53 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not a replica of 1611, May 27, 2009
This review is from: Holy Bible: King James Version, Bonded Leather, 1611 Edition (Hardcover)
This is not a replica of the first edition of the Authorised Version / King James Bible from 1611. That Bible was a large (folio) book printed in Black Letter gothic type, which is used here very sparingly.
What this is, instead, is a replica of an 1833 edition containing the original 1611 text, laid out on the page identically, which was originally made by Oxford University Press. The absence of long 's', which was universal in the seventeenth century, shows that this is a nineteenth century reprint. Long 's' here appears consistently in the page superscriptions, and in the Roman type prefatory matter that was in fact reproduced, but not in the text of the Bible itself, which was entirely reset in Roman type for the original of this facsimile.
That said, this is easily worth it in order to get the original pagination and spelling, which were revised substantially in the eighteenth century. It is quite an attractive package even if it is not the 1611 version.
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32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Masterpiece Revived, September 9, 2008
This review is from: Holy Bible: King James Version, Bonded Leather, 1611 Edition (Hardcover)
I am honestly blown away by the lovely piece of history I hold in my hands when I open the 1611 KJV. It was a breakthrough for the English language and remains one of the most single influential works on our Anglo tongue. Anyone interested in English linguistics/history or Biblical studies, or anyone who wants to read the Word of God in a new and beautiful way should purchase this book. I believe it is one of, if not THE finest translation of the Greek/Hebrew texts.
As with my other reviews, I rate this product on translation, aesthetics, durability, size, and price.
Translation: The 1611 King James is a very accurate translation. I do not know Hebrew so I cannot comment on the Old Testament, but I hear secondhand that it is a solid and reliable translation. I do know Greek and translate parts of the New Testament, and I can say with some authority that the KJV is very accurate. Rarely is it awkward and clunky - on the whole, it is elegant and beautiful, a pleasure to read.
Aesthetics: This is a beautiful book. It is a facsimile, so as far as I can tell, the editors left it unchanged, save for some introductions, glosses, etc. I believe the font is unchanged, but perhaps I'm mistaken. The non-standardized spelling has been retained and is sometimes awkward, but I became used to it rapidly, and so will anyone who reads Shakespeare or the 18th Century revision of the KJV. The layout of the pages is very attractive and the notes are incredibly helpful. The book is hardbound and on the whole, very attractive.
Durability: I purchased it three months ago and have been reading it steadily. No wear or damage can be noticed. Granted, I take unusual care with books, but if you don't abuse it (turn those pages gently!) it will last for you. Be gentle.
Size: This edition strikes an admirable compromise between a pocket and study Bible. It won't fit on your back pocket but neither is it the mammoth tome you see in Mass. It is a perfect casual reading size.
Price: Considering all the other factors, I'm amazed the price was under thirty dollars. I would have paid almost double that for this edition. Snap it up before it's too late! Given the price restriction, I can't think of anything the publishers could do to improve their work.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Good and bad but for different reasons, September 19, 2010
This review is from: Holy Bible: King James Version, Bonded Leather, 1611 Edition (Hardcover)
For lovers of the development of the English language this is an excellent concept - here we have the original spellings, vocabulary, un-corrected errors, layout, punctuation and italicization. The only difference from the original KJV 1611 is that the Gothic print has been replaced by the Roman. That is probably a good thing.
Now the criticism: Whereas the external leather binding is sturdy and durable the internal pages present Major problems - they are ridiculously thin, far too flimsy and, even with very careful handling, will be prone to creasing/blemishes/shabbiness/and tears. A great shame as this detracts - in my view - from the worthwhileness of buying this particular Edition! Why on earth did not Hendrickson ( Publishers ) charge a little more so as to produce more robust pagination? After all, the Bible is to be read and used - not to stand un-touched on some shelf.
Overall I cannot recommend this version.
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