daily Ledger
The Antioch Daily Ledger was a newspaper founded March 26, 1870, in Antioch, California. The newspaper's last edition was October 21, 2005....
and Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
.
Jacobs is a first cousin to the legal scholar Cass Sunstein
Cass Sunstein
Cass R. Sunstein is an American legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who currently is the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration...
.
Professional
Jacobs sees his life as a series of experiments in which he immerses himself in a project or lifestyle, for better or worse, then writes about what he learned. The genre is often called "stunt books" or "stunt journalism".In one of these experiments ("stunts") Jacobs read all 32 volumes of the Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
. He wrote about it in his humorous book, The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World is the title of a book by Esquire editor A. J. Jacobs, published in 2004....
(2004). In the book, he also chronicles his personal life along with various endeavors like joining Mensa
Mensa International
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
.
In 2005 Jacobs out-sourced his life to India such that personal assistant
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
s would do everything for him from answering his e-mails, reading his children good-night stories, and arguing with his wife. Jacobs wrote about it in an Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
article called "My Outsourced Life" (2005).
In another experiment Jacobs wrote an article for Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
called "I Think You're Fat" (2007), about the experiment he conducted with Radical Honesty
Radical Honesty
Radical Honesty is a technique and self-improvement program developed by Dr. Brad Blanton. The program asserts that lying is the primary source of modern human stress and that practitioners will become happier by being more honest, even about painful or taboo subjects...
, a lifestyle of total truth-telling promoted by Virginia therapist Brad Blanton
Brad Blanton
W. Brad Blanton is an author, seminar leader, and twice candidate for United States House of Representatives , both times as an Independent running against Republican incumbent Eric Cantor in Virginia's Seventh Congressional District...
, whom Jacobs interviewed for the article.
Jacobs' book The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible (2007) chronicles his experiment to live for one year according to all the moral codes expressed in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, including stoning adulterers, blowing a shofar
Shofar
A shofar is a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.Shofar come in a variety of sizes.- Bible and rabbinic literature :...
at the beginning of every month, and refraining from trimming the corners of his facial hair (which he followed by not trimming his facial hair at all). In 2007, Paramount Pictures announced it was developing a film version of The Year of Living Biblically, with director Julian Farino
Julian Farino
Julian Farino is a British television and film director and television producer. Farino has directed several shows both in the United States and in the United Kingdom, most of them being for HBO...
attached and Jay Reiss adapting the screenplay, though as of 2010, no further announcements have been made.
The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment (2009) is a series of first person essays about his experiences with various guides for human behavior.
Jacobs is also the author of The Two Kings: Elvis and Jesus (1994), an irreverent comedic comparison of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
; and America Off-Line (1996). He also writes for mental floss
Mental floss
Mental Floss is a bi-monthly American magazine, launched in 2001 in Birmingham, Alabama, that presents facts and trivia in a humorous way...
, a trivia magazine.
Jacobs is currently working on The Healthiest Human Being in the World.
External links
- Official website
- In depth Video interview with AJ Jacobs
- "Encyclopedia Man", NPR. February 2004.
- "'The Know-It-All': A Little Learning Is a Dangerous Thing", New York Times. October 2004
- "I Am Not A Jackass", New York Times. February 2005
- "Esquire wikis article on Wikipedia", NEWS.COM. September 2005.
George Stroumboulopoulos
George Mark Paul Stroumboulopoulos is a Canadian television and radio personality, best known as the host of CBC Television's George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight and being a VJ for Canadian music television channel MuchMusic...
TED (conference)
TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
in 2007
David Plotz
David Plotz is an American journalist. A writer with Slate since its inception in 1996, Plotz was designated as the online magazine's editor in June 2008, succeeding Jacob Weisberg.-Early life and career:...
on Bloggingheads.tv
Bloggingheads.tv
Bloggingheads.tv is a political, world events, philosophy, and science video blog discussion site in which the participants take part in an active back and forth conversation via webcam which is then broadcast online to viewers...