Customer Reviews

NASB Compact Reference Bible, Black w/Snap Flap

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First the BAD stuff:

I really wish I could give this Bible 5 stars, because it's so great in so many ways, but the bonded leather is disgusting. I don't understand why Zondervan uses it. It's stiff and rubbery and kind of sticky, and it doesn't even look like leather. It has an awful, shiny, plasticky finish, like the Scuff-Kote liquid shoe polish my mother used on my shoes in the 50s. I'd much rather have a well-made cloth binding, or a plain hardback binding, or (best of all) real leather, like the marvelous calfskin and goatskin Cambridge use on their Bibles. (In an ideal world, all Bibles would be bound by Cambridge. But then, in the ideal world we'll be with Jesus and won't need Bibles.)

If bonded leather didn't bother me, I'd have a hard time saying anything bad about this Bible.

The GOOD stuff:

It's the updated NASB, which isn't perfect but pretty close.

It's tiny and light. I like to read in bed, and I can hold it easily in one hand for hours.

The center-column notes and cross-references are comprehensive and EXCELLENT.

The typeface is tiny but very clear and amazingly easy to read.

The introductions (to each book) are brief, very conservative, and fairly useful.

It's nice to have a concordance in a Bible this small, even though it's very limited and never seems to have the reference I'm looking for. But I can almost always find what I'm looking for eventually by using the cross-references.

It has good maps.

Despite the cheesy bonded leather, the binding is very sturdy. Even though it's tiny, it doesn't feel delicate at all. When I'm reading it, I usually fold it open all the way back on itself so I can hold it in one hand, and the binding holds up great to abuse like that. It's easy to carry in a pants pocket. The wraparound snap cover does a good job of protecting the pages when it's in a pocket or a bag, but you can fold it out of the way inside the back cover when it's open.

I'm really very fond of this little Bible, bonded leather and all. I own several Bibles, including some of the lovely Cambridges, but I wouldn't dream of jamming one of them in my pocket (even if it fit). This is the one I find myself actually reading most of the time. I wish it were available in real leather, but I love it anyway and I'd buy it again.

The NASB translation is among the best. It is very accurate, and though some have said it is not as readable as other translations--I disagree. The NASB is more formal than many modern translations, but I find it has a wonderful, fluid cadence when reading it.
This compact Bible has dark, readable type. The short introductions to each Bible book is nice, the ribbon marker is handy, and the Bible itself is about the size of a mass market paperback book, which makes it very portable.
This is a wonderful little Bible that I believe you will enjoy having and reading.

I have several compact reference Bibles (different transaltions, as well as others from Zondervan, and other publishers), but this one just surpasses them all.

First, the NASB (as most websites agree) is more literal than the other transaltions out there. The design of this Bible will attract many readers. The book introductions are a nice touch, and they are not found in most compact ref. Bibles. Even the gold writing on the spine of the Bible is superior to others. The black ink, as well as the red, is nice and dark---most other Bibles I've seen and own, use a lighter print. The print size is just right---and it's easy on the eyes. The center-column refs. are very detailed. I have always enjoyed the button snap, it does protect the pages.

I'm really enjoying it.

There is no reason not to read the Bible everyday when it is so convenient and portable to carry around. It fits in the palm of your hand and weighs no more than a paperback book. Plus, the book introductions and outlines help the reader to familiarize himself/herself with each book of the Bible. The color maps and concordance in back are nice bonuses too. This size is a God send and the NASB translation is easy to comprehend. I highly recommend this Bible to anyone who wants to grow stronger in his/her relationship with God.

I like the size and the version of this Bible, but the cover is cheap and brittle. The flap with a snap will broke off within two moths of pocket use. I wish that, for the $35.00, Zondervan could have made a better cover for a Bible that, in my mind, is meant for pocket use and all the abuse that goes with that. I wanted to like this Bible, but even Amazon's $25.00 price is very high for this low quality book.

Exactly what I wanted. Very good quality, small, and a good concordance in the back for a compact Bible.

I won't get into the argument of accuracy of translation/transliteration. No one will ever win that one. I will say that I enjoy NASB the most out of any modern english version because it seems the most poetic and poignant to me. The references are great. There is a TON of information packed into this little guy. My only complaint is that I think they probably could have managed the space a little better by increasing the footprint (height and width) and decreasing the depth a little bit. Look at the dimensions before you buy this Bible and be sure this will be OK for your "compact" needs. It's not all that compact, but if it isn't too big for you, then I'm sure you won't be able to beat its offerings in any other compact Bible form.

I wanted a small NASB that I could toss into a suitcase for travel w/o worrying about it. Some of my larger Bibles, even in covers, have suffered in multiple flights.

This is a small Bible, thought certainly not the smallest. I have a little 25-year-old Oxford in KJV that's considerably smaller and still very legible.

I admit I purchased this Bible locally because I wanted to see the text first. This Bible is very legible due to both the type chosen and the paper--very little bleedthrough of text. I carry a Cambridge NASB in my suit pocket daily and it's much, much smaller. This Bible certainly won't fit in any pocket of mine! However, that wasn't the criterion.

For the price it seems quite well constructed. However, I must concur with other reviewers--the cover is just plain cheap. I'd rather have had a decent leather alternative than this parody. I have little doubt that this cover with its flap will die an early death. When it does it'll take a trip to my favorite Bible binder and will get the cover it deserves. I'd have happily paid another $20-30 to get a decent cover. On the other hand, I have no compunction about toting it around.

I still prefer the nonupdated NASB--I actually like those 'thees' and 'thous'. No big deal, though. This is a Bible that, while it isn't pocket-sized, is certainly briefcase- or suitcase-sized.

This bible is handy and good for everyday use. The sidenotes prove to be rather useful for quick referencing of other verses and/or literal translations. This book is the perfect as a gift or for personal use. The NASB translation is easy to understand for contemporary English as well as in-depth and true to the meaning as the KJV and NIV.

Bought this NASB Bible for my wife for her purse. It is exactly what she wanted. perfect size and great protection with the leather cover.