31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crossway seems to be improving..., August 8, 2008
I do like this copy of the ESV. In fact, the more I use it, the more I like it. The pages are decent quality, and the suppleness of the cover is a treat, as this bible stays open and lays well in the hand. The print could be a tad darker--more bleed through? presently it is very little-- for my tastes, but the single column paragraphed setting, with decent font and white space, allows for a pleasant reading; essentially like reading any other book. And our bibles really should be read, right?
The size is perfect, which is why it got five stars (plus the surprise mentioned below). It is a mere 3/8" taller and wider than my
NKJV Pitt Minion Reference Burgundy French Morocco NK443XR. It is noticably thicker, however, due to the single column setting, coming in at around an inch and a half (the Pitt Minion is around an inch, but is double column--very readable, with nicer paper and cover... I digress). It fills the hand well, and is perfect for portability. It is a great small bible that is not little.
One note: the references--and this is genius!-- are located at the inside of the page, so the text is always easily read. This is like my
ESV, Single Column Reference Bible (Black, Premium Calfskin Leather, Black Letter), and this makes the references so easy to use.
I was just looking at it closer today, and may be pleasantly surprised. I do believe I notice individual sewn signatures, and I also saw stitching inside the crease, so I believe this binding might be sewn! (Or else it is a hybrid sewn/glued, if that makes any sense.)
That, and a nicely designed cover that is liquid-like, makes this bible a keeper. A person who prefers this translation (probably the most reliable and accurate, while remaining VERY readable--it has not gone the way of the gender-neutral tide) would not regret this edition, in any of the covers. I gave my sixth grader my
ESV, Personal Size Reference Bible (Genuine Leather, Black) which I bought cause it advertised the sewn binding. I tried to give her this navy/khaki, but she wanted the 'quality' version... I may have ended up the winner (well, we both win, actually--this form factor is superb).
I think the ribbon could have a sibling, however. Who uses only one ribbon?!
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent but NOT leather, January 13, 2009
First up, Amazon says it's "leather" and it's not. It's IMITATION leather. But it's really nice imitation leather!
Great Bible. Size is ideal. Print quality is about 98%. Some pages are a bit thicker type or lighter, but overall, very good (I'm kinda picky, so some may not notice at all). If you want a sample of the size of the type, you can go to the publisher's website [...]and print a PDF of the very page/Bible you want. Very handy. You'll want a case of some sort, as the cover & pages can be damaged if you just toss it in a bag.
The cross references inside are excellent. They may clutter the page for some folks, but it makes it a much more powerful tool. Generally, the typography is excellently done. The single column format is EXCELLENT and highly recommended no matter which version you get; however, note that some translations do large paragraphs (like the ESV) or shorter (like the NIV) or a new paragraph for every verse (like NASB). Single column is great IMHO. Much more readable. This Bible is a keeper.
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UPDATE about 11 months later... Still love it. Of course, the content is what makes it great, but physically, it's great. I've read through the entire OT once and the NT twice since getting it and it just feels better and better in hand. I carefully broke in the spine/binding (look up how -- it's worth it). No tears or letting loose of any binding or pages. I do keep it in a firm case for transport. Lays amazingly in the hand for a synthetic cover. May sound like heresy, but I like the synth cover... it'll probably never wear out or dry out or mold (I've done all of the above to bonded leather covers in the past). The more I use it, the more I like it. Highly recommended.
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good quality personal size Bible, March 15, 2008
This review is from: ESV Personal Size Reference Bible (Black) (Leather Bound)
The ESV is my preferred translation for general reading, quoting and study. This new edition is in the format I like best: single column paragraphed text with cross-references in the center and translators' notes at the bottom. The single column format can be harder to read if your eye has trouble following longer lines of text, but I find it more aesthetically pleasing than double column pages. This Bible is a very handy size for carrying around. Crossway has improved the quality over previous editions of the ESV that I have seen. The cover and sewn binding of the "genuine" leather edition are of good quality for the price. The opacity of the paper is better than the larger size Single Column Reference Bible so there is less "see through" text from other pages making this edition easier to read. I also prefer the paragraphed text over the single verse format because the paragraphs are easier to notice (although it may be harder to find individual verses) and it fits more text on each page so the overall size of the book can be smaller. This edition retains the short concordance of the more compact editions which is handy. The only improvements I can think of would be to make the typeface a little larger and darker and to add some map pages. I wouldn't mind the book being centimeter or so thicker and cost a few dollars more if it had these improvements, but I can get along fine (for now) without them.
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