To A.J. Jacobs, his ancestors include parents, grandparents — and 80 million others. The author is creating the world’s largest family tree, and it includes Daniel Radcliffe and Judge Judy.
A.J. Jacobs experimented with myriad regimes hoping to turn back the clock on a dangerously sedentary lifestyle. He came up with ‘chewdaism.’
Esquire Editor at Large and experiential journalist A.J. Jacobs embarked on a quest to improve his mind by reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. That resulted in the publication of his first book, “The Know-It-All” in 2005. Three years later came “The Year of Living Biblically” chronicling his attempt to raise his spiritual consciousness by growing a wild beard, riding the subway dressed like Moses, and following all the laws of the Bible in their literal sense. Now the 44-year-old Manhattanite has recounted how he tried to achieve bodily perfection in “Drop Dead Healthy” — published earlier this month.