This isn’t going to be like my typical Bible or book reviews. I am going to spend some time using the text book and workbook. I will try to post updates every week or so. I will inform you of my progress, ease of use, and general effectiveness of the material. The first week was pretty simple. The book introduced the Greek alphabet and some basics about vowels, consonants, breathing marks, accents, punctuation, phonology and morphology, and diphthongs. The workbook was useful for using the subject matter of the textbook. However, there is no answer key in the back of the workbook so you’ll need to make certain you have a command of the subject matter before moving on, or you’ll have to get the help of a friend who already knows Koine Greek. Since this is just the first week lesson, I don’t have much to report. I hope you check back to see how it is going. So long for now.
You can purchase the textbook on Christianbook and on Amazon for about $18.50.
Holman sent this Bible packaged in a cardboard box with some paper padding it.
The retail box was inside.
I had no idea which Bible they had sent me. I didn’t remember requesting one for review. I was pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the KJV Minister’s Bible. When I had originally requested it they were out of stock. It seems that Holman remembered and sent it when it became available.
When I opened the shipping box I found the retail packaging inside. Keep the two piece gift-box to store your Bible. This Bible is so supple that it will need to be laid flat for storage. When I opened the retail box I could see that the Bible was wrapped in a dark colored construction paper to keep it safe from being deformed.
I like this better than being, “shrink wrapped” with plastic wrap. Plastic wrap has the tendency to pull the corners down and deform the cover and text block. If the Bible arrives damaged or during use develops premature wear rest assured, Holman has a lifetime warranty on this product.
I was impressed by the feel of the genuine cowhide leather cover. It was soft and supple.
The Bible is edge lined not case bound.
The edges of the outer cover are rolled over and sewn down. The spine of the Bible has decorative spine hubs. They used to be where the signature tapes or ribbons were sewn to the signatures. The cover would have to be fitted over them which produced the raised hubs. Now it isn’t an indicator of a sewn binding or not. You’ll be glad to know this one does have a very flexible sewn binding. It allows this Bible to do some pretty amazing things and come out unscathed. It lays flat right out of the box and can even curl back under the spine with both covers at the same time.
I wouldn’t make a practice of that, but it can do it. When held open with one hand it drapes over your hand.
The spine of the Bible is imprinted with, “KJV” at the top, “Holy Bible” in the Middle, and Holman’s logo at the bottom.
The pages are edge gild with gold colored foil.
There are two very nice quality ribbon markers in this Bible, one is red and the other is black.
The pages are opaque, but could be a little more so. They have a generous inch wide margin for adding your own notes.
Wide margins are quite helpful for Pastors. The opacity of the paper is important so that text doesn’t show through the page.
While preaching and looking down at this Bible you should be able to focus on the text and not what is behind it. The font is equally conducive to preaching. It is a neat and clean 12 point font that is consistently inked throughout the Bible in this black text edition. The text is arranged in a double column verse format making it easy to quickly locate verses. Book names, chapter, and verse are printed on the top of the page along with headings.
There are many aids for Pastors included in this Bible. Here is a list of some of them; Sixty-six page KJV concordance, eight maps, Where to Turn When, Plan of Salvation, color presentation page, Various wedding and funeral outlines by Jim Henry, “Why Read the King James Version?” by Calvin Miller, “8 Traits of Effective Church Leaders” by Thom S. Rainer, “21 Essentials of Authentic Ministry” by James T. Draper, “Four Kinds of Expositional Preaching” by Ed Stetzer, “30 Keys to Giving an Invitation” by O. S. Hawkins, “Leading a Child to Christ” by Bill Emeott, “Reaching Students with the Gospel” by Lynn H. Pryor, “The Importance of Baptism and Communion” by Rick White, Commitment Counseling, The Christian Year and Church Calendar, The Apostles and Their History, and Table of Weights and Measures. With all that this Bible offers it would be a wonderful blessing for your Pastor as a gift, even if the Pastor is your Dad. Pastors shouldn’t feel bad about buying such a nice Bible. It is money well spent on a product that should last for a long time.
This is kind of an odd little Bible. It is odd because of the cover color, material, and size of it. The cover is smooth and shiny. It reminds me of candy apple blue car paint. The cover is smooth and shiny like the corfam oxford dress shoes the Marines wear. You know the ones that never need polishing.
It is flexible, but the binding is stiff. I think that’s because it’s a tight binding. The cover is lined with some blue paper.
On the spine of the Bible the word, “Colormax” is printed in silver colored letters, and then the logos on the top and bottom.
The pages are gilded with silver colored foil.
The size of the Bible puts it in between a true compact and a small reference Bible. It is thicker than most of the compact Bibles. This is good in the sense that the font can be larger, but it doesn’t lend itself to going into a pocket or a bag as easy. I would say it would be good in a lunch box, or backpack. I think that was kind of the idea with this one. The cover is obviously aimed at younger people.
This is a red letter edition of the HCSB text with 7 point font.
The printing is clear and legible and the pages are opaque enough to limit ghosting. The read text is bold, but not distracting. It is dual column paragraph format. There are limited references at the bottom of the page this makes more of the page real estate available to font size. This makes it easier to read.
This Bible was made in South Korea.
It seems the quality is better than many of the Chinese made Bibles. There is one ribbon marker that matches the color scheme in silver.
This Bible was shipped in a white plastic bag. The retail packaging is a multicolored card-paper sleeve.
The topical concordance and “where to turn” index were very limited, but helpful, especially for younger or less mature Christians. You should already expect that when buying a compact. The fact that it has any extra features is a bonus value in my mind. It also includes, presentation page, eight maps, a, “how to use the Bible” page, plan of salvation, table of weights and measures, Titles of Jesus, and HCSB introduction and bullet notes.
After using this Bible for a while it loosened up a bit. The cover still doesn’t close right after bending it up a bunch.
You kind of have to wait for it or put something on it. The good news is that it appears to be a sewn binding. So regardless of if you like the cover or not the Bible should hold up pretty well. I kind of got a kick out of bringing this little Bible to Church last Sunday and showing it around to some of the fellas. For the price, under twenty dollars, this is a nifty little Bible. I think it would make a great Bible for the young person in your life. Inexpensive enough to not be worried about the rigors of youth, and decent build quality to hold up to some abuse.
Dimensions: 5.67 X 4.00 X 1.13 (inches)
ISBN: 1433614448
ISBN-13: 9781433614446
I was given this Bible for free to review on my blog and am not required to give a positive review.
Not too many Bibles from large publishers like Holman surprise me. This one is the exception. I am accustomed to receiving Bibles from big publishers that are for lack of a better term, “disposable.” Many of them seem to make Bibles that you can use for a couple of years and then have to throw it away when it begins to fall apart. This Bible truly surprised me. It came in the mail packed in a white plastic bag-elope. I was immediately expecting some substandard, mass produced, mail abused, Bible. I opened the bag and didn’t notice any damage to the box… bonus! I was glad that the corners weren’t mashed. I opened the box (keep the box for storage) and was presented with black construction paper.
I seriously hoped that wasn’t the cover. Upon closer inspection I determined that the black construction paper was there to protect the supple and soft genuine cowhide cover. It smelled like a new leather jacket and the texture was very pleasant.
One of the most important parts of a Bible is the binding. Naturally I checked that next. I was pleased to see that it had a sewn binding. This makes a Bible last longer and lay flat when you want to read it.
Have you ever had to struggle against an intrusive and rude cover made of bonded leather, always trying to close on you? Have you ever had a fake leather cover get stained, scuffed, or torn? Well I have, and that is why I love genuine leather and goatskin covers with sewn bindings so much. This Bible’s chocolate brown colored leather cover is lined with a vinyl sheet matching the cover’s color. The lining is glued down. This is pretty typical. I was hoping to see it lined with a higher quality material sewn to the cover, but for the price of this Bible and the features it has I can’t complain.
This Bible can be purchased for about $48.00 on a couple of different web sites. Christianbook.com has it here and Amazon.com here. I was a bit surprised to see that this Bible was made in China.
I was surprised because they seemed to have put it together pretty well. There is a slight problem with the binding at the bottom, but that could be one of the drawbacks of having it banged around during shipping from China to the States. It didn’t look like a manufacturing problem as much as shipping damage. The pages are gilded and indexed.
The indexes caught my eye as they are rectangular with rounded shoulders. The usual ones are crescent shaped. The New Testament ones were red and the Old Testament ones were black. The spine is gilded with the, NKJV in a circle at the top, and, “Holy Bible” in the middle, with Holman’s logo at the bottom. The spine has decorative hubs.
When you open this Bible up you first have the normal presentation and records pages as well as the publishers information. Then there is some info on the NKJV translation and a page with the plan of salvation. I was expecting cheaper paper that was more translucent, smaller font, and more ghosting. (text from the page behind showing through) I was very pleasantly surprised again. The paper was pretty opaque for a less expensive Bible. Well, even for some more expensive Bibles it was pretty opaque.
The font looks to be twelve point and is clear and legible. The Bible is a double column, paragraph format with some foot notes and references at the bottom of the page. This was a smart move. Doing it this way enabled them to print some large font while keeping the size down. This was going to become my daily reader until my dear wife picked it up. I think to quote her she said, “Oooh this is so soft and nice… Can I have it?” What can you do? This Bible has one ribbon marker matching the color of the cover.
It opens nicely and is very easy to read. I love the accuracy of the NKJV. This Bible has some colored maps at the end. I highly recommend this Bible for those looking for a daily reader without a bunch of distractions. It is comfortable to hold and easy on the eyes with the opaque paper and large font. All of this with the low price makes it an excellent value and asset.
Dimensions: 8.13 X 5.38 X 1.13 (inches)
ISBN: 1433613190
ISBN-13: 9781433613197
I received this Bible free of charge for the purpose of writing a review and am not obligated to write a positive review.
What we have here is a King James Version study Bible from Holman covered in genuine cowhide black leather.
The leather is soft and flexible with a nice grain to it. The entire Bible flexes and bends very easily without being too floppy.
The inside cover is lined.
It has a sewn binding which enables it to lie flat when opened fresh out of the box without requiring to be broken in. It will also last much longer with this kind of binding making this Bible an excellent long term Study Bible.
It comes with two ribbon markers. One is black the other is silver. The ribbons are good quality, not those flimsy thin things you find in cheaper Bibles.
The utilization of full color features is eye catching and will invite the reader to explore many side studies, however due to the full color features the pages do stick together right out of the box and require some working in. Be careful not to tear any pages while you are separating them. Included are a one and three year reading plan to keep you on track.
The books have introductions, time-lines, and outlines.
The headings, chapter and verse numbers are in blue.
The words of Christ are in red. The print is in a two column format with references in the center column. The font is crisp black 9 point font, with high contrast against the white paper behind it.
The page edges and spine are gild in silver.
This a well crafted Bible made here in America, that will give you many years of service backed up by a lifetime warranty.
If you are in the market for a study Bible you have many options these days. You can opt for a signature one like a, “Macarthur Study Bible” or you can choose one with numerous contributors like the, “ESV Study Bible.” Why would you choose the Holman KJV Study Bible? I know my KJV only friends won’t want this Bible because it lacks the Authorized Version stamp of approval because it has a copyright. I know my hipster friends won’t want it because it isn’t gender inclusive enough for them. I know my peers won’t buy it because, “The KJV is too hard to understand…” To all of them I say, “You don’t know what you are missing.” Listen I love the NASB, KJV, ESV, NKJV, and HCSB translations.
I’m not so misinformed or deceived that I’ll write off a Bible translation just because of some laymen’s haphazard critique. I read and study for myself and accept Biblical counsel from men who are more learned and mature. Over the years I’ve come to appreciate the history behind translations like the KJV and the Geneva Bible. This particular Bible has so many articles, notes, maps, pictures, and helps that it would be ridiculous to write it off just because it is KJV. Matter of fact most people that have a problem with KJV have not even really tried to read one.
I think after you look at some of the pictures, and realize how well constructed this Bible is and see many of the wonderful features it includes it might generate some new interest in this venerable old version.
Here are a list of features that I might have left out;
Full-color page designs
Full-color maps, charts, and reconstructions
Extensive book introductions and commentary notes
40-page concordance
Essays on practical and theological issues
Feature-length articles on the origin and transmission of the Bible
41 photos
62 timelines
59 maps
20 articles and essays
16 illustrations and reconstructions
15 charts
A helpful glossary of 17th century expressions relative to the KJV’s signature phrasing
Self-pronouncing text
Two-column text setting
Center-column cross references
The words of Jesus in red
One- and three-year Bible reading plans
Presentation page
Family Registry
Two ribbon markers
Silver page edges
9-point text size
9.50″ x 7.00″ x 2.25″
Product Information
Format: Cowhide Leather
Number of Pages: 2304
Vendor: Holman Bible Publishers
Publication Date: 2013
Dimensions: 9.50 X 7.00 X 2.00 (inches)
ISBN: 1433603780
ISBN-13: 9781433603785
First I’d like to start out by saying that study Bibles in general have some benefits and some drawbacks. One of the great advantages is that you have a set of commentaries with your Bible to be carried with you wherever you go. One of the obvious drawbacks is that all those notes and features add to the bulk of the Bible making it heavier and bigger. The size and weight isn’t the major drawback. Most people expect that when they are shopping for a study Bible. The major drawback of course comes into play when you ask, “Who wrote my commentary?” For instance if your theology is very liberal and intolerably inaccurate then you would absolutely hate the, “MacArthur Study Bible.” You would probably love a study Bible caters to your liberal theology. The downfall of having a study Bible with just one mans commentary is that you just get his point of view, and if he is a false teacher you get more false teachings. The benefit is if he is a good teacher, you get very focused and direct answers to difficult passages.
When you have a study Bible where hundreds of theologians were utilized for the commentaries, you end up with what could be a mixed bag of theologies. Unless, that study Bible is put out by an organization or denomination with set doctrine, then they would make an attempt to have the commentaries conform with their doctrines.
Well what if the denomination has a split opinion about some doctrines, like oh, I don’t know… perhaps the Southern Baptist Convention? You guessed it, you’ll have some Reformed doctrines and some Arminian doctrines espoused. I’m not knocking the SBC, after all I’m a member. I’m not knocking this study Bible either. So far I quite enjoy it. I think it is kind of a, “Jack of all trades, master of none” study Bible. I don’t mean to imply a lack of direction or focus on the part of the publishers. I think that this study Bible will fit a very large cross section of evangelical Protestantism. This can frustrate some or be refreshing to others. Like I said just a bit ago, I am enjoying it. I myself am in the Reformed camp when it comes to soteriology, but I am not the type of person who cries heretic when I see an Arminian walking down the street. With that all out of the way, we’ll start by taking a look at the construction of this Bible.
The most important physical feature of this Bible is the sewn binding. I verified with Holman that in fact, this does have a sewn binding. You can see here how the binding bends in the spine wherever it is opened. A sewn binding bends and the Bible can open flat because the pages don’t have to bend around a fixed glued point. The pages are also set up in journals and stacked before they are sewn to binding straps (tape)
With this method of binding comes some added expense to the consumer, but in my opinion it is well worth it for durability and usability. The pages don’t fall out of the front or back of the Bible as easily with a sewn binding.
The leather they use here is supple with a good grain.
It just drapes over your hand.
Here you can see it rolled up on itself.
I don’t usually treat Bibles like this, but I wanted you to get an idea of how well bound this one is. Most large study Bibles will fall apart if you do this with them. Because of the sewn binding and the quality cover this Bible is going to last a long time. It has a lifetime warranty from Holman.
The inside cover does not appear to be lined at first glance, but upon closer inspection you can see that it is lined with some very flexible material that doesn’t crease like the normal vinyl and card paper you typically see. I like that feature a lot. It makes the outer cover that much more enjoyable.
The Bible has two ribbon markers. One is kind of a gold color and the other is black. They used good heavy ribbons instead of the thin cheap ones that fold up and crease.
Another part of the binding process I truly appreciate is the first page being glued in further up and away from the gutter, keeping it more securely locked into the cover.
As you can see the pages are edge gild. The spine is gild as well.
If you are like me you may be curious as to what exactly makes those pages so shiny. I always thought it was gold leaf. I e-mailed Holman and they referred me to their expert. He told me that it is actually a gold colored foil made from colored aluminum particles. The page edges get sanded and then the foil is rolled on. The heat that is generated by the sanding process makes the inks that are printed on the pages sticky. So that is why the pages stick together. Here is a link to a video that they sent me showing how the machine works;
When I received the Bible it was packaged in a retail box. It got banged around a bit during shipping and one of the corners of the cover was a bit bent.
This Bible is a double column format with center column references. It is a black text edition. The font looks to be a 9 pt. font. It is printed clearly with good contrast. The ghosting is minimal even though the pages are very thin. This Bible is made here in the U.S.
I think the blue headings and chapter numbers are a nice touch. The reference chapter and verse numbers are also in blue. It seems to make them easier to locate for me. You can also see there is a colored band separating the text from the study notes at the bottom of the page. The inside of this band is utilized for more references. It is all quite readable and there is a plethora of information.
In the picture above you can see one of the word study boxes in the lower left of the page.
In the picture above you can see one of the colored maps that is spread throughout this Bible in addition to the typical maps at the back.
These closeup pictures should give you an idea of how clearly the text is printed.
The page margins are pretty good sized as you can see in the picture below. They look to be about 9/16ths of an inch.
I can’t get over how many full colored features this Bible has. It is chocked full of stuff. This could be distracting if you are just wanting to read, but if you are studying it could add a number of side studies to your use.
I know that there are people out there like me who like to see as much as they can before they plunk a chunk of change down on a purchase so I’ve included a photo gallery at the bottom of this review so you can see the features for yourself. There are book introductions, outlines, topical concordance, presentation pages, records pages, lined not pages, one and three year reading plans, word studies, essays, and on and on and on. This isn’t a cheap Bible. It is a good value for all of the features and the quality binding. You are getting what you paid for here. I hope you enjoyed the review.
Here is a link to this Bibles page on Christianbook.com where it can be purchased.
This list of features comes from the Christianbook.com page for this Bible. I noticed that some of the features listed there were different from the ones listed on the Holman site. I think the Christianbook.com list might be more up to date.
Top-quality black cowhide binding
Online access to the HCSB Study Bible and Bible study resources
408 word studies
More than 100 photographs
59 timelines
59 maps
24 articles on practical and theological issues
Feature-length article on how to reaed and study the Bible
16 illustrations/reconstructions
15 charts
Four-color presentation pages
Two-column text setting
Center column references
One-year Bible reading plan
Topical subheads
Black letter text
Gold page edges
Lined pages for personal notes
Presentation page
Two ribbon markers
9.75″ x 7.00″ x 2.00″
The following information is from Holmans site.
Format: Cowhide Leather
Number of Pages: 2304
Vendor: Holman Bible Publishers
Publication Date: 2010
Dimensions: 9.75 X 7.25 X 2.00 (inches)
ISBN: 1586404571
ISBN-13: 9781586404574
Availability: In Stock
References: Center Column
Text Layout: Double Column
Text Color: Black Letter
***Update 09/12/14*** I heard back from the publisher and they confirmed that this particular print of this Bible was not a sewn binding however the ones made after it in the same year do have a sewn binding.
*** Update 08/21/13*** Ok, I have to add some info here. You can still read my original review below, but as I’ve been using this Bible I have been able to see some things I originally missed. The first thing is that the paper is much better than I expressed in my original post below. It is pretty smooth in texture and the ink is sharply printed on it offering good contrast and limited ghosting. The second thing is that the cover is much softer leather than perhaps I explained. If it wasn’t on card paper and lined inside with vinyl it would be floppy. It is also pretty thick leather. I doubt it will be easily hurt. Last, I’d like to note that Holman as of yet has not responded to my questions about the binding. I can observe that the maps in the back and the presentation pages in the front are sewn into the Bible, but that doesn’t mean the Bible itself has a sewn binding. I still can’t see any dimples on the inside that would indicate stitching and the binding doesn’t bend like a sewn binding. I’m going to wait a bit longer before I damage the Bible to find out if it is in fact sewn. I really hope it is sewn. Even if it isn’t, this is a great Bible. I love the size and weight. It is a good all around thinline reference Bible. If it turns out to be a sewn binding, I would compare it to the $35 Lockman Foundation NASB.
The Holman Ultrathin NKJV Reference Bible almost got it perfect. My only gripe is that it is a glued binding. The advertisement on Christianbook.com says it is a sewn binding http://www.christianbook.com/nkjv-ultrathin-reference-brown-genuine-cowhide/9781433615030/pd/615030?event=ESRCG and reviews on other sites have also said it is a sewn binding, but I don’t believe it is. I took a close look at it and it looks and lays like a glued binding. Here is what a sewn binding looks like when it is opened up
Notice how it bends where it is opened. The pages don’t have to bend from a central glued point in a sewn binding. This is what the Holman looked like.
I would hate to have to cut such a nice Bible up to see if it is truly sewn or not so I think I will first e-mail Holman and ask them. If they say it is sewn, I’ll probably have to cut this Bible up to see. They might be paying for it to be sewn in Korea, but who knows if it is getting done. Perhaps there is a mix up over at Christianbook.com?
Having that said let’s take a look at what makes it a good buy. First off, I like the New King James Version (NKJV) it is a good translation. It is easy to read and it is accurate. It has been around for quite a while now and I am pretty familiar with it. My favorite is the NASB, but the NKJV comes in fourth for me. NASB, ESV, KJV, and NKJV. I don’t think I’d bother with any other translations. Too many agenda driven ones out there now.
The Bible came in a cardboard box, cushioned with paper. The Bible was inside a retail box that would be good to store the Bible in as it is pretty sturdy.
The Bible itself was wrapped inside two sleeves of thick, brown, paper. This was to protect the cowhide cover.
The Bible measures about nine inches by six inches by an inch.
The spine of the Bible has raised hubs on the back that appear to just be decorative. Just because there are hubs doesn’t mean it is a sewn binding. I do like the look and feel of it.
There is one brown ribbon marker and the page edges are gold colored as well as the spine. I don’t know if it is real gold leaf or not. For the price I’m guessing it isn’t.
The font is 8 point. It is clearly printed and easy to read. The words of Christ are in red. The Bible is printed in Korea.
The Bible is printed in a double column format with center column references. There are also book introductions.
There is a sixty six page concordance and eight color maps. The paper that the maps are on aren’t as glossy as some and might hold up better because of it.
I was curious about this Bible because most of the ones I have purchased or received for review purposes have had smyth-sewn bindings. It had been a while since I looked at a Bible with a glued binding as I prefer the durability of the sewn bindings to the glued ones.
After looking at this Bible for just a little while now I can honestly say that I love all of the notes, papers, pictures, and resources in it.
I also love the layout and text. It is a great size font and very clear.
This would be a much better Bible if it were a sewn-binding. I am still not a fan of the glued bindings. The genuine leather cover is pretty typical for a Bible in this price range.
I was surprised at how badly the pages stuck together. It would be a pity if any of them tore because of the cheap silver colored gilding.
The pages are printed and laid out so beautifully. The Bible also has two ribbon markers.
This Bible is made in America which is a rare thing these days, when most of the low to mid-range ones are made in China or Korea.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was made here in the USA. There are so many features and things this Bible has got right, but the couple of draw backs are big ones for me. For $79.99 I expect much more in the quality department. So my two biggest gripes would be the glued binding, which is pretty standard these days, and the silver colored edge gilding that made the pages stick together. If they would put this in a sewn binding with real art gild page edges and a goatskin cover for $150.00 I think they would have a winner here. As it is I think this Bible falls prey to the quantity over quality error. Don’t get me wrong, this is a wonderfully useful and informative study Bible. It would be very helpful to someone doing daily studies and it comes in a decent price on Christianbook.com. Here is a list of some of it’s features;
15,000 study notes
141 photos
62 timelines
59 maps
40-page concordance
20 articles and essays on practical and theological issues
16 illustrations and reconstructions
15 charts.
Two-column text setting
Center-column cross references
The words of Jesus in red type
Extensive book introductions
One- and three-year Bible reading plans
Notes section for personal notes
Ribbon marker
Presentation page
Family record section
9-point text size
9.50″ X 7.00″ X 1.75″
I wouldn’t let my two gripes about this Bible dissuade you from purchasing it because even though it lists at $79.99 it is available for much less on Amazon and Christianbook.com I will include links to both sites at the end of the review. I am kind of a stickler for bindings. Holman did put a lifetime warranty on this Bible so I imagine if the pages do start falling out you can ship it back to them and get a replacement. So in conclusion if you are looking for a deluxe daily driver then this is your Bible, but if you are looking for a premium Bible you are in the wrong price range. Features for miles and miles with just a couple little quibbles. Hope you enjoy all of the pictures below. http://www.amazon.com/Holman-Study-Bible-Edition-Genuine/dp/1433605147 for Amazon and http://www.christianbook.com/nkjv-holman-bible-black-genuine-leather/9781433605123/pd/605123# for Christianbook.com
I received this Bible from Holman free of charge for review purposes and am in no way obligated to give a good review of this product.
I received a copy of the Holman NKJV Large Print Compact Reference Bible in black bonded leather promptly after requesting it.
The bonded leather is quite stiff.
That is to be expected on a small Bible like this. The Bible did not come in a box, but rather a card-paper sleeve. The spine is gilded as well are the page edges.
The cover is about six inches long, and four inches wide.
It looks to be an inch thick.
The older version of this that I have in the KJV was smyth-sewn, had decorative head and foot bands. These are conspicuously missing in this newer iteration.
Being made in China could account for the lower production quality.
That isn’t to say that this isn’t a good value. It appears that the binding is glued. The Bible doesn’t as yet lay flat. It might once it is broken in. The inside is lined with black card-paper.
This also makes the cover a bit more stiff. This Bible has 8 point font for the text which makes it very easy on the eyes for such a compact and small Bible.
It is very easy to hold and read. For those of you who think the 8 pt font is too small, what are you doing getting a compact Bible anyways? As with most compact Bibles the font is always going to border on the ridiculously small. Again, at 8 pt. this is a great little Bible. The paper is thick enough to endure use and not so transparent as to ghost horribly.
The text is printed clearly and sharply. The print quality is pretty good for an inexpensive, “take anywhere Bible.” This little Bible has a concise concordance and eight maps in the back.
This Bible does have a lifetime warranty. Contrary to some descriptions this Bible does not include a reading plan. I would recommend this Bible for anyone looking for an easy to transport and read Bible.
Snyder's Soapbox 