The Book: A History of the Bible [Hardcover]

Christopher De Hamel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2001

A narrative account of the Bible as a book and as an artefact, from the earliest fragments found in the Egyptian desert to the plethora of modern editions and translations. The author seeks to write as an impartial historian and bases his account on documentary evidence, focusing on the manufacture, translation and distribution of Bibles in an extraordinary variety of forms throughout nearly two millennia. The first chapter deals with the achievement of Saint Jerome, whose Latin translation - the Vulgate - first gave the Bible the definitive form it has retained ever since. Chapter Two then looks back to the separate history of the Bible in its original languages of Hebrew and Greek, after which the narrative returns to document the gradual triumph of the Latin Vulgate, the magnificent giant Bibles of the early Middle Ages, the Bible with its monastic commentaries, the crucial development of the portable Bible in the 13th century, and the vogue for splendid Bible picture books. Chapter Seven tells the story of the famous Wycliffite English Bibles, once condemned as heretical and now highly prized. The invention of printing was a turning point, and a whole chapter is devoted to Gutenberg and the first printed book - the celebrated 42-line Bible. The narrative then leads on to the humanist scholars, Martin Luther and the Reformation, the Lutheran Bible and the Protestant-led wave of translations of the Bible into other modern languages, the development of a book publishing industry, and the extraordinary efforts of missionary societies to translate the Bible into every known language in the world. The last chapter takes the story right back to the beginning, and chronicles the discoveries by modern scholars and archaeologists - principally papyrus fragments from the Egyptian desert and the Dead Sea Scrolls - that have dramatically increased our knowledge of the origins of both Old and New Testaments.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the "unadulterated wow" category is the dazzling offering The Book: A History of the Bible by paleographist Christopher de Hamel, who served for a quarter century as the head of the Western Manuscripts department at Sotheby's in London. Packed with full-color representations of illuminated manuscripts, ancient scrolls, stained glass windows and early published editions of the Bible, the art takes center stage here. (Even the back cover should win an award for the most imaginative, startling religion book jacket design in recent memory.) The narrative history of the Bible's many translations and editions is also captivating, particularly the closing chapter on 20th-century biblical discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi Library.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In this sumptuous feast for the eyes and mind, de Hamel, former manager of the Western Manuscripts department at Sotheby's, London, and author of A History of Illuminated Manuscripts, deals not with theological content but with the Bible as an artifact. Presented here in exquisite, full-color reproductions are the many forms in which the Bible has appeared over the centuries. Rather than opening with a discussion of the Hebrew and Greek texts (which he saves for Chapter 2), de Hamel relates a history of the texts and manuscripts of Latin Bibles. This organization makes sense, as Saint Jerome's seminal Latin translation, the Vulgate, became the blueprint for the modern Bible. The rest of the book covers the giant Bibles of the Middle Ages, commentaries on the Bible, portable Bibles of the 13th century, Bible picture books, English Wycliffite Bibles, the Gutenberg Bible, Bibles of the Protestant Reformation, the English and American Bible industry, and missionary Bibles. The final chapter, "The Modern Search for Origins," details modern discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. Even the bibliography, though not arranged alphabetically but by chapter with the author's running commentary on the sources, is a treasure. By contrast, The Oxford Illustrated History of the Bible (LJ 10/15/01) offers short articles by biblical scholars and covers not only the preservation of the Bible but also interpretations and contemporary theology. Also, its illustrations are mostly black and white. De Hamel's wonderful presentation is highly recommended. David Bourquin, California State Univ., San Bernardino
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press; 1ST edition (September 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714837741
• ISBN-13: 978-0714837741
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 8.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #562,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the better overviews of the History of the Bible, May 2, 2004

By 

Canon+Nikon (JAPAN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book: A History of the Bible (Hardcover)

This work by Christopher de Hamel is a handsome volume that deals mainly with the history of the translated Bible in Western Europe. It is lushly illustrated throughout with colour plates of various ancient and mediaeval manuscripts, and Renaissance printed works. Much (more than half) of de Hamel's work is focused on the journey of the translation of St. Jerome, the Vulgate, from its birth in the late Roman Empire on through to its distinction as the first printed Book by Gutenberg. However, de Hamel also touches upon other manifestations of the Holy Scriptures-- the original Hebrew and Greek texts, as well as the modern translations in the vernacular that sprung forth in the aftermath of the Reformation.
De Hamel starts off with an Introduction showing the undesputed influence the Bible has had on civilization, outlining his purpose in writing his book, and describing topics that he will touch upon in the coming chapters. He then turns to the (in his opinion) most influential translation of the Scripture: Jerome's Vulgate. Jerome's life is decribed, and how he came to produce his monumental Latin Bible. The gradual triumph of the Vulgate is shown, as it was more and more the version copied out in monasteries. De Hamel cites manuscript after manuscript to illustate his points, and this can get grating after a while since each is categorised with the university/museum in which it is currently housed. The first chapter ends with Charlemagne, the reviver of Roman culture, and the Vulgate is now de facto the Bible of the West.
Next, de Hamel turns to the original texts of the Holy Scripture: the Hebrew Masoretic (and its Greek translation, the Septuagint,) and the Greek New Testament. Briefly turning his focus back to the East from whence the Writings originated, de Hamel traces how the Scripture in its original languages survived in the volatile and ever turbulent Eastern Mediterranean, where dispersed Jewish communities zealously preserved the Torah and Tanakh, and the Eastern Church strove to stem the tide of a new faith from the deserts of Arabia. The distinction in how Christian and Jew, and Western and Eastern Churches produced and reverenced the Bible is highlighted.
Chapters 3-6 deal withthe further story of the Vulgate in the Middle Ages. First, the Latin Bible grows to humongous proportions, and is beautifully illuminated. It then is commented upon, and padded with the discertations of Church Fathers and medieval clerics. Finally, at the threshold of the Renaissance, the Vulgate gradually assumes a familiar form as it becomes reduced in size and attains a standard format and ordering of books. As the common folk yearn to become more acquianted with the cloistered, highly protected Scripture, the Bible in picture form for their edification is touched upon.
Chapters 7-9 deal with the Bible in vernacular translation and printed form. The 14th century Wycliffe Bible in Middle English is devoted an entire chapter, as its groudbreaking influence is stressed. As the spark that would ignite the Reformation a century later, Wycliffe's translation is given its due honour. Next comes Gutenberg, and the first printed book: Jerome's Vulgate. Even though in a obsolete language, Gutenberg's Bible would usher a new era as now the doors were opened for mass dissemination of ideas and doctrines-- the time for Reformation had come. Chapter 9 deals with this, as from Germany to England, the Reform movement gains headway against Rome and the Bible is translated in the mother tongue of the common people. The work of scholars who turned to the original languages, the translating of Luther, and the monumental translation of King James are covered.
The final three chapters shift to the dissemination, mainly through the efforts of British and American missionaries, of the Bible to the ends of the earth. The modern Bible industries of the two nations are illustrated from the 19th to 21st centuries. Chapter 12 deals with the modern search for the ancient origins of the Bible, and its earliest texts, in the archaeological expeditions of Western scholars.
Overall, de Hamel's work was a joy to read. Especially with its colour plates, it vividly illustrates the evolution of the Holy Writ. There are a few grammatical and typographical errors in this edition, as well as the mentioned overlisting of manuscripts that can get tiring, but they are negligible. The price too, was a bit high for a lengthy coffee-table book and 1-2 weeks worth of reading, but in the end well worth the journey one experiences in this tale of the Book of Books.

61 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A new perspective on an old book, October 30, 2001

By 

Damon D. Hickey "COWLIB" (Wooster, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book: A History of the Bible (Hardcover)

Two thousand years after the birth of Jesus, and four thousand after the birth of Abraham, is there anything that hasn't been written about the Bible? As it turns out, quite a lot. Christopher De Hamel, formerly the manuscripts curator for Sotheby's and currently on the faculty at Cambridge, has given us in "The Book: A History of the Bible" what we didn't have before: a book about the Bible as a book. His narrative begins with St. Jerome's translation of the Bible into Latin, and proceeds through the centuries to describe how it has been copied, illustratied, translated, and printed, in both its Jewish and Christian forms. De Hamel's prose style is lively and engaging, and the illustrations are copious and beautiful high-resolution photographs of stunning examples of the Bible-maker's art. The book is filled with small gems. Did you know, for example, that more Bibles survive from the thirteenth century than any other artifact, save possibly buildings? This book should reach a wide and diverse audience, from those who revere the Bible as the Word of God to those who want to gain a better understanding of its historical and literary importance.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the better overviews of the History of the Bible, May 2, 2004

By 

Canon+Nikon (JAPAN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book: A History of the Bible (Hardcover)

This work by Christopher de Hamel is a handsome volume that deals mainly with the history of the translated Bible in Western Europe. It is lushly illustrated throughout with colour plates of various ancient and mediaeval manuscripts, and Renaissance printed works. Much (more than half) of de Hamel's work is focused on the journey of the translation of St. Jerome, the Vulgate, from its birth in the late Roman Empire on through to its distinction as the first printed Book by Gutenberg. However, de Hamel also touches upon other manifestations of the Holy Scriptures-- the original Hebrew and Greek texts, as well as the modern translations in the vernacular that sprung forth in the aftermath of the Reformation.
De Hamel starts off with an Introduction showing the undesputed influence the Bible has had on civilization, outlining his purpose in writing his book, and describing topics that he will touch upon in the coming chapters. He then turns to the (in his opinion) most influential translation of the Scripture: Jerome's Vulgate. Jerome's life is decribed, and how he came to produce his monumental Latin Bible. The gradual triumph of the Vulgate is shown, as it was more and more the version copied out in monasteries. De Hamel cites manuscript after manuscript to illustate his points, and this can get grating after a while since each is categorised with the university/museum in which it is currently housed. The first chapter ends with Charlemagne, the reviver of Roman culture, and the Vulgate is now de facto the Bible of the West.
Next, de Hamel turns to the original texts of the Holy Scripture: the Hebrew Masoretic (and its Greek translation, the Septuagint,) and the Greek New Testament. Briefly turning his focus back to the East from whence the Writings originated, de Hamel traces how the Scripture in its original languages survived in the volatile and ever turbulent Eastern Mediterranean, where dispersed Jewish communities zealously preserved the Torah and Tanakh, and the Eastern Church strove to stem the tide of a new faith from the deserts of Arabia. The distinction in how Christian and Jew, and Western and Eastern Churches produced and reverenced the Bible is highlighted.
Chapters 3-6 deal withthe further story of the Vulgate in the Middle Ages. First, the Latin Bible grows to humongous proportions, and is beautifully illuminated. It then is commented upon, and padded with the discertations of Church Fathers and medieval clerics. Finally, at the threshold of the Renaissance, the Vulgate gradually assumes a familiar form as it becomes reduced in size and attains a standard format and ordering of books. As the common folk yearn to become more acquianted with the cloistered, highly protected Scripture, the Bible in picture form for their edification is touched upon.
Chapters 7-9 deal with the Bible in vernacular translation and printed form. The 14th century Wycliffe Bible in Middle English is devoted an entire chapter, as its groudbreaking influence is stressed. As the spark that would ignite the Reformation a century later, Wycliffe's translation is given its due honour. Next comes Gutenberg, and the first printed book: Jerome's Vulgate. Even though in a obsolete language, Gutenberg's Bible would usher a new era as now the doors were opened for mass dissemination of ideas and doctrines-- the time for Reformation had come. Chapter 9 deals with this, as from Germany to England, the Reform movement gains headway against Rome and the Bible is translated in the mother tongue of the common people. The work of scholars who turned to the original languages, the translating of Luther, and the monumental translation of King James are covered.
The final three chapters shift to the dissemination, mainly through the efforts of British and American missionaries, of the Bible to the ends of the earth. The modern Bible industries of the two nations are illustrated from the 19th to 21st centuries. Chapter 12 deals with the modern search for the ancient origins of the Bible, and its earliest texts, in the archaeological expeditions of Western scholars.
Overall, de Hamel's work was a joy to read. Especially with its colour plates, it vividly illustrates the evolution of the Holy Writ. There are a few grammatical and typographical errors in this edition, as well as the mentioned overlisting of manuscripts that can get tiring, but they are negligible. The price too, was a bit high for 1-2 weeks worth of reading, but in the end well worth the journey one experiences in this tale of the Book of Books.