Bible Design and Binding
Posted in Books on Oct 18th, 2007 3 Comments »
J. Mark Bertrand is almost pornographic in the way he reviews Bibles.
I should say he reviews Bible design and binding—not the content thereof (the Jesus Seminar et al hate competition). He makes me smile with gems like this on his new blog:
Like trying to hold water in my hands … that’s what my first experience with the Cambridge Wide Margin Reference Bible was like. I expected the goatskin cover to be flexible, but this was ridiculous. Ridiculously good, that is. Wherever it wasn’t supported by my hand, this Bible gracefully plunged toward the floor, almost like it was wet. I half expected it to be dripping, but of course it wasn’t. That’s the illusion a fine, flexible binding can give.
Am I blushing?
I’ve posted in the past about my wish for the perfect Bible… and I still haven’t found what I’m looking for. I tried doing some of my own typesetting with Microsoft Word and the text of the Gospel of John, and I love the way it turned out—but it was way too much work.
But for you ESV folks, Mr. Bertrand follows the “graphic” description above with this: “I’m excited about the prospects of a similar edition using the ESV which may hit the market next year, and if it’s as well-made as this NASB, there will be much rejoicing in my house.”
