The Know-it-All

I finished this book during Trigonometry. I figured, instead of just sitting there while he goes over problems I got right, I can finish this book so I can rush home and write a blog about it!

It's not much different from A.J. Jacobs' other book I have read, The Year of Living Biblically. It just has different content matter. Instead of acting out what a book tells him, he reads the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica with the hopes of becoming the smartest man in the world.

He succeeds at reading the encyclopedia, but not in being the smartest man in the world. A small portion of the book is dedicated to Jacobs' quest to find out what intelligence really is. I wish he would have focused a little more on that deeper aspect. With his combination of humour and thought provoking points, it could have been much better.

One thing I did notice is his use of sentence fragments. He's a journalist. Writer's arent' supposed to use sentence fragments. Sure, in some books, like A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, fragments are acceptable, but not here. He usually starts paragraphs with them too, describing that the encyclopedia entry was about with just one fragment, followed by more information.

Wow, I am tired of typing the word "Encyclopedia."

Eventually, Jacobs realizes, "Maybe it's better to be dumb and happy."

I'm not quite sure about my rating for this book.

Maybe 3 and three quarters out of five?

Great, will I rate the next book with an even freakier fraction?

2 7/16 / 5? Haha.

PS: I've also started Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. Boy, does Salinger love to write about whiny rich teenage kids. At least I feel sorry for a few of them!