The Year of Living Virtuously: Weekends Off

by Teresa Jordan

Benjamin Franklin was in his early twenties when he embarked on a “bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection,” intending to master the virtues of temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility. He soon gave up on perfection but continued to believe that these virtues, coupled with a generous heart and a bemused acceptance of human frailty, laid the foundation for not only a good life but also a workable society.

Writer and visual artist Teresa Jordan wondered if Franklin’s perhaps antiquated notions of virtue might offer guidance to a nation increasingly divided by angry righteousness. She decided to try to live his list for a year, focusing on each virtue for a week at a time and taking weekends off to attend to the seven deadly sins.

The journal she kept became this collection of beautifully illustrated essays, weaving personal anecdotes with the views of theologians, philosophers, ethicists, evolutionary biologists, and a whole range of scholars and scientists within the emerging field of consciousness studies.

Teresa Jordan offers a wry and intimate journey into a year in midlife devoted to the challenge of trying to live authentically.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Memoir, Essays, Book Club, Biography

224 pages, Hardcover

First published November 11, 2014

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not quite what I expected based on the title and jacket description. I was expecting an A.J. Jacobs-esque attempt to recreate Benjamin Franklin's year-long mindfulness experiment, with a week tracking each of his identified virtues, and a linear description of the situations that arose. Now, I have not read Jordon's blog that she based this book on, and maybe that was the original structure, in which case I appreciate not wanting to mimic the blog directly. This book does not really follow her experiences and events over the course of a year, but rather essays and meditations on the meaning of the virtues and vices over the course of her life.She explains her choice of the title, but I also think that it is something that probably worked better for the blog than for the structure of this book. It seems to me that in the resulting format, it might work better as selected readings rather than a text to read straight through.

*In compliance with FTC guidelines, I disclose that I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.*

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and well-written book for what it was which is not what it says on the cover or jacket blurb. A better title would be ‘The Year of Writing About Virtues’. I can’t include the subtitle of ‘Weekends Off’ because Jordan explains that she often spent weekends trying to finish each of the little essays or meditations about that week’s virtue.

What’s interesting about the book is that it comes from Jordan’s perspective as a genuine cowgirl from growing up on a Wyoming cattle ranch, and that she interweaves people like Ayn Rand and Terry Waite seamlessly into her discussion.

[Salt Lake City Public Library]

Teresa Jordan’s The Year of Living Virtuously: Weekends Off) is a series of meditations on life examined through the lens of virtue and vice. Based on an online journal of the same name that Jordan undertook in the fall of 2010, the book uses Benjamin Franklin’s 13 virtues as a starting point. For Jordan, a study of these virtues inevitably led to thoughts on the vices they supposedly counteract, and the book’s direction pivots accordingly. Chapters are named after traditional virtues and vices as well as some contemporary ones—Greed and Humility are examined alongside Habit, Curiosity, and the ever-difficult Resolution and Vanity.

Jordan’s essays explore a fundamental truth: that while absolute virtue and vice are difficult to encounter in our lives, most humans inhabit the middle ground. These stories are a journal of enjoyment, despair, and all the fumbles and questions that fall somewhere in between. As Jordan quotes from E.B. White, the book is a study of “man’s fantastic battle with himself.” In one chapter, Jordan finds that the virtue of temperance may need to be put aside in unexpected moments. She details spending an evening at Abravanel Hall tasting incredibly extravagant food, followed by a tour of the nearby Salt Lake Art Center (now the Museum of Contemporary Art). However, it is not the food that causes Jordan to lose self-restraint, but an experience she has in the Art Center, surrounded by exquisite glass and color. A short chapter on grumpiness describes the feeling as something to be grumpy about in and of itself, as she goes to great lengths to minimize and contain her grumpy moods when they arise (a paradox I can personally relate to). The Year of Living Virtuously (Weekends Off) contains the thoughtful musings of an artist, poet, and writer who is interested in not only her own relationship with the nature of vice and virtue but also the stories of those around her: men and women of the West working to define their lives in a way that they can ultimately be proud of.

I enjoyed this book for Jordan’s pleasing combination of personal anecdotes and the approachable way she shares interesting research from the social, neurological, and cognitive sciences. I appreciated how rooted she is in the West; she grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and lived for a time in Salt Lake City. She has a conversational style and I found myself feeling an extra connection with the author through her starkly beautiful illustrations. This is a personal yet universally appealing collection pondering how we choose to define the way we live our lives.

—Tania Taylor is a Librarian at the Anderson-Foothill Branch of the Salt Lake City Public Library. To find this and similar books within the Library’s catalog, or for more info on The City Library’s programs and services, visit slcpl.org.

[jen8998 · Rating 5 out of 5]

In high school, Benjamin Franklin's autobiograpy was part of our assigned reading list and one passage from that has really stuck with me over the years. Franklin set himself a quest to be perfect which entailed daily ratings of himself on the virtues he considered important. I'm still fascinated by his idea that one could be perfect which seems to reflect a great deal of optimism but it's also a worthy quest to improve oneself. Anyway, when I saw this book inspired by his quest, I wanted to read it right away. It's a meditation on both virtue and sin, full of essays that are intellectual but also deeply personal. Highly recommended and on my shelf for rereading someday.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading this book, slowly, since January. Generally I read one chapter or section in the morning. It has been a lovely way to experience this book, which is about mindfulness and conscious living in general. This book has a very compassionate tone and brings together so many interesting, disparate, inter-connected aspects of every day life.
Highly recommended for anyone! Maybe especially those want food for thought.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, the author did not spend the year living virtuously herself. She spent the year researching and sharing stories of the different virtues( and sins). There are several anecdotes from her life but mostly the stories are someone else's.

I think it's important to know that. I was expecting a humorous account of the struggle to live virtuously; an account of which "sins" she struggled with most; how she approached the goal.

I like the saying "all things in moderation". I think it's a good motto.

I enjoyed the stories she presented and I am going to try to live more mindfully. Listen more. Engage more.

And now I'm curious about Will Rogers.

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting book. You learned some history, got to know the author's feelings some and thought about how you are living your own life. This book was more like a compilation of blog entries or magazine articles each chapter which was interesting.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming short essays inspired by Benjamin Franklin's writing on virtue, with even more charming illustrations by the author.

[Rambo Schutz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I read a piece every morning and allowed the insight to help me focus my day. I would easily recommend this to anyone.

[Sheryl Sato · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really impressed me. Superb writing and thoughtful essays on what it means to have virtues and vices. Highly recommended.

[Laura Luzzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad I fell upon this book at the library. Based on Ben Franklin's list of virtues, Jordan elaborates on each and more with great stories on everyday living. Really enjoyable.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

My local library is doing a little reading challenge game this summer. One of the books I needed to read, as part of my participation, was a Utah Book Award winner. I had never even heard of the Utah Book Award, so I found a list online and skimmed through the titles- all books I had never heard of- and this one caught my eye. The brief overview seemed intriguing and it was available from my online library.
I was disappointed to learn that the book wasn't actually a record or account of the author's year of living virtuously- but a collection of essays on the various virtues and vices she spent the year studying. Some of the essays I really enjoyed-- they included interesting stories, insightful thoughts, and nuggets of wisdom. Other essays were intriguing-- however, the author spent the entire chapter sharing the thoughts of others and gave no indication of her own feelings. There were also a handful of chapters that felt incredibly random-- only vaguely relating to the topic of that chapter-- and even a few that came across as the author just wanting to write about a specific topic and trying to somehow fit it into the book. At times I really enjoyed reading this book, while at other moments I couldn't wait for it to end. Overall, I have no strong feeling of either love or hatred for it.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this little gem; however, it totally wasn't what I bargained for! I thought it would be a book about someone documenting their attempt each workweek to live out certain virtues. Instead, it was a book about a woman's thoughts and musings each week about individual virtues with some vices mixed in. Essentially, it is a collection of the blogs she posted during the year she was living virtuously. Despite the false advertising, I found it to be an uplifting and engrossing read; I found her writing style to be friendly and welcoming, uplifting, and insightful. I also enjoyed reading stories about the people that she has crossed paths with, or about life in the rural West. I don't know what title she should've given her book, but I'm glad she chose the one she did, faulty as it is, so that I was intrigued enough by it at the library to choose it.

[Jodell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way back in the day Benjamin Franklin set himself a quest to be perfect which entailed daily ratings of himself on the virtues he considered important. Actually, the seven deadly sins are a grouping s of vices within Christian, particularly Catholic, teachings. According to Christian tradition, the seven deadly sins are:

Pride (Ok, I've sinned)
Greed
Wrath (oops, I sinned again) I so wanted to hurt the man who hurt my brother
Envy (I sinned more) I so wanted those red converses as a kid
Lust
Gluttony I did it spent a day or two in bed eating over a dozen Cookes while crying ps. it didn't help
Sloth

This Author was fascinated by the deadly sins and well she didn't really live a year trying to live virtuously but she wrote about it. I've never really thought of it in the way the author did but im sure everyone has committed a and I didn't die.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book as a one or two chapter a day meditation.
It is not a page turner and more than two chapters tended to become a sort of white noise of reading. The chapters need to be mulled over.

[Larae · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was very disappointed in this book, I should have read the reviews here before I purchased it. The title is so misleading! i expected to hear her experiences of attempting to love the virtues laid out by Benjamin Franklin.

[Brad Hayes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably not a bad book, just not for me.

[Joyce Reynolds-Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating book. Definitely one to keep on hand and reread more slowly.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great quotes and the thoughts hold true even after so much time has passed.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful and well-connected overview of key virtues and some of their detractors. Definitely worth a read and many good resources are referenced.

[Dominic · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting snippets. Not a book to read in big bites. Filled with fun quotes for the ben franklin fans.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find myself unsure of where I stand with this book. On the one hand, I was disappointed. I came into it thinking it would be a collection of the author's experiences and pitfalls with attempting to live these virtues every week. It seems her blog was based on this and from reading the description and title, one would think that this is what the book contained. To be quite honest, it would have probably been a much more interesting book if it had described these experiences. Instead, it serves as a series of essays reflecting on virtues. One would have to read her blog to get a feel for her experiences, but it seems she has taken that down so I will never know of how she came to her conclusions. There are mentions of connections to past events in her life, but not with her year of experimentation so I am left wondering. It would have been much more accurate if it had been titled "Essays on Living Virtuously."

On the other hand, I love her writing style. It has been a long time since I finished a book in a matter of days and reading this one felt effortless and enjoyable. Some were better than others, but the ones I enjoyed most included her recounting her childhood. I feel these entries shine and stand apart from other sections in the book, particularly the few that come off as a bit pretentious. Her writing is so descriptive in these sections that it almost feels as though you were experiencing these events alongside her. For this reason, I have already ordered her memoir and cannot wait to read it. I feel that it will be a much better read.

As far as the essays/lessons, few seem striking or memorable (in the weeks since I have read them, I cannot pick one that sticks out strongly in my mind) and a few seemed only tangentially related to the virtue they were seeking to promote. However, it was a quick read and was enjoyable. I could see myself reading it again if only for her writing style.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of essays, apparently first posted as blog entries. Based on B. Franklin's list of virtues, with a few others added in, each essay begins with an experience of the author's that (sometimes tenuously) ties in to the topic at hand, and then evolves into a meditation on how she defines that virtue. Some of them got a bit boring, I'll admit, but I appreciate the example of really taking the time to think deeply about a subject and make connections from one's own life to help to see it in the context of that life.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wonder if there's enough books in the vein of "what I tried for a year" to make a whole genre. I don't actively seek these kinds of books, yet flipping through my brain index of nonfiction books I've read in the past few years, there are several that spring to mind: Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project, Colin Beavan's No Impact Man, Novella Carpenter's Farm City, Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle; Joshua Foer's Moonwalking With Einstein.

In the case of The Year of Living Virtuously, writing about attempted moral perfection was a way for the author to be intentional in pondering Benjamin Franklin's list of 13 virtues during the week (and the 7 deadly sins on the weekends). I like her writing style and found this to be a thought provoking read. Jordon, a Utah author, is an excellent storyteller and shares her innermost thoughts about her life, her family, and the state of society. I think this would make a great book club read for those who enjoy nonfiction.

[Jeneece Western · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much like other readers I had some hope that this was more of direct action and response or reporting of some sort but it's just musings and thoughts. Not that that is a bad thing but there was only the occasional point that stirred a positive response to the writing. I had to force myself through it and sped read the majority.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books where the concept was more intriguing than the book.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read. Great stories, quotes and thought provoking from a person who claims to have no religous faith.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book which provided honesty, insights and much food for thought.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some chapters were more enlightening than others. Overall,this is a thought provoking read.