My Jesus Year Cohen's book
My Jesus Year: A Rabbi’s Son Wanders the Bible Belt in Search of Faith was published by
HarperOne in 2008. The book is part
memoir, part spiritual quest, and part
anthropologist's mission.
Publishers Weekly named it one of the best books of the year, for which Cohen received the Georgia Author of the Year Award. In the book, Cohen seeks to understand his personal lack of enthusiasm for
Orthodox Judaism, as well as why it is that Christians in the US
Bible Belt are so excited about
Christianity. Among many adventures, he jumps into the mosh-pit at a Christian rock concert, sees himself on the
JumboTron of a Black
Baptist service, goes door-to-door with
Mormon missionaries, attends a Christian wrestling event, and spends the day with some monks at a
monastery. To Cohen's surprise, his search for universal answers and truths in the Bible Belt actually makes him a better Jew.
The Einstein Effect Cohen's next book, about the famed scientist
Albert Einstein, was ''The Einstein Effect: How the World's Favorite Genius Got into Our Cars, Our Bathrooms, and Our Minds'', published in 2023. The book discusses how Einstein's work can be found in modern technologies like GPS and iPhone cameras, and includes interviews with celebrities who have been inspired by Einstein – including
Christopher Lloyd and
Yahoo Serious. A chapter devoted to Einstein's work helping refugees includes a conversation with actor
Mandy Patinkin, who is the ambassador for the
International Rescue Committee, a refugee aid organization founded by Einstein. In addition to writing the book, Cohen runs the official
social media accounts for Albert Einstein, which have more than 20 million followers. == Bibliography ==