I recently read "My Life as an experiment" by A.J. Jacobs and I have to say I loved it and highly recommend it to anyone interested in improving the quality of their life. Actually, I think I would recommend this to anyone capable of reading. This was one of the most insightful and humorous books I have ever read. By humour, I mean laugh-till-you-fart funny. Expelling milk through your nose laughing kind of funny. It was not what I expected from the editor of Esquire Magazine.
In the spirit of chapter three, all about "Radical Honesty", I have to tell my business partner and friend Mike Hillyer that when he recommended this book I was skeptical of its value and I even put off reading it several times, always finding something more important to put on my to-do list ahead of it. I thought the title was lame (sorry A.J.), I thought the premise was weak (subjecting your life to experimentation?) and I believed there were more important things for me to be reading. I am sorry I did now because this is one of those books that just "speaks" to you. At least it did for me, and it did so in a very personal way.
If you have not read it yet, I encourage you to order it, or go to the library, or borrow a copy from a friend. The Radical Honesty chapter ("I think you're fat") is worth the price of admission alone, but the chapter on multi-tasking (or actually, uni-tasking) is absolutely priceless. After reading (and re-reading) it, I am thoroughly convinced my wife needs to meet Julie, A.J.'s wife, just to prove that I am not completely alone in my insanity.
I don't think I will ever pretend to be a famous movie star for any period of time in order to feel the pressure of fame. Nor will i likely get a professional photographer to capture me nude to prove a point about vulnerability. However, I found significant vindication in the chapter "Do I love my wife" now knowing that there is indeed scientific proof of love as a bio-chemical reaction in the brain. (I told you so.)
For the adventurous thinker, this book is a must.
Be Awesome - Change the World.
