Realistic Expectations

Imagine the scene: A group of readers from the Bible Design and Binding Blog visit the Holy Land on a retreat, and while trekking through the countryside stumble into an ancient cave full of undisturbed clay pots. Inside, they find perfectly preserved first-century manuscripts of the Old and New Testament. What sort of conversation might ensue?

Reader 1: "This paper isn't very good."

Reader 2: "You're right. I can see words from the other side of the parchment bleeding through. How am I supposed to read this?"

Reader 1: (balancing a scroll in his hand) "It's pretty stiff, isn't it?"

Reader 2: "Here, let's fold the sides over like Bertrand does in the review pictures."

[Parchment disintegrates]

Reader 2: "Wow, I'm not impressed with that."

Reader 1: "No kidding. These scrolls are, like, priceless -- and at that price point I expect quality materials and workmanship. What is that? Bonded parchment? Feels like cardboard to me."

Reader 2: (holding a manuscript fragment to his eye) "I could do without this font, too. It's not exactly readable...."

Reader 1: "At least it's not a red letter edition."

Reader 2: "Indeed."

You get the idea. I'm picking on readers, but let's face it: I'm the king of high expectations. I can imagine the frustration of a Bible designer trying to balance costs and the marketing department's notions of what people want, tuning in here only to find his hard work being compared unfavorably to the Platonic ideal of a Bible. And of course there are the people who stumble upon this site every day, perfectly content with their well-worn bonded leather editions, who if anything consider the pages falling out a mark of distinction, wondering why anyone would major so much on the minors the way we do here.

To all those who wonder, I just want to acknowledge that, yes, I realize my expectations aren't always realistic. I realize, too, that there's something strange about writing so much about a largely unattainable ideal. What keeps me going, though, is the belief that it isn't unattainable -- that, if people only wanted it more, it could be easily achieved.

There is a downside to all this, and I think we should face it head-on. If there's one thing I don't want to nurture, it's a knee-jerk cynicism toward the efforts of people in the Bible publishing industry. And I also don't want to encourage a nit-picking mentality in which even the best editions out there are faulted for not being perfect. Because no edition is perfect.

The best Bibles I've ever handled come from R. L. Allan's -- but they aren't perfect. If you look, you'll find little inconsistencies, little blemishes. What's true of Allan's is even more true of everyone else. One thing you'll see right away if you read the many reviews I've published here is that I've never seen an edition I wouldn't have changed in one way or another.

But that doesn't mean they're all bad. Not by a long shot.

The thing is, I'm in love with books, with their design and form, and as a Christian it's only natural that this love applies in spades to the Bible itself. I'm a reader, a critic and a frustrated designer, and all this channels into my writing. The fact that it resonates with so many of you suggests I'm not alone.

Still I don't want to foster unrealistic expectations, so here are some things to keep in mind:

1. No edition will be perfect.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating. A lot of things have to go right to create a great edition of the Bible. You need a skilled designer with good taste. You need excellent quality control. You need an awareness of what's possible production-wise and a determination to compete with the best. Rarely do all these factors coincide -- and even when they do, you can't please everyone. Practical application: just because we rave about a particular edition here doesn't mean you'll like it when it arrives at your door.

2. Rebinding yields mixed results.

If there is a rebinding outfit that can take your one-off project and deliver Allan's-like results, I don't know about them. So far, every project I've seen has its pros and cons. The quality of materials is improved over genuine leather editions, but fit and finish are sometimes a bit rustic, and the limpness so many of us value is rarely delivered. I have never seen a rebinding project that looked better than the high-end factory editions. So why would you rebind at all? For a better quality Bible with more control over options like material, color, number or ribbons, etc. Practical application: when you rebind, you're paying for options, not perfection.

3. We're a minority

"If only they would listen!" That's a common refrain, meaning if only the publishers would listen to what we're saying here, and start providing the kind of editions we would like. I feel the same way, but the fact is that, no matter how many of us there are, we're still a minority compared to the larger Bible-buying public. The question that occupies a lot of professionals' time isn't how to make the Bible better for people who read it so much as it is how to make it more appealing to people who don't read it. That's a noble goal if you stop and think about it, even when it's pursued via apparently ignoble means. As a result, I feel tangible gratitude when the publishers take our perspective into consideration, even if the improvements are incremental and small. We are idealists speaking to other idealists, after all.

Believe it or not, my goal in starting this blog was not to offer a buying guide or to educate consumers. Rather, I'm interested in bringing together people interested in the topic -- enthusiasts -- and helping to foster a conversation. If it has the side benefit of helping consumers make better choices, so much the better. But it's important to distinguish between the realistic expectations a consumer ought to have and the high standards of a person whose primary interest is in chewing over the ideal form and format for the Bible. The goal around here isn't to promote discontent; it's to share signs of hope.

Comments

[Kyle Hedrick]

Are you 18 days early with this entry?

I was hoping that we were an elitist group of Bible snobs. A proverbial think tank set out on a mission to design the perfect Bible while doling out criticism in a world where bad production philosophies reign supreme. A sort of a Bible Special Forces if you will.

In all seriousness, I really thought that each review, along with works like the Bible Readers Manifesto, would provide critical information to the publishers so our unrealistic expectations will some day be met. While it is easy to mass produce various multicolored, tru-tone, glued works from China where costs are minimal and failure means making a little money instead of making alot; the Bibles we look at, lust over, and ultimately fill our libraries with, are of a type that you simply cannot take the same mass production risks with. Consequently, I would think that publishers would delight in this blog with its dreamers. How many other Bible Design blogs are there on the internet? Here, the publishers are getting photographic comparisons and chatter about what works and what doesn't. If they could produce only one, or at most two, high-end Bibles with the confidence that those two models would sell, it would reduce the need to have multiple risks at the high end level. I really believe you have hit on something here with this blog. Where else are the publishers going to get such bold and descriptive criticism from the very people who are likely their best customers?

I say kudos to you Mark. A beautiful pond surrounded by greenery and palm trees in the middle of a desert may be a mirage - -but that sure beats the heck out of a bunch of sand. So I say FOSTER THE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS! Fawn and pick and slobber and whine and praise and ridicule. Describe for us the Bible design that will cure all of our ills. That's what keeps us coming back. More important -- that's what keeps us buying multiple editions!

[Jerry]

Does this mean that you won't be doing the "Bible Yoga" test with an Amazon Kindle?

Mark, thanks for putting things into perspective with this post. I haven't found the "perfect Bible" yet, but that doesn't mean that I won't keep looking.

[Brad Isbell]

Durability of bindings and a pleasing tactile feel is important, but as a semi-professional/armchair typographer I'm much more interested in the readability, and - to a lesser degree - the beauty of the type. The right typeface properly set (on good paper of course) is essential for a book to comfortably sustain extend reading sessions. Some books are not read just because the type is bad. It's a real shame if that book happens to be a Bible.

[Clay Knick]

Well now...

Maybe we should be thankful for all the bounty
we have and then keep asking for more and better
Bibles from publishers. I know they read the
blogs. We English readers are blessed to have
so many choices.

[Scott W. Kay]

Nice job Mark. Wise words. The hope fostered here for good Bible design and high quality is precisely why this blog has such an eager readership. And yes, as you said, it's quite gratifying to see publishers and resellers making efforts to take our hopes into consideration and make the kind of improvements we hope for. I also hope that they will find us becoming better customers that encourage them in these regards, not worse ones that they loathe to hear from, and thus disregard as an insufferable bunch who can never be happy. I think the improvements we've seen of late have been tremendously encouraging, and the publishers deserve a lot of credit for actually making them happen!

[brian blair]

Hi Mark,

Are you going to do a rebind of that "perfectly preserved first-century manuscript" - sounds like it would welcome some of that brown goatskin!

brian
aberfeldy

[Mark (the other one)]

I'm a Lutheran pastor. We don't do testimonies. But let me stretch the limits of my ecclesiastical DNA and attempt to testify.

In any number of ways, this blog works wonders. Even before discovering it, I was predisposed to look carefully at books. Part of that is genetic; my grandmother would bring type samples home from her work for me to play with as a kid. Now the implications of lead type as a child's plaything is a topic better left for another day but I can't remember a time when I wasn't fascinated by a variety of typefaces. Also, being part of a liturgical church with a long history of prayerbooks, lectionaries, and altar books as objects of beauty has meant this blog taps into a professional interest as well.

There are any number of ways "Bible Design & Binding" has enriched my life. The photography is stunning. More than that, I wouldn't have a Cambridge Wide-Margin NRSV for use in teaching if it were not for this blog; now I can't imagine any other study bible than the one I am making my own. And a handful of tiny ESVs and pocket-size NRSVs are all a result of this blog; these have served well in pastoral ministry.

Of course none of them fills the platonic ideal of a book or a Bible. But then books, Bibles especially, are more than mere things for dispassionate admiration or criticism. They are something with which we develop a relationship.

Churchill once observed that "We shape our buildings and then they shape us." I suspect that's true for books, too. They speak to us and shape us. Like any relationship, there are flaws and quirks that, given the option, we may not have chosen. Yet in all relationships, even with things, grace is sovereign. Something initially perceived as negative may become a singular delight. A design aspect that, at first glance, seemed brilliant may over time may become tiresome. While one has hunches, one never knows completely. The way they shape us is only revealed over time.

[Nathan Stitt]

Excellent observations. This blog has completely influenced my expectations and recommendations in bibles, and I look forward to every new post you make.

[Matt]

I check this site evey day - I cant say that about any other.

[Jesus Saenz]

"I check this site evey day - I cant say that about any other."

I look at this blog more than I do my own. ;-)

One thing is for sure, Mark has made me take better pictures. They are not as good as his but they are better than they used to be.

The first time I ran across JMB was when he had the old Bible Design & Binding blog and he's been a help ever since. The Christian bookstores I had visited in the past never carried a single premium edition. I thought that bonded leather was as good as it got anymore. It was great learning about 'better bibles' and more importantly, about being a discerning shopper

As much as I like to nit-pick I am usually quite happy with every Bible I get. I don't let the little things get in the way.

http://www.jmarkbertrand.com/bibles/index.htm

[Rod Summers]

One day this blog will lead to the "Bible Design and Binding" Conference. Mark will be like Steven Jobs revealing the latest Bible that touches a part of The Ideal. The press coverage will extend to CNN with an interview by Larry King. All Bible publishers will attend to hear Mark and all of you eloquent orators expound on the virtues of goatskin from 3,000 foot elevations versus 1,000 feet ("The reduced oxygen at the higher elevation produces a softer pelt with more random grain patterns."), why reading 9.2 size font versus 7.4 extends Bible reading time (based on the latest study), and how daily exercise of the Bible cover produces suppleness and hand compliance (the exercise DVD will be supplied to buyers of the latest Allan's). The conference will include the product show with merchants marketing their wares as differing types of paper, animal skins, ribbon spools, and typeface handouts abound. Hand bound Bibles will be made on the spot. The smell of leather will be in the air! Keep on bloggin', dude! I've been looking at Bible design for 25 years. This is the first time I can remember that publishers are starting to listen. You da man!

[David]

Quality Bible binding is a subject that I've labored with for years. I'm so fascinated by this subject that I often mused about learning the binding trade so that I could rebind Bibles for myself and for members of the congregation.

It was a treat to stumble across your first website and then recently this blog. I have to laugh because this seems like such an exclusive community. I don't think I've ever come across anyone in the flesh who has the same passion for this subject that I have. Now there is a blog dedicated to this subject and an entire community of "fanatics" just like me.

Thanks again for the wonderful site. As stated earlier, the pictures are spectacular, the blog entries and participation from others is a joy to read.

God Bless,
David

[David]

Rod Summers,

That sounds awesome! :-)

Bible Design and Binding Conference. I'm there.

God Bless,
David

[Charles Hadden]

Yes, I agree my collection of Bibles has been very enriched by this blog. I, too, check it at least once a day. For those who are grateful for the variety of Bibles in English, you could participate in Wycliffe Bible Translators' Bibleless Peoples Prayer Project. If you sign up, you are given information on a people group that doesn't have the bible (let alone goatskin bindings!) to pray for. My family is on their second group. You could google it.

thanks
charles hadden

[Greg Terry]

I agree 100%. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity of selecting from so many Bibles and most fortunate to have such a wonderful resource as Mark's blog. My knowledge of and yearning for a quality Bible has greatly increased since I started reading this blog. It has now become my favorite blog. Thanks again, Mark!

[matt blair]

I always think it is appropriate to give honor where honor is rightfully due and I would also like to thank Mark for the time, knowledge, and energy he puts into this blog that we all have come to value so greatly. I also echo the sentiments of the others in that this place has literally become my first stop on my daily blog rounds and I check it several times throughout the day. I have learned so much just bumping around the archives and am always excited to read the next post because I know it will be both insightful and educational.
And, if I may, would love to thank Mark for his professional attitude here. Several times I e-mailed Mark to ask questions and he replied quickly and answered my questions in a helpful and insightful manner.
So please do keep up the wonderful work Mark and if there is ever anything you need from any of us, I'm sure we would be happy to pitch in.

Matthew Blair
Coram Deo

[Doyle Redwine]

Ok, I'll bite. a few questions that may seem silly to some of you experts out there. I've read a few of your blogs and have learned alot. What is the difference between the NASB (my bible of choice)and the ESV? I love the NASB for personal study as well as public speaking for its accuracy and ease of understanding. I am looking for a NASB with a quality sown binding and very large print. I have looked into the Cambridge edition mentioned but need something with larger print than what the wide margin edition offers or the Pitt Minion. Preferably with good thorough references and a thorough concordance. The soft calf leather sounds great but I need something with giant print for ease of reading without glasses. I am tired of putting all my lovely marks, highlighting, personal notes, ect,, in my Bible only to have to change it every year or two because it begins to fall apart. I have given up on bonded leather years ago but even the genuine leather has a pretty short life span when the binding starts to come apart.
Help!!!

[Michael Smith]

The difference I notice since I use both but use ESV more is the ESV is more like the RSV version of the Bible that is out of print. (Go to the the ESV web site for more) Please note the American Bible Sales web site sells a great NAS Update Bible with soft leather at a great price. They may have a large print I think.

[Stuart]

Dolye - I spent WEEKS looking online for a suitable NASB Bible for studying & it was near impossible to find what I wanted. I didn't want to settle for anything less than a sewn binding which limited my options to either the Cambridge Pitt Minion which in my opinion has print that's too small to be considered comfortable for reading (although I'd love to see one in the real), or 1 of 3 Lockman Foundation NASB's which I eventually settled for (yes all 3) with the aim of rebinding the best one. I'm pretty happy with them all but the only one that has normal paragraphing is the small print NASB 'Ultrathin Reference Bible' (ISBN: 1-58135-133-X), otherwise I'd recommend Lockman's NASB 'Side-Column Reference Bible' (ISBN: 1-885217-66-8) or their NASB 'Large Print Ultrathin Reference Bible' (ISBN: 1-58135-131-3)... I found Amazon to be the cheapest (considering I live in Australia) but you may find another reseller cheaper in the States. The bindings were not up to scratch on any of them (literally like a piece of crusty cardboard) & the spine on the 'Large Print Ultrathin Reference' edition seems very tight causing a fair amount of 'dimpling' near the spine on the pages which is a real shame as I tend to like it best (if your interested I'll email you some photos - smazz@optusnet.com.au). The 'Side-Column Reference' Ed has a very nice feel to it as far as the book block is concerned & each edition has a good concordance & cross-references etc - although they all need a goatskin makeover! Anyway, I hope that saves you some frustration in your own search – let me know if you find something better! :)

[David Dewey]

Comparing the ESV and NASB, I would say that the NASB is the more literal, but is also the more wooden. The ESV keeps more of the KJV rhythm and, although far from natural contemporary English, is the more readable: better for public use, liturgy, etc. Both are revisions of the ASV: the NASB a direct revision; the ESV via the RSV. Both the NASB first edition and the RSV used thee/thou language with respect to God; neither the NASB update nor the ESV do this. The ESV, which follows the Colorado guidelines, employs more inclusive language than the NASB (though is nothing like the TNIV or NRSV which are full-one inclusive language versions). The ESV changes about 5-7 per cent of the RSV. The RSV is still in print: Cambridge do a good one in French Morocco, and Oxford have several, mostly for Catholics. There is also a new Catholic edition of the RSV which does away with thee/thou language and in that respect is not unlike the ESV. Confusing!

[Nathan Stitt]

Doyle Redwine:

I believe the NASB you are looking for does exist: ISBN 1581351127. It is wide-margin, sewn, calfskin, and 11 pt font. You can see it here at Lockman's or Amazon's website:

http://www.lockman.org/catalog/isbn1cat.php?ISBN=0910618461
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1581351127/

[Kathy]

I have had this side column reference NASB (black calfskin) for about a year. It is a nice Bible with high quality French milled paper so it is very easy on the eyes. If 11 pt font is large enough for you this is a great Bible. The cover is luxurious, soft and limp. I have the first run of this Bible so mine is very large (almost 7x10x2); I think in the newer run they reduced the outside dimensions slightly.

[Michael Smith]

Thanks for the above info. The reason I thought of using American Bible Sales is they have damaged Bibles. These Bibles are damaged in some of the following ways: by people printing names on the front- miss spelling the names, little things like that. The prices much lower then Amzon, etc.

[Kathy]

Actually I got mine from American Bible Sales and I could find nothing wrong with the Bible they sent me. Maybe the box had some slight damage. I was very satisfied.

[Rod Summers]

I have been an NASB fan for many years and have several different formats. (When the Update came out I was buying nearly every format I could get my hands on.) If you want one in larger print with a superb binding, the "In Touch" calfskin is my favorite binding. This format is double column, wide margin, black letter, verse-by-verse, and no cross references. You can also hold it in one hand. I have the single column in calfskin and it is high quality as well though harder to hold (big and floppy). If you want paragraphs, which is rare for NASB, there are a few out there. I have also bought the loose-page version from Hendrickson and done my own bindings. You get nice wide margins with those. Lots and lots of choices out there.

[Steve]

Great blog you have here.

Thank you for introducing me to R.L.Allen. I was up way past my bedtime reading your blog and even though you haven't reviewed it yet I have purchased the AV longprimer. I thought the Cambridges I owned were the best but apparently not.

Anyway,

Reader 2: "Here, let's fold the sides over like Bertrand does in the review pictures."

[Parchment disintegrates]

Reader 2: "Wow, I'm not impressed with that."

That was the funniest thing I've read in a long time.

I have your blog bookmarked now and I look forward to reading it in the future.

[Doyle Redwine]

I've done some research on the calfskin NASB
ISBN #1581351127 by Foundation Publications. Sounded like the exact Bible I was looking for with the calfskin, smith sown binding,french paper, and the large print. However the newer printings (after 6/30/2002) were produced in China with a lower qualty paper, inferior binding, ect...
I am currently looking for one of the 2002 editions. Many bookstores list them as published 2002 but they are actually printed later and produced in China.
If anybody knows where I can get my dream bible please let me know. pastordoyle@cornerstonemin.org

[threegirldad]

Pastor Redwine,

I faced the same dilemma last fall, when I wanted to buy this Bible for my birthday. At that time, Dallas Theological Seminary Book Center (http://bookcenter.dts.edu/) was the only place I found -- after about 6 weeks of searching -- that still had stock from the 2002 printing (in fact, they had both blue calfskin and black calfskin). I emailed them to ask about particulars such as paper quality and raised bands on the spine. A very helpful employee went so far as to hand-inspect one and set it aside so that that particular Bible was the one shipped to me when I made my purchase(!)

Hope you're able to find one. It's a fabulous Bible.

(NB: I've sent this reply to the email address you provided, and am posting it here also in case others may benefit.)

[Doyle Redwine]

For anyone interested I was able to find another source for the Foundation Publication's wide margin, large print, calfskin, NASB, with the Smyth sewn binding, in the 2002 printing edition (not from China). It also has the lifetime guarantee. At the time of this post(7-26-08) they had 5 minus the one I just ordered which would leave 4 left. $114.99 with free shipping. Only available in Blue though. Thanks for the info threegirldad but I had just placed my order before I got your email. I will have to settle for blue. A small sacrifice to pay for this excellent, hard to find, well made Bible. Here is the link for my source if anyone is interested: http://www.discountbible.com/bible-study-software/9781581351149.html
I ordered a Cambridge Pitt Minion and was pleased with the quality but the print was way too small and not usable for comfortable reading even with glasses.

[Doyle Redwine]

It turns out the Bible I ordered had several major publishing errors in it. In several places of the old testament the pages were out of order and missing complete chapters. The seller offered to replace the bible but since they were out of the older versions they woud have to replace it with the newer one from China. Unfortunately that is a completely inferior quality bible and I decided to just keep the one I had. I have scoured the internet for many hours trying to find someone that had one of the older published versions prior to the chinese published one and have come up empty. Numerous phone calls, emails, and searching the internet all over the world has failed to turn one of the older ones up for me. They are distinguished by raised ribs on the spine and come with a black vevet slip cover. If anyone finds a source for this bible please let me know. I absolutely love the feel, the quality, the size print, the wide margins, the single paragraph pages, the soft supple premium leather cover, and the red letter print of this edition.

[matt morales]

doyle - what bible did you get?

[Mike smith]

Doyle I have a NAS Side Column REf Bible calfskin. Email me (bellwood3@verizon.net). It was printed in USA and bound by the Abba binder for Foundation Press. It is from American Bible Sales damaged section but I have not found any damage excapt to the box.