The Know-It-All

A.J. Jacobs has taken on a new task in his book “The Know-It-All”. Before, he has lived an entire year following the teachings of the Bible, but now he is reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z. This is a unique and interesting idea for a book, but whether or not it’s a good idea, remains to be seen.

“The Know-It-All” is comedic view on the information and irony in the Encyclopedia Britannica. A.J. Jacobs is reading the entire collection all the way through and is taking the reader with him on this astronomical foot. He gives a brief description of about two to three dozen words per letter, and makes a satirical or ironic comment on each. He also takes the reader through his personal problems as he reads the collection of words, like his desperation to have a child, world issues, and his funny stories of how he tries to show off his newfound knowledge.

While being funny, “The Know-It-All” is also educational. He gives out information that the reader can store as “Information I never knew, and never wanted to know.” He discusses the disgusting facts of animals and foreign customs. However, he does give useful knowledge like the longest word in the English dictionary, pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. His ironic outlook on life and ways of living it is hysterical and keeps the reader coming back for more. It’s hilariously addicting.

Although “The Know-It-All” is addicting and funny, it can be long winded and seems like it might be better if it were shorter. The writing style never changes throughout the book which can put the reader in a slum wondering if the book will ever get anywhere, with the resounding answer “no.” The book does not change much at all throughout the book and can be very hard to push through at times. However, there is a plot to the book that amazingly keeps the reader reading. The great aspect of this book is that it is okay to skip parts of it. With every section between a paragraph and a couple pages in length, skipping a few sections is perfectly acceptable.

A.J. Jacobs also takes the reader through his attempt to show off his knowledge through trial and error. Jacobs is already a socially awkward person as it is, and trying to show off some interesting, yet nerdy, facts does not help his case. At first he sounds snotty or condescending, but learns how to approach the subject with a general introduction, and then narrow it to what he wants. With the loving support of his family, Jacobs is able to learn from his errors and make his conversations more interesting. However many errors Jacobs makes, he still does make the occasional error that makes him seem like a jerk, but it’s all in good fun. It is always funny to see how Jacobs continuously makes a fool out of himself.

Personally, my favorite point of the book was not intended to be an ironic comment, but a passing observation. Jacobs says “Oh and then there’s that little apocalypse hanging over our head: it looks like we’re going to war with Iraq, and God knows what’s going to happen.” I love this quote because its irony was not intended. Obviously, the war with Iraq is not going as well as expected, and his hesitation and concern about the outcome before it even happens is humorous.

A.J. Jacobs’s book “The Know-It-All” is a fabulous idea, and despite its slow points, is a great book. Those who want to read a funny, ironic, but educated piece of material, this book is for you.

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