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The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
The KnowItAll One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World
Author: A. J. Jacobs
33,000 pages — 44 million words — 10 billion years of history — 1 obsessed man — Part memoir and part education (or lack thereof), The Know-It-All chronicles NPR contributor A.J. Jacobs's hilarious, enlightening, and seemingly impossible quest to read the Encyclopaedia Britannica from A to Z. To fill the ever-widening gaps in his Ivy Le...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780739453025
ISBN-10: 0739453025
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 386
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 28

4 stars, based on 28 ratings
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 8
The Know-It-All is absolutely hilarious. It traces one man's quest to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. Jacobs does a great job of intertwining personal history with funny snippets and reflections on the entries themselves.
nascargal avatar reviewed The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World on + 352 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
This is a truly hilarious book. A.J. Jacobs read the Encylopedia Britannica from beginning to end. His humorous look at his quest for knowledge is very funny. I highly recommend this book.
mizparker avatar reviewed The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World on + 87 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
A bit of a "know-it-all" myself, I loved this book. I thought because of the subject matter - one man reads the full encyclopedia britannica cover to cover - that it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but it was wonderfully engaging, warm, and funny. The author takes you through his A to Z trip, peppering the interesting facts he learns along the way with details about his (incredibly entertaining) family and his adventures along the way. During his quest to become the "World's Smartest Man", he talks to high-IQ guns, meets Alex Trebek, and even tries out for Who Wants to be a Millionaire. I think that anyone could enjoy this book (and get something out of it), but those who have a soft spot for trivia, learning, and quirkiness will REALLY enjoy it. I got a chuckle out of nearly every page.
lawbibliophile avatar reviewed The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I cannot remember the last time I laughed out loud while reading a book by myself. This happened several times while reading this book. Not only is it humorous, but it is also very enlightening.
reviewed The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
This is a great, funny book you can set down and pick up a week later, without having to recall different characters. The author is working his way through the entire set of Encyclopaedia Britannica!
Read All 24 Book Reviews of "The KnowItAll One Mans Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World"

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reviewed The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World on + 27 more book reviews
npr author, personal ambition, funny, interesting, he reads the encylopedia, his family life alternates w entries and asides, he appears on tv's who wants to be a millionaire w his newfound knowledge.
reviewed The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World on + 5 more book reviews
This is a very entertaining book. I'm anxious to read his other books.
reviewed The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World on
The book is nice in concept, but something gets lost in the execution. There are definitely some funny and interesting moments, though. This is well worth a read.


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