More exciting news from Crossway about future editions of the ESV. As we wait with bated breath for this month's debut of the Personal Reference edition, the ESV Blog announced Friday that a new version of the Compact edition -- dubbed the Deluxe Compact TruTone -- will be coming out later this spring. (The availability date from Crossway is April 30.) The particulars are all positive:
* A larger font (6.55 points vs. 6.2 points for the existing Compact TruTone)
* A different font (Lexicon No. 1 vs. Berkeley)
* A slightly larger physical size (3.875″ × 6″ vs. 3.75″ × 5.75″)
* A layout designed specifically for this page size
* The words of Christ in black (vs. the words of Christ in red)
What's more, the binding on these editions will be sewn. A small, pocket-sized ESV with a flexible TruTone cover and a sewn binding? A black-letter edition, to boot? I'm excited already. The four cover options, unfortunately, all have novelty designs on them, but I pre-ordered the subtlest of them, a grainy-looking brown with a cross design on the cover, and look forward to reviewing it here when it arrives.
Based on the page layout PDF, the Deluxe Compact TruTone appears to have a more readable layout than its predecessor, which had a reputation of being handy but hard to read (especially in low light). At 3.875 x 6, it should still be able to slip into a pocket easily, which is one of the traits I value in the original Compacts. Naturally, the sewn binding is a bonus -- and should make this the best rebinding candidate for people looking for a tiny ESV in goatskin or calf. (I'd love to see the Deluxe Compact -- and the Personal Reference, for that matter -- in Crossway's cordovan calfskin, too. But I'll take what I can get.)
That's the same one I will likely get. I'm not too fond of the iron cross in the center but the grain seems the nicest of the four, not to mention the gold ribbon marker. I've just discovered there is a bookbindery in the next county over so I may pay them a visit and see if they'd rebind this one in some type of leather.
Posted by: Nathan | February 18, 2008 at 01:25 PM
Yeah, nice cross
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Balkenkreuz.svg/180px-Balkenkreuz.svg.png&imgrefurl=http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmacht&h=180&w=180&sz=1&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=T0wwLEu4BGsxsM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=101&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbalkenkreuz%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
Posted by: Jesus Saenz | February 18, 2008 at 02:04 PM
It's not *quite* the same, fortunately. Still, I wish they'd keep these things simple and lose the cover motifs.
Posted by: J. Mark Bertrand | February 18, 2008 at 02:07 PM
I was going to buy up all the now out of print TruGlo editions for future rebinding projects, since those compact ESV's had a sewn binding. Looks line now I can wait patiently for these!
Cordovan calfskin would be a NICE upgrade for this edition as well as the Personal Size Reference
Posted by: Jesus Saenz | February 18, 2008 at 02:09 PM
I had the same idea Jesus. My TruGlo arrived in the mail Saturday! I have a friend who will make good use of it though, since I'll likely be upgrading come May.
Posted by: Nathan | February 18, 2008 at 07:27 PM
In the UK, and with anglicised spellings, Collins are also introducing a deluxe compact ESV. It is a two-tone edition, but no colours are shown on the photos I have seen. Due date: early June. Here's the link.
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/Content/Title/Default.aspx?id=39602
Posted by: David Dewey | March 20, 2008 at 07:49 AM
So there is hope for RL Allan to pick this up, yes?
Posted by: Nathan Stitt | March 20, 2008 at 01:55 PM
I received one of these today (same cover as pictured above ) as well as a blue one for my wife.
It really is more readable than the original compact, even though it is hardly any bigger overall, and the Tru-Tone cover is flexible enough for a Bible of this size that I will probably use it as is.
Posted by: Jerry | May 07, 2008 at 04:06 PM