Riess has a bachelors degree from Wellesley College. She received a masters in theology from the Princeton Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in American Religious studies from Columbia University.

Among the books by Riess are What Would Buffy Do? and an abridgment of the Book of Mormon with commentary. Riess is a member of the LDS Church, having converted as an adult. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Riess is an expert on religion in literature. In 2001 she moderated a debate over whether the Harry Potter books were a tract for witchcraft. She has been the religion book editor for Publishers Weekly.

On October 4, 2009, Riess began a project to tweet the bible. Her "Twible" quest will conclude in January of 2013. Each tweet summarizes a chapter of the bible. Riess tweets the bible in order and plans to hit all 1,189 chapters in 140 characters.

Examples:

• @janariess #Twible Genesis 12: Hello, Abram. G promises land & descendants. Father Ab responds by lying to Pharaoh & pimping out wife Sarai.
• @janariess #Twible Genesis 20: Ab pulls the "she's my sister" thing again; successfully pimps out Sarah for more sheep, oxen & slaves. Yay Father Ab!
• @janariess #Twible Genesis 26: Like father, like son. Isaac mimics "she's my sister" trick to pimp out wife Reb. Again results in riches. We never learn.

Books

• .
• .
• .
• .
• .

Articles

• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .
• .

Other

• .
• .
• .