Books like The Year of Living Biblically

A hilarious, surprisingly tender experiment in taking ancient rules entirely too literally in the modern world. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with The Year of Living Biblically.

warm
quirky
thoughtful
mildly chaotic

01
Drop dead healthy
Jacobs, A. J.
A hilarious, immersive dive into the exhausting and contradictory world of modern wellness.
Shares:
- warm
- self-deprecating
- inquisitive
02
The Know-It-All
Jacobs, A. J. · 2004
A hilarious, trivia-stuffed romp through the alphabet that accidentally discovers the difference between being smart and being wise.
Shares:
- wry
- self-deprecating
- inquisitive
- earnest
03
The New Testament
Harris, Stephen L.
A clear-eyed, scholarly journey into the historical and cultural origins of early Christian texts.
Feels:
- academic
- contemplative
- grounded
04
Grace (Eventually)
Anne Lamott
A funny, bittersweet, and poignant exploration of faith and the wild adventure of being fully alive.
Shares:
- warm
- spiritual exploration
05
Willmington's Guide to the Bible
H. L. Willmington · 1981
A structured, comprehensive roadmap that transforms the vastness of scripture into an accessible, navigable landscape.
Shares:
- earnest
06
Crazy love
Francis Chan
An urgent, passionate wake-up call that challenges comfortable believers to trade religious routine for a radical, all-consuming devotion.
Shares:
- earnest
07
I might regret this
Abbi Jacobson
A funny, vulnerable road trip through the messy realities of relationships and self-discovery.
Shares:
- wry
08
I Remember Nothing and Other Reflections
Nora Ephron
A sharp, hilarious, and ultimately heartbreaking conversation with your smartest friend over a very good lunch.
Shares:
- wry
- self-deprecating
09
The Systems Bible
John Gall
A deadpan, aphoristic survival guide for navigating the inevitable failures of complex bureaucracies and technologies.
Shares:
- wry
10
The Interpreter's Bible
George Arthur Buttrick
A monumental, quiet sanctuary of mid-century biblical scholarship and pastoral wisdom.
Shares:
- earnest
11
Reading the Bible Again For the First Time
Marcus J. Borg · 2001
A gentle, intellectually rigorous invitation to rediscover sacred texts through the lens of metaphor and historical context rather than rigid literalism.
Shares:
- thoughtful
- earnest
12
Bad girls of the Bible
Liz Curtis Higgs · 1999
A warm, humorous exploration of biblical missteps that invites modern women to trade their guilt for grace.
Shares:
- warm
- earnest

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