Used Book Store Find of the Month, a Winston Pocket AV KJV New Testament with Psalms.

March 22, 2016March 22, 2016 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Every once in awhile I stop at our local used book store and look for goodies. Today was surprised to find this little gem.

I figured I’d write a little blurb about it, put some pictures up, and ask you, the reader for any information you might know about this interesting little New Testament.

The cover appears to be cowhide leather, with a perimeter groove, yapp style, with the words, “New Testament and Psalms” stamped in gold on the front. On the spine it says, “New Testament” at the head and, “Winston” at the tail.

It is about 3″ by 4 3/4″ and about 3/4″ thick. The page edges are art gilt. There is one purple ribbon marker. The words of Christ are in red. It is laid out in double column, verse format. It has some colored pictures of art work in it. There is a reading plan in the front, an article about the Lord’s Prayer in the back, and a list of Parables and Miracles. It has plain white head and tail bands. Here are a few of the pictures;

Here it is compared to my Crossway ESV Verse by Verse Reference Bible,

Please take a look at the rest of the pictures I took of it on my flickr page here.

I’m really interested in what you know about this particular edition, the publisher, the age of this edition, and any other things you might know about it. There was no date marked on it or written in it by anyone. From what I’ve read on the internet, it seems that it could have been made between 1890-1930, but that is speculation. Thanks in advance and enjoy the pics.

A Review of the ESV Verse-by-Verse Reference Bible, in Black Top Grain Leather.

February 12, 2016February 12, 2016 Bob Snyder9 Comments

Crossway sent me this beautiful Bible for review. It is a wonderful value. You get so many great features with this Bible. It is also a good multipurpose Bible. Initially I thought the font might be too small for Pastors to use it from the pulpit, but I was wrong. The verse format layout, terrific paper, and crisp clean print, make it well suited to serve as a preaching Bible. It is a reference Bible, so it also lends itself to study. The references and notes are out of the way at the bottom, so it also works good for reading. If you are in the market for a new Bible to fill a few roles, keep reading. I think you’ll be as impressed with this edition as I am.

The ESV Verse-by-Verse Reference Bible was packaged in a small white cardboard box.

The Bible itself was inside the retail clamshell box. Keep the box for storage. This is not a Bible to be stood up on edge like a hardback book. The Bible arrived undamaged from Crossway. Inside the packaging the Bible was wrapped in clear plastic.

Once removed, I was able to begin assessing the top grain leather. It had a very supple feel to it. It was nice and soft. There is also a perimeter groove on the cover.

The inside liner seemed to be a bit different than the outside cover. I e-mailed Crossway and asked them about it. They informed me that it is Cromwell® bonded leather. For those of you who are balking at that, keep in mind that Cromwell® bonded leather is not the same as the low grade bonded leather you are used to seeing in the past. It is a far superior product and should last as long as the top grain leather cover, if not longer. One of the bonuses of using this material as a liner is that it can be had in thin sheets. This makes it possible for the bindery to get the cover mated to the liner with more precision and less bulges on the corners.

This, being an edge-lined Bible, it is important to not use a heavier material that would reduce the supple feel of the cover.

In my opinion, it was implemented quite well. For the price, I would definitely recommend purchasing this edition over the ones with genuine leather or synthetic covers if you can afford the extra money.

In the front you’ll find a Presentation Page, Publisher’s Page, Table of Contents, Books of the Bible in Alphabetical Order, Preface, and an Explanation of Features.

The spine is ornamented with four spine hubs, and gold lettering.

The page edges are gold gilt and the corners are rounded. There are also decorative gold and black, head and tail bands.There are two black ribbons that are decent quality.

They are thicker than some less expensive ribbons. For me two ribbons or more is a must. Three ribbons is perfect in my opinion. You get one for the Old Testament reading, one for devotional reading of Proverbs, and one for the New Testament. Of course, two will suffice, and is certainly better than only one. Four just seems supernumerary to me.

Of course where this Bible shines is the paper and print. Crossway has done a good job utilizing superior paper compared to their competitors. Rarely do you find Bibles in this niche with paper of the same weight and opacity. Crossway is employing a 36 g.s.m. Apple Thin Opaque paper. Keep in mind that many of their competitors call 28 g.s.m. paper top notch. The print in this black letter edition is sharp and uniform throughout. I haven’t run into any areas where the print fades or is smudged. The font is 9 pt. in size and is Lexicon face. At first glance it seems larger than it is, in my opinion. I think that is due to the opaque paper, print, and line spacing, making it very legible. It is easy on the eyes.

Preaching from the pulpit and looking down at a 9 pt. font in another Bible with lesser paper and more ghosting would be a bad idea, but with this Bible you could easily do it. There is also a generous outside margin for some limited note taking.

The drawback of course is that some of the type gets lost in the gutter.

In some regards, like the paper and print, I would rate this Bible up there with the premium ones. Due to the lack of some of the more ornate features, like art gilt page edges, better ribbons, gilt perimeter lines, and better leather for the inside liner I can’t call it a premium Bible. Of course the price on this edition more than makes up for what little quibbles I might have. I’ve paid over $200 for an Allan. This Bible can be had for a bit over $80. That makes it an outstanding value. The suggested retail is $149.99. Some publishers list a suggested retail that I would never pay. This Bible is worth the suggested retail. On some retail sites it can be found for as little as $84.99. Other than the gutter complaint, the layout is great. You get a double column, verse format, with approximately 80,000 cross references located at the bottom of the pages. You also get a 76 page 3 column concordance, and 8 color maps in the back.

At the start of each book is a brief introduction. I personally love well written book introductions.

You also get a smyth-sewn spine with this edge-lined Bible adding to the durability and flexibility.

You would be hard pressed to find a Bible with all of these features even in a higher price range. In my opinion, Crossway has hit the ball out of the park with this edition and set the standard for their competitors in the $80 to $150 range.

Make sure to check out all of the pictures I took of this Bible on my Flickr page.

ISBN-13: 9781433545689

Bible Reviews · Bibles

The Crossway, E.S.V. Men’s Devotional Bible, Not Your Typical Devotional Bible.

November 19, 2015November 20, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

If you’re like me, you steer clear of devotional Bibles. I have found that most of them offer very little in the way of useful or relevant information. Most of the time it is just happy, slappy, Osteenesque, self-help mumbo jumbo. Rather than aiding, it usually distracts and is discouraging. I wonder to myself, “Who could be helped by this nonsense?” Seriously, who writes this twaddle? It is not just men’s devotionals that suffer this malaise either. Women have the same nonsense foisted upon them, perhaps even worse.

So imagine my curiosity when I heard that Crossway was going to make a devotional Bible. We’ve come to trust them and the E.S.V. over the years. One of the quickest ways you can incur my scrutiny is to exclaim, “Ahem, over here! We have a devotional Bible for your consideration Sir!” Oh, now that is cause for inspection isn’t it kids? When they offered one for review, I gladly accepted. I wanted to see for myself what works had been wrought under the cover of night…

I was delighted to see that it far excelled the usual fare. No cotton candy, no fluff-n-stuff, no silly self help guru quotes, no Sarah Young extra-Biblical revelation, just sound exposition, and application. The devotional articles explain the text. They properly connect the heart and the head, as they engage both in a real, and valuable way.

We are told in the Introduction that the goal was, “…for the heart to be strengthened by grace…” Hebrews 13:9. You might wonder what that means in the context of a Men’s devotional Bible. What it means is that the book introductions, devotional articles, and supplemental articles, are theologically accurate and connected to the text you are reading. All people have a theology.

They perhaps don’t know it, but they do. Theology is important. Without accurately understanding who God is and who we are in relationship to Him, how would we know if we were worshipping the one true God or an idol we had constructed? These articles accomplish the goal of strengthening the heart by grace, through facilitating our learning Biblical truths.

The Bible I was sent arrived undamaged.

It was a hardback volume that is case bound.

It included a dust jacket. For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you know how I feel about dust jackets. (hint, I don’t like them. Completely a personal preference thing.) The spine is sewn to increase flexibility and durability. This, in my opinion is a necessity. Glued bindings on a book that is meant to be used extensively are a horrible idea. Publishers that do that are only interested in selling cheap product to be replaced over and over. If you had to transfer your notes, underlines, and highlights, every 6 months to a new Bible, you’d be perturbed. Thanks to Crossway’s experience as a Bible publisher, they know better. Usually when a publisher has work done in China the product quality begins to suffer. It seems Crossway has been able to keep the quality control standard high, while having this Bible printed and bound in China.

The hardback edition I was sent does not have any ribbon markers. The cover matches the dust jacket in a satin finish, black color. The only writing on the cover is on the spine where it says, “ESV Men’s Devotional Bible, Crossway” in gold print.

The spine has been rounded. There are understated black decorative head and tail bands. The page corners themselves have not been rounded and there is no page edge gilt.

The inside paper liner matches the cover in color. There is one presentation page followed by a couple title pages and publishers information/copyright page.

After that, there is the table of contents.

An interesting print feature in this Bible is the use of gold colored text for things like, titles, headings, chapter headings, and page numbers. It is and unassuming gold color, so it adds just the right amount of pop without glaringly drawing your attention away from the text.

Drop caps are utilized at the beginning of each supplemental article. I found that this sets the article apart from the pages of Biblical text so you can spot them easily. At the bottom of each devotion the page number of the next one is indicated. Since there are 365, a person could use them as a daily reading plan and read from one to the next daily.

The Biblical text is arranged in a double column, paragraph format, in black text. The text of the Bible is consistently inked and printed in an 8.5 pt. Lexicon font.

The devotionals are printed in a 7.5 pt. Gotham font. The text is dark black and contrasts nicely against the bright white, 36 g.s.m. paper, with an opacity rating of 83. Line matching was not employed however, the opacity of the paper is sufficient to limit the ghosting effect.

There are no cross references and very limited footnotes. This is not intended to be used as a reference Bible or study Bible. It adheres to the title of Devotional Bible very strictly. It far exceeds every devotional Bible I have ever read. The devotions are gospel focused and faithful to the truths of God.

I’ve included a list of the contributors. As you can see, with men of God like these, sharing their hard won knowledge and wisdom with us, we can be edified and encouraged.

Devotion Contributors	Article Contributors	Article Title
Christopher Ash	Thabiti Anyabwile	A Man’s Inner Life
Alistair Begg	Bryan Chapell	The Message of the Bible
Jon Bloom	Greg Gilbert	Life in the Local Church
Mike Bullmore	Dave Harvey	Calling
Kevin Cawley	Kelly Kapic	Communion with God
Bryan Chapell	Dave Kraft	Leadership
Sam Crabtree	Tom Nelson	A Man’s Work
Andy Davis	Ray Ortlund	Fathering
Jason DeRouchie	Michael Patton	Doubt
Dan Doriani	David Powlison	A Man’s Identity
Zack Eswine	Tim Savage	Marriage
Greg Gilbert	Ed Welch	Pornography
Aaron Golstein	Jared Wilson	The Gospel and Daily Life
Graeme Goldsworthy
Jim Hamilton
John Hannah
Justin Holcomb
Paul House
Kent Hughes
Ryan Kelly
Julius Kim
Dave Kraft
Michael Lumpkin
Jason Meyer
Gary Millar
Paul Miller
Andy Naselli
Tom Nelson
Doug O’Donnell
Dane Ortlund
Rob Plummer
Mike Reeves
Phil Ryken
J.J. Seid
Jay Sklar
Colin Smith
Scotty Smith
Sam Storms
Brian Tabb
Eric Thoennes
Joe Thorn
Stephen Um
Miles Van Pelt
Jared Wilson
Todd Wilson
Fowler White
Bob Yarbrough

Don’t forget to check out the pictures on my flickr page.

Pick up your copy on Amazon or Christianbook

ISBN-13: 9781433548413

Dimensions: 8.38 X 5.38 (inches)

Bible Reviews · Bibles

Christmas Shopping? BUY BIBLES!!!

November 15, 2015November 15, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

If you love high quality Bibles, evangelicalbible.com is the site for you. They have great deals on Schuyler Bibles Crossway Bibles The Lockman Foundation (NASB, Amplified, LBLA, NBLH) Bibles R.L. Allan & Son Publishers Ltd Bibles Cambridge Bibles and Trinitarian Bible SocietyBibles. These would make excellent Christmas presents.

Home – evangelicalbible.com

Marketplace for the Best Crafted Bibles All Scripture is breathed out by God. -II Timothy 3:16 SHOP OUR BIBLES CAMBRIDGE SCHUYLER ALLAN CROSSWAY TRINITARIAN LOCKMAN

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Bible Reviews · Bibles

A Review of the Trinitarian Bible Society’s KJV Classic Reference Bible in Black Calfskin Leather.

October 18, 2015October 18, 2015 Bob Snyder1 Comment

As many of you know TBS is a Christian ministry that provides high quality, good value KJV Bibles to many Christians in need, worldwide. To support the ministry, we purchase Bibles from them and are also blessed. Not only do we get to be a part of providing God’s word to our brothers and sisters, we also get a durable, well built Bible for our own use. Knowing the proceeds go to furthering the Kingdom is a comforting thought as well. I hope you will consider purchasing your next Bible from TBS after reading my review of the Classic Reference Bible.

As always TBS exceeds my expectations in the packaging and shipping department. They go above and beyond to ensure that your Bible gets to you undamaged. They are the winner, hands down, when it comes to packaging. The Classic Reference Bible arrived undamaged in a heavy duty, white, cardboard box, cushioned inside with foam packing peanuts.

The Bible itself was inside a sturdy cardboard slipcase, that should be retained for storage.

After removing the plastic wrap from the slipcase, I could take the Bible out. It is not a large Bible and it is not as small as a typical compact Bible. It is a full KJV Bible and it does have the Cambridge Concord cross references. It is just a very handy size. It measures about 4 ¾” across, by 7 ¼” tall, by 1” thick.

Here it is to the right of the TBS Windsor Text Bible. You can see that it is smaller than the text version while retaining the cross references.

Most typical reference Bibles are around 6” across, by 9” tall, 1 ½” thick. So you can see there is a substantial difference in size. Of course a compact is smaller yet. If this Bible were the size of a typical compact the font would be too small for normal use. Fortunately, the font in this Bible is a legible 8 pt. in size. Since it is the traditional typesetting instead of a modern digital setting, the font would contrast a bit less against the page if not for its boldness.

Here it is laid over a page from the Windsor.

The cover is listed as, “Calfskin” on the website. Keep in mind there is no industry standard. Technically the French Morocco Leather cover is made of calfskin, so it is true, but if you are expecting supple calfskin like some premium Bibles use, you will be disappointed. I don’t know why anyone would think that though considering the value pricing of this edition. I seriously don’t understand how a person could complain about this cover. Especially in light of the low cost and how much they are getting. For under fifty dollars they are getting a full KJV reference Bible, smyth-sewn binding, and genuine leather. Even if it is French Morocco, it is far superior to the covers of other Bibles in the same price range. Other Bibles in this price range use synthetic covers or bonded leather. The front cover is blank. The only gold lettering on the outside of this Bible is on the spine. It has the words, “Holy Bible” at the head, “Classic Reference Bible” directly under that, and the TBS logo at the tail. The cover is uniform in thickness and has a nice pattern pressed into it. It is on the smooth side and feels very durable. My first impression was, “This is a tough little Bible.”

This Bible is case bound, and as such utilizes black vinyl covered paper as an interior liner and to join the cover to the text block.

The front, inside, bottom edge has, “French Morocco Leather” in gold lettering stamped in it. Red and gold colored head and tail bands decorate this edition. It also includes two, black ribbon markers. The page edges are gold gilt. The corners and the spine are rounded. From the outside this Bible looks like what you’d expect a Bible to look like. It is a venerable style, and is very familiar.

The front inside of this Bible has a nice presentation page on card paper with a couple of blank card paper pages following it. Then you have the title page and copyright/publisher’s information page.

There is a list of the contents after that. It is followed by a guide to the pronunciation marks for self pronouncing text and an explanation of the bold-figure Concord cross reference system. Finally, there is the Epistle Dedicatory, the Translators to the Reader, and the list of the Books of the Bible.

The text of this edition should be familiar to KJV readers. It won’t take anytime at all to get right into and read. It is laid out in a double column, verse format, with center column references. The font is 8 pt. in size making it easy on the eyes. The center column references are pretty small and a bit tough to see, but they are discernable. The paper is thin Bible paper. It is opaque enough that the ghosting is mitigated. It does use the self-pronouncing text. Speaking of text, this is a black letter edition. The entire word of God is all the same color.

There are two black ribbon markers to help you keep your place. This is very helpful for people who read out of the Old Testament and New Testament on a daily basis.

One of the more significant, yet underappreciated features of this Bible is the smyth-sewn binding. Many publishers go for a cheaper glued binding. While TBS opts for a superior sewn binding in this edition. It is a bit tight at first, but as you use this Bible, the binding loosens up. Sewn bindings are much more durable and flexible. They add to the usefulness and longevity in a way that no other features do. I would say that it should be a prerequisite.

Contrary to popular belief, this edition of the Classic Reference Bible is not printed by Cambridge. Cambridge oversees the printing. It is also a typesetting of the Cambridge Concord that has been shrunk, and maintains the pagination. It is printed and bound by Printcorp in Minsk, Belarus for TBS. These distinctions can change depending on the production run at the time. It is acceptable to ask. TBS is always willing to answer specific questions. They are just an e-mail away.

Finally, in the rear of this Bible we have, Bible word list, Daily Bible reading plan, and 8 Color maps with Gazetteer.

The long list of features are understated by the very familiar appearance of this Bible. It is a conveniently sized workhorse that should provide many years of service. I recommend this Bible to anyone in the market for a reference Bible that is a tad smaller than the usual fare, but not limited in helps like a compact.

You can get one from TBS at the site, except on Sunday it is closed.

You can also purchase one from evangelicalbible.com

4U/BK (Black)
ISBN: 9781862281950

Bible Reviews · Bibles

The (2015) ESV New Classic Reference Bible in TruTone Synthetic Cover.

October 11, 2015October 11, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Let’s see what the 2015 New Classic Reference looks like, and compare it briefly to the edition it replaces. I think you’ll find that there aren’t very many changes. I ordered this Bible from Amazon. It arrived in generally good shape. It does not have a retail box. Instead, it has a sleeve. I prefer clamshell or two piece style boxes for storage. You tend to see clamshell style with premium Bibles, not value editions.

After tossing the sleeve away, I scrutinized the cover. I like synthetic covers more than bonded leather. If I can afford them, I purchase ones that are edge lined and covered in goatskin leather. This synthetic cover was not bad. It was soft and flexible. I did get a crease in it by folding it over. Once you get the paper liner creased it shows through the cover. I don’t know how durable it will be. I’ll get back to you on that on in a couple of years. There is a good lifetime warranty on these Bibles. I’m not worried about service should anything go wrong.

Here is the old edition in genuine leather

Both Bibles have family records pages and presentation pages in the front

One of the major qualities that I love about Crossway Bibles, is even their value Bibles use better paper than almost all of their competitors. The paper in this thing is as good as some of the paper in the cost prohibitive premium Bibles. It is very opaque and seems pretty heavy. The old edition was printed on 24 pound (36 g.s.m.) Thincoat™. The paper in the new edition is uncoated. It remains the same weight. It is whiter than the earlier edition which in comparison seems a little more off white. It could be that since I’ve had the other Bible for a few years the paper has yellowed a bit, but I doubt it. It is more likely that the coated paper of the earlier edition was responsible for the slight color difference.

Here is a look at the previous edition.

There is a slight tradeoff when using a heavier paper. The Bible, by necessity of finites becomes thicker. That being said, I would much rather a Bible be thicker and very legible than be thinner and barely legible. Ghosting is a real problem on thinner paper and can make daily reading a near impossible task. The New Classic Reference is not too heavy or big. It feels good to hold and read from. The fact that it is a tad bit thicker doesn’t make it uncomfortable to use. I find it to be subjectively, one of the most comfortable Bibles I’ve spent hours reading from.

Both the older edition and the new one, offer good contrast between the paper and the text. The text is a modern setting of Lexicon font in 9 pt size. It is sharp and crisp against the backdrop of the page. This is a red letter edition with the words of Christ printed in red. Some people like this feature and others think it detracts from the entirety of the word being inspired. I don’t have an opinion either way. If it is done well, I like it. The red and black ink is consistent throughout.

Here is the new one

Here is the old one

There are book introductions at the beginning of each book.

This is pretty helpful without adding the bulk that a study Bible would have. The New Classic Reference is laid out in a double column, paragraph format, with center column references.

This is pretty standard, but again due to the paper quality, uniform printing, and smyth-sewn binding this Bible stands out. I am thinking about rebinding it in goatskin leather. It is an excellent candidate for rebind because of the low initial purchase price, paper, print, and the sewn binding. If you couldn’t tell by now, this does have a sewn binding making it flexible and durable.

It has one ribbon marker that matches the color scheme of the Bible. It is a pretty thin ribbon.

The spine has also been rounded.

The older edition has a flatter spine that doesn’t appear rounded.

The older edition was manufactured in the United States, while this one was manufactured in China. As long as Crossway can ensure quality control, this shouldn’t be a problem. Other publishers have not been able to, and have suffered the consequential negative effects to their reputations.

An excellent three column concordance is included in the back with 32, color maps and illustrations.

The overall impression I got was that this is still the same reference Bible that so many people have loved over the years with some small changes. The most important qualities have not changed. It remains very legible, and easy on the eyes for long bouts of reading. It wins, hands down over many other similarly priced Bibles due to the paper, print, and binding. Throw in the formal equivalent English Standard Version (ESV) translation and you have a great reference Bible.

Make sure to check out all the pictures of the New Classic Reference here, and the old one here.

Here are the stats and info from the Crossway product page,

About the ESV New Classic Reference Bible

The ESV New Classic Reference Bible is a new edition of the first ESV Bible edition ever published in 2001—the ESV Classic Reference Bible. This practical and popular format combines the ESV text with a robust concordance and one of the most comprehensive and useful cross-reference systems available today—more than 80,000 references conveniently located in the center column on each page. This edition adds 32 pages of full-color maps of Bible lands and illustrations of historic biblical sites, structures, and objects for ready reference and insight. The ESV New Classic Reference Bible’s balance of helpful reference features and convenient size make it an ideal Bible for everyday use—at home, at church, at school, and on the road.

Size: 5.5″ x 8.4375″
9.0-point type
1,344 pages
Double-column, paragraph format
Words of Christ in red
More than 80,000 center-column cross-references
32 full-color pages of maps and illustrations
Introductions to each Bible book
Extensive concordance
Ribbon marker
Presentation pages
Smyth-sewn binding
Lifetime guarantee

Specifications

Format:	TruTone
Page Count:	1,344
ISBN-10:	1-4335-4557-8
ISBN-13:	978-1-4335-4557-3
Trim Size:	5.5 in x 8.4375 in
Weight:	31.8 ounces
Published:	January 31, 2015
Type Size:	9.0
Page Layout:	Double Column
Additional Features:	Sewn Binding Maps Illustrations Lifetime Guarantee Cross-references Concordance Book intros Ribbon Gilded edges Words of Christ Red

ISBN-13: 978-1-4335-4557-3
ISBN-13: 9781433545573

Bibles

Win a free waterproof Bible + TUFFNotes + pencil from BardinMarsee

October 6, 2015October 6, 2015 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Win a free waterproof Bible + TUFFNotes + pencil which can be see at facebook.com/waterproofbible.

Here is the link to view the giveaway and to share the giveaway: http://gvwy.io/yc8gpzp
Be Inspired. Anywhere. & Journal. Anywhere.

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About the ESV New Classic Reference Bible

Specifications

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