Thurber House Evenings with Authors will present A.J. Jacobs, at the Columbus Performing Arts Center, 549 Franklin Ave., 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 9. His New York Times bestseller, The Year of Living Biblically, describes Jacobs’ quest to follow every rule in the Bible —literally.

Jacobs grew up in a secular home, and religion had never been high on his list of priorities. He had always “figured that it would slowly fade away like other archaic things.” Instead he became increasingly aware of the growing influence that the Bible, and religion in general, wield on contemporary culture.

Inspired by an eccentric uncle who had embraced a variety of religious beliefs, Jacobs decided to follow in his footsteps and live the Bible literally. Along with spiritual exploration, hilarity ensues as he grows an untrimmed beard, changes his diet, avoids wearing clothes of mixed fibers, stones an adulterer (using a pebble) and struggles with how to sacrifice an ox. In the process, he makes discoveries about himself and “the Bible’s startlingly relevant rules.”

Jacobs is editor at large for Esquire and is a contributor to The New York Times, New York magazine and NPR’S Weekend Addition.

Publishers Weekly said of the book: “A hilarious, quixotic, thought-provoking memoir” and from Kirkus Reviews: “Impressive and often tremendously amusing… The author’s determination despite constant complications from his modern secular life (wife, job, family, NYC) underscores both the absurdity of his plight and its profundity.”

Following the reading, Jacobs will take questions, chat with the audience about his writing and sign books that will be available for purchase. Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 at the door, with discounts for students and seniors. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 614-464-1032 or visit www.thurberhouse.org.