Living By the Books | AJ Jacobs on Writing Methods

May 3, 2024

AJ Jacobs, an author known for his unique immersive writing style, shares his fascinating approach to literature. He discusses his upcoming book, where he lives as if he were in 1790, applying the Constitution—yes, even considering piracy! Jacobs reveals how his experimentations, like outsourcing arguments with his wife, transform typical narratives into engaging adventures. His method of living his topics brings a refreshing twist to storytelling, captivating listeners with humor and curiosity.

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ANECDOTE

Cryptos at the CIA

AJ Jacobs visited the CIA to see Cryptos, a sculpture with an unsolved code.
No one, not even the CIA, has fully solved it after 30 years.

ADVICE

The Puzzler Franchise

James Altucher advises AJ Jacobs to create a line of puzzle books.
Altucher offers to manage the project, splitting profits 50/50.

ANECDOTE

Outsourcing Life

AJ Jacobs wrote an article, "My Outsource Life," where he outsourced tasks to India.
This included outsourcing arguments with his wife.

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My Life as an Experiment

One Man's Humble Quest to Improve Himself by Living as a Woman, Becoming George Washington, Telling No Lies, and Other Radical Tests

A.J. Jacobs

In 'My Life as an Experiment,' A.J. Jacobs embarks on a series of eccentric and extreme lifestyle experiments. He goes undercover as a woman, lives by George Washington’s moral code, practices 'radical honesty,' outsources his life to India, and engages in other unconventional tests. Through these experiments, Jacobs seeks to understand different aspects of life, challenge societal norms, and enrich his personal growth. The book is a blend of humor and thought-provoking revelations, urging readers to question the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary realms of their own potential.

The Year of Living Biblically

One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible

A.J. Jacobs

In this book, A.J. Jacobs embarks on a year-long experiment to live according to the Bible's rules as literally as possible. Raised in a secular Jewish family, Jacobs delves into the world of religion to understand its relevance in modern life. He follows over 700 biblical rules, from the well-known Ten Commandments to the lesser-known laws such as avoiding clothes made of mixed fibers and stoning adulterers. The book is a humorous and profound account of his journey, where he interacts with various religious groups, including Amish, Hassidic Jews, and evangelical Christians. Jacobs' experiment leads to surprising insights and personal growth, challenging his initial skepticism about religion and highlighting the complexities of biblical literalism[1][3][5].

The Puzzler

AJ Jacobs

Salt

A World History

Mark Kurlansky

This book details the significant impact of salt on world history, from its use in food preservation and cooking to its influence on politics, economies, and social structures. Kurlansky discusses how salt was a highly sought-after commodity, influencing empires, financing wars, and shaping various customs and traditions. The book covers the production, control, and use of salt across different eras and regions, including its role in slavery, taxation, and industrialization. It also touches on the scientific and technological aspects of salt production and its health effects[1][3][4].

Think Again

Adam Grant

In 'Think Again', Adam Grant argues that the ability to rethink at personal, interpersonal, and collective levels is crucial in today's polarized world. He uses scientific research, personal anecdotes, and engaging stories to illustrate how people can find joy in being wrong, leverage the benefits of impostor syndrome, and cultivate environments of lifelong learning. Grant emphasizes the need to challenge our convictions, adopt a scientific mindset, and foster curiosity and humility. He provides examples of individuals who have successfully rethought their approaches, from firefighters to business leaders, and offers practical exercises for improving rethinking skills[2][4][5].

The Year of Living Constitutionally

One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning

A. J. Jacobs

In 'The Year of Living Constitutionally', A.J. Jacobs embarks on a year-long journey to understand the U.S. Constitution by living as closely as possible to its original meaning. He engages in various adventures such as carrying an 18th-century musket, asserting his right to free speech with handwritten pamphlets, and participating in Revolutionary War reenactments. The book delves into the debates between originalism and living constitutionalism, offering insights into the Constitution's impact on modern American life and the ongoing debates about its interpretation. Jacobs' experiences highlight the benefits and challenges of adhering to 18th-century laws in the 21st century, providing a fresh and entertaining perspective on the Constitution's role in American democracy.

2041

null

Kai-Fu Lee

The Scout Mindset

None

Julia Galef

Dans "The Scout Mindset", Julia Galef explore la différence entre deux approches mentales : le "Mindset du Soldat", axé sur la défense de ses croyances, et le "Mindset du Scout", qui privilégie la recherche de la vérité, même si cela remet en question ses propres convictions. L'auteure argumente que le Mindset du Scout est essentiel pour une prise de décision rationnelle et efficace. Le livre propose des outils et des techniques pour cultiver ce Mindset, en encourageant l'ouverture d'esprit, la remise en question et l'acceptation de l'incertitude. Galef utilise des exemples concrets et des anecdotes pour illustrer ses points, rendant le livre accessible à un large public. L'ouvrage est une invitation à adopter une approche plus objective et plus rigoureuse dans la formation de ses opinions et dans la prise de décisions.

SuperFreakonomics

Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance

Steven D. Levitt

Stephen J. Dubner

SuperFreakonomics challenges conventional thinking by applying economic principles to unexpected topics such as prostitution, terrorism, and global warming. The book offers insights into how incentives shape human behavior and explores unconventional solutions to complex problems. It is a sequel to the bestselling Freakonomics.

A Note from James:?AJ Jacobs, who has an upcoming book, "The Year of Living Constitutionally", he's a fascinating writer. He basically, instead of just doing research on a topic "Oh, I'm going to do research on the Constitution, I'm going to do research on living healthy, I'm going to do research on the Bible," instead of just researching something and writing a book, which I consider to be boring, he has a completely different way of exploring a topic, and it turns out,and not by accident, it turns out that this is the formula for writing a bestselling, millions-of-copies kind of book.And it's an interesting way to live life. And what I mean is, A. J. really lives what he's writing about. So when he wrote his, one of his early books, The Year of Living Biblically, he lived for a year, literally word by word, as the Bible would suggest he lives. For instance, I'll let A. J. describes and we talk about it in this episode, but in "The Year of Living Constitutionally", which is about to come out he lives the life of someone.Around 1790, living the constitution word for word applying to be a pirate with the Congress. Something which was an article, one of the constitution, if you didn't happen to know. And meanwhile, other books he's had are like, "My Life is An Experiment", where everything was an experiment.For instance, he outsourced arguments with his wife to an outsourcing agency in India. So this turns out to be not only a fascinating way to live a very curious and adventurous life. But again, as I said earlier, it turns out to be a great formula for writing a bestselling book, the kind of formula AI can't really compete with I will add. First, I want to hear about AJ's method, the AJ method of living a life of experience and using that to create stories, adventures, and of course, bestselling books. And he's a very funny guy, so how he incorporates Humor into that. And then next week, we're going to do a whole episode, fascinating episode, the year of living constitutionally, because there's so many issues about the constitution.I didn't know about it. And so many, so much information about the constitution. I didn't even know about it. I used to think I've read it, but it turns out I hadn't. So first off though, the AJ method on writing his own unique brand style of bestseller and living a life of adventure.Episode Description:In this episode of the James Altucher Show, James engages in a fascinating conversation with AJ Jacobs, an esteemed author known for his unique approach to writing and life. Jacobs discusses his upcoming book 'The Puzzler', delves into his method of immersing himself in his subjects, and shares insights from the Year of Living Constitutionally. Jacobs, known for his adventurous lifestyle and humor, describes past projects including outsourcing arguments with his wife to India and living according to the Bible. The episode also covers his visit to a long-termism conference, discussing potential future challenges and the impact of AI. Additionally, AJ and James ponder over the significance of incorporating puzzles into daily life and explore the concept of improving forecasting abilities through understanding probabilities. Episode Summary:00:00 Exploring AJ Jacobs' Unique Approach to Writing and Living02:47 AJ Jacobs: A Deep Dive into His Life and Works03:31 The Fascinating World of Puzzles with AJ Jacobs03:56 AJ's Hermit Life and the Creative Process04:47 Solving the World's Most Baffling Puzzles17:07 The Art of Creativity and Intelligence in Puzzle Solving27:24 Exploring Long-Termism and Future Challenges31:57 The Unheard Stories of Nuclear Near Misses32:19 Exploring the Shadows of the Cold War33:05 The Petrov Day: A Reminder of Nuclear Threat34:29 Unaccounted Nuclear Weapons: A Lingering Threat34:48 Envisioning a Utopian Future Amidst Doom35:42 The Evolution of Technology vs. Environmental Challenges36:54... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.