Bible Design and Binding

The Allan's ESV: Delivery Update

The course of true love never did run smooth, and love of the new edition of the Allan's ESV is no exception. As some of you have already pointed out in comments to various threads, the arrival date of the Scottish-born uber-ESV has been pushed back by several weeks.

In an e-mail to me, Nicholas Gray pointed to a couple of set-backs during the production process. First, during the initial print run (part of a larger run for Harper Collins), the Allan's sheets were overlooked, which necessitated a second run. Unfortunately, the text blocks from that run were delivered pre-sewn, instead of folded and collated for the insertion of the Oxford maps. So it was back to the printers again, necessitating a delay of about six weeks. All the details are available at EvangelicalBible.com, the US distributor for Allan's Bibles, where the estimated arrival time is now late August, early September.

So let's be philosophical. The wait might seem excruciating, but in reality it's just a matter of weeks, and the fact is, these things happen in publishing, especially when you're trying to deliver a product of exceptional quality. Now more than ever, I'm looked forward to the debut of the new Allan's ESVs. To exchange information about the delivery dates, feel free to use the comments section of this post, so that others looking for info can find it easily. September isn't that far away!

News About Upcoming ESV and TNIV Editions

A couple of items of interest:

ESV PITT MINION NEWS
David Dewey checked in earlier in the month with some updated info on the Cambridge ESV Pitt Minion:

They expect to have stock (i.e. delivery from the binders who are in Europe) in late July or August, and they now anticipate a publication date of September. I imagine this will be applicable to the UK and USA simultaneously. Although it will take time to get stock across the Atlantic, they are not going to want two different publication dates.

As has already been mentioned in comments to an earlier post, the Cambridge editions have shown up on Amazon for pre-order:

(1) Brown Goatskin
(2) Black Goatskin
(3) Burgundy French Morocco
(4) Tan Imitation Leather

Keep in mind that Amazon release dates are subject to change.

A PREMIUM LEATHER TNIV
Nathan Stitt passed along this link to a post about an upcoming edition of the TNIV "bound in our new premium, hand crafted leather." No indication of what kind of leather -- calfskin, I assume -- but it's nice to see Zondervan supporting one of their translations in this way. The TNIV Reference Bible stripped of its terrible stiff bonded leather cover and equipped with a quality leather one? Sounds good to me.

Cambridge ESV Pitt Minion Update: Brown Goatskin and More

Last week, I shared some details about Cambridge's upcoming editions of the English Standard Version, thanks to David Dewey, who chatted with the folks from Cambridge at the Christian Resources Exhibition. The discussion afterward raised some questions, and Brian Vos, the director of Bibles and E-commerce for Baker Publishing Group, which distributes Cambridge Bibles in the US, offered some extra details and a correction. Here's what he said (with emphasis added by me):

The ESV Pitt Minion will be available in brown goatskin with black-letter text, rather than calfskin as noted in the entry. Based on the comments, this will be welcome news. And the July or August date is when the Pitt Minion will release in the UK, but the official release date in the US is October. We will ship them as soon as we have them in the US, but there is a significant shipping time to consider. The four editions will be black goatskin with red letter, brown goatskin with black letter, burgundy French Morocco with red letter, and two-tone tan/burgundy with black letter text. The goatskin editions will have art-gilt edges.

Naturally, I'm lining up for the brown goatskin, and will post lots of photos once I get it. Special thanks to Brian for sharing the good news.

New Details on the Cambridge ESV Pitt Minion

David Dewey attended the Christian Resources Exhibition, the largest event of its kind in the UK, where he had the opportunity to chat with the Bible publishing staff of Cambridge University Press. Here's the latest information about the forthcoming ESV Pitt Minion:

Expected publication date: July or August, with the wide margin a few months later

Text: ESV (2007 revisions) with American spellings

Red letter? There will be a choice of red and black letter editions

Covers: Tu-tone, French Morocco and Calfskin

One will be a brown Calfskin, black letter edition.

Print: the same as other Pitt Minions in the series (NIV, KJV, NKJV). Very readable in my opinion.

Cross-references: the same as in the Crossway editions

Concordance: some as in Crossway editions, but a more extensive concordance is promised for the wide margin editions

Cost: £33 up. French Morocco c. £55; and calfskin somewhat more

I'm very pleased to hear about the brown calfskin black-letter edition! Thanks, David, for sharing this information with everyone.

A Glimpse of the ESV Study Bible (Sort Of)

If you attended the Together for the Gospel conference last week, you might have gotten a glimpse of the ESV Study Bible mock-up displayed at the Crossway booth. Scott Kay did. What's more, he snapped some photos so the rest of us could have a look! Scott writes:

The lighting was not great, so I have tried to adjust them to improve the shots. They took the book of John and bound it in the mock-up over and over until they achieved the same thickness of the final product.

A few things to note:

This is a single column paragraphed edition. In fact, here are some interesting tidbits from the brochure (I've included a shot of this info in the brochure):

Pages and size: pages - 2752; trim size - 6 1/2 x 9 1/4 (and they don't publish this, but it's really thick. I'm guessing nearly 2")

Paper - high-opacity, high-quality French Bible Paper (It does appear to be quite nice about only allowing minimal bleed-through, as the paper does indeed seem quite nice.)

Typesetting - 9 point single column paragraphed; 7.25 point double-column for notes. Full color throughout for maps, charts, etc. (see photos) (although it exceeds 12 words per line, like the PR Edition)

Binding: All editions are Smyth sewn. Available in hardcover, TruTone, Bonded Leather, Genuine Leather, and Premium Calfskin

Available Oct. 15,2008

I asked about the creeds and confessions, and there is no plan to include them. Yet, this seems poised to compete directly with the MacArthur Study Bible and even the Reformation SB. It seems like it will be quite conservative evangelical, and even reformed in leanings (at least) (based on the listing of scholars who have contributed notes for each book of the Bible - it reads like a who's who of conservative scholars). In addition to 25,000+ notes there are over 50 articles, 200 full color maps, over 200 charts, 80,000 cross references, over 40 full color illustrations (like of the temple, etc.)...but who's counting?

Now the photos:

ESV Study Bible -- Details Released

Major update today at the ESV Study Bible site, including specifics on the October 15, 2008 release date, the various editions that will be available, and sample page spreads. From what I can see, it looks beautiful. The design specs are impressive -- and they apply to all editions, from the bottom to the top of the spectrum:

Printing and Binding Specs—All Editions

Pages and size—Pages: 2,752; trim size: 6 ½ × 9 ¼ inches.

Paper—Printed on high-opacity, high-quality French Bible paper from Papeteries Du Luman (PDL); this is widely considered the finest paper in the world and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), having been made from forests that are managed to preserve and sustain forestlands.

Typesetting—Set in highly readable, 9-point, single-column type for the Bible text, and 7.25-point, double-column type for the notes.

Printing—Full-color throughout, printed on high-speed web presses created especially for the high-quality demands of Bible printing.

Binding—All editions are Smyth sewn, which is considered the finest Bible binding method and is designed to last a lifetime.

From the get-go, the ESV Study Bible will be available in eight editions -- a hardback, two TruTones (black and brown), two bonded leathers (black and burgundy), a genuine leather (black) and a premium calfskin (black). Someone asked me recently why the ESV Study Bible has been so long in coming, and based on the details released now, I'd say the explanation is, they were determined to do it right. I'm looking forward to the release.

I should also add that I'm impressed by the level of disclosure Crossway has provided. It's often difficult to get specifics about a Bible, particularly the unglamorous details of design and binding. Knowing in advance about font size, layout, paper quality and binding is a real pleasure.

Upcoming Personal Size Reference ESVs

The ESV Blog, in publishing a round-up of Personal Size Reference reviews, hints at a couple of upcoming options:

"Concerning the request for a calfskin edition of this Bible, you shouldn’t expect one this year (2008). However, on Amazon you can find a couple of otherwise-unannounced Personal Size Reference Bibles that are coming out this summer if you do some digging."

So I did some digging and came up with two new TruTone covers: the "Navy/Khaki/Pearl, Horizontal Design" and the "Forest/Tan, Trail Design." They both look tastefully restrained in comparison to a lot of youth-oriented Bibles. Looks like June 30 is the release date, but you can pre-order by following the links. If I missed any, let me know!

Apparently I also have the distinction of having authored "the über-review, with 3,500 words and twenty-one pictures." If you haven't seen it already, be sure to check it out: Personal Size Reference ESV.

More Info on Cambridge ESV Editions

I just received a copy of the new Cambridge UK catalogue for 2008 -- which includes a nice big quote from yours truly on page 11 concerning the goatskin NASB wide margin. Also of interest: page 9 is devoted to the upcoming editions of the ESV. No photos, but here is the copy:

Two new classics In 2008, Cambridge will introduce the ESV to its list of Bibles. This is the latest in a range of Bible versions presented in two classic Cambridge formats.

ESV Pitt Minion Reference Edition
The Pitt Minion is characterized by an elegant, slimline form containing text printed in a compact, yet readable font. The NASB, NKJV and NIV have recently come out in this format, and the ESV Pitt Minion Reference Edition will have the same text design and specifications when it is published in Autumn 2008.

ESV Wide-Margin Reference Edition
Wide-margin Bibles are another Cambridge specialty. The margins provide plenty of space for personal notes, and the Bibles are printed on paper that stands up well to note-taking. The ESV Wide-Margin Reference Edition will be published at the end of 2008 and be comparable to the NASB and NKJV Wide-Margin Reference Editions. Each of these new wide-margin editions is an enlargement of the Pitt Minion edition, so has exactly the same layout and pagination, with the bonus of a more extensive concordance.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to these releases and will review them as soon as I can get my hands on them. In the meantime, these descriptions confirm that the ESV Pitt Minion will share the same specs as the other translations already published -- so if you like those, you should like the ESV editions, too.

Note: Personal Reference ESV with Sewn Binding

Just a note for those of you planning to purchase one of the new Personal Reference ESVs and then have it rebound. The genuine leather edition is the only one that features a sewn binding -- the TruTone editions have adhesive bindings. So the edition you want to start with for rebinding purposes is probably the genuine leather one.

UPDATE: Matt Morales spoke with someone at Crossway today who said that the Personal Reference edition would also feature better quality paper than previous editions. Presumably that means it will be more opaque. We should find out soon enough.

Coming This Spring: Deluxe Compact TruTone ESV

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.)

Noteworthy Collection TNIV New Testament

When the Journaling Bible came out with its Moleskine-inspired look, I figured it wouldn't be long before others appeared. Yesterday, David Swain tipped me off to the "Noteworthy Collection," a new edition of the TNIV New Testament coming out in August. It's a Moleskine-style format (6.63 x 3.13) complete with elastic strap and accordion pocket in back, featuring a single column text setting on one side of the spread, and a black page for notes on the other. They'll be available in bonded leather -- black, burgundy and tan. I've pre-ordered a tan one and will review it when they come out.

This strikes me as a particularly clever approach, combining the "blank Bible" concept with its interleaved pages, and the elastic strap and accordion pocket of the Moleskine. It's a shame they won't be offering a hardback, or polyurethane covers instead of bonded leather. But there's good news for TNIV readers who don't like the odd font choice featured in so many editions. The PDF page proofs reveal that a less "scripty" serif font has been chosen for the typesetting.

I don't think I've ever seen a New Testament with interleaved pages for note-taking. Whether it will work depends a great deal on the quality of paper. With a wide margin, any notes that bleed through show up in the margin on the opposite page, but with an interleaved edition, they'll mar the text itself. You probably wouldn't want to take many notes on cheap paper. But if the bleed-through is addressed, I could see this being a very clever format. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Allan's ESV with Updated Text ... June 2008?

Reader Stuart Mazz e-mailed me with the latest news from R. L. Allan about the availability of the updated text in their ESV offerings. It looks like June 2008 is the sweet spot:

"I read on the review of Allan’s ESV Tan Goatskin that the new edition would be out in 2008… I just got off the phone with Allan’s & they told me I should probably wait till June 2008 if I wanted the latest version that will be exactly the same as the one they offer now only it will be the updated version! Thought you might like to let your readers know."

So for those of you itching to get an Allan's ESV, but holding out for the updated text, it looks like you have about seven months to wait. If I hear anything more, I'll pass it along.

More on Upcoming New Cambridge Paragraph Bible

Thanks to Kevin Edgecomb, there's some new information on when the smaller editions of the New Cambridge Paragraph Bible might appear in 2008. Kevin posted this reply to his inquiry from Chris Wright, the Publishing Manager for Bibles at Cambridge University Press:

We do intend to publish the New Cambridge Paragraph Bible in smaller formats using the updated text, and have said as much informally to various people, but we have not yet committed to a definite schedule or publication date. Given the current state of our publishing commitments, and the completion of the editorial process, I do now see an opportunity arising next year so I would hope to bring these out during the second half or towards the end of 2008.

That confirms what I reported in October, when the word was "the second half of 2008." I'm looking forward to the smaller NCPB, no matter when it comes. As I hear more, I'll pass it along.

The NET Bible Compact Edition and the Tyndale Select NLT

If you're a fan of the NET Bible, you probably know this already, but Bible.org recently announced the availability of the new Compact Edition, which is available in traditional black and burgundy, as well as red and black "Amazona" (with croc print with snap closure) and "SuppleMax (tm) Tan." The bindings are sewn, and introductory prices begin at a very reasonable $14.95. According to the specs on the site, the type size is 8 pt. and instead of the original 60,000+ translators' notes, you get a condensed set of 7,722.

At the other end of the price spectrum, Tyndale has released the Tyndale Select NLT, a deluxe edition of the New Living Translation bound in calfskin with a Smyth-sewn binding and 9.8 pt type. I haven't had a chance to look at one of these yet, but I have seen the bonded leather box it comes in, which is quite nice. Follow the link above and you can download a PDF brochure that includes a few close-ups of the product, including a nice view of the cover's grain. The Tyndale Select NLT retails for $135. Most publishers offering Bibles in this price range don't give you much to go on visually when ordering online, so it's nice to see the brochure made available on the product page.

Upcoming Editions from Cambridge: 2008-09

Next week, I'll be reviewing a recent offering from Cambridge, the NASB Pitt Minion wide margin edition bound in goatskin. In the meantime, I have some news to pass along about future editions from Cambridge. (My thanks to Chris Wright and Brian Vos for the information.)

First, some new editions that are solidly on the schedule. In early 2008, Cambridge will release its first ever edition of the NKJV. It will be a Pitt Minion setting available in goatskin and French Morocco leather. Cambridge will also be publishing a beautiful edition of the popular NIV Study Bible in 2008 -- Spring, according to the site. This one will be available in black or burgundy goatskin, which ought to make it one of the most luxurious study Bibles on the market.

Now for some editions with less definite timetables. I'd heard rumors about this, and now it's confirmed: Cambridge will be producing its own editions of the English Standard Version. First, there will be a Pitt Minion edition, and then a wide margin based on the same setting. That means, if you're ultimate dream is an ESV wide margin in goatskin with a binding you can trust, true bliss is just around the corner. (And you'll want to tune it for next week's NASB wide margin review, which will give you an idea what to expect.)

As I said, the timeframes on the ESV are less definite. They could be released as early as the Fall 2008, or as late as Spring 2009, depending on the progress of the new typesetting.

Also, for fans of the New Cambridge Paragraph Bible, there's some good news. Cambridge intends to publish a smaller format of the NCPB, and the planning on this should take place in the next few months. Again, the timetable is uncertain, but it's possible we could see a new edition "in the second half of 2008."

I'd like to thank Cambridge for passing on the information, and emphasize that, with the exception of the editions already listed on the CambridgeBibles.com site, the time factors involved are not set in stone. Still, it's nice to know what's in the pipeline for 2008 - 2009!

Personal Size Reference ESV to Feature Single-Column Text

A couple of years ago, I posted a mock-up of what a single-column, paragraphed, referenced edition of the ESV Bible might look like. Today, there's no need for mock-ups because we have a preview of the real thing. At long last, Crossway has announced the Personal Size Reference Bible, which will be available in early 2008.

I'm excited about this because for years now, I've been stumping for a hand-sized, paragraphed, single-column setting, and the Personal Size Reference is all those things. It measures 5" x 7.25", which makes it a little handier than the 5.5" x 8.5" of the Classic Reference and the Classic Thinline, but is a bit larger than the 3.75" x 5.75" of the Compact Thinline, which many people find a bit too small. The Compact Thinline has 6.2-pt. type, which makes it hard to read in lower light -- I sometimes have to bring mine up to my face to make out the words -- whereas the new Personal Size Reference has 7.4-pt. type. It appears to be set in Veritas, the new font introduced along with the Outreach Edition early last year, which is designed to be "readable at smaller sizes than some other fonts." (Update: My eyes deceived me on this one, as I'm reliably informed that the typeface is Stone Serif.)

A PDF of the first few chapters of Matthew is online so you can try out the Personal Size Reference for yourself.