The Bible (Penguin Classics)

Nearly three years after buying this paperback Bible, it is still my favorite version to read. Expensive is not always best, especially in this case. I love the readability of the paragraph format; God's word now reads like a normal book instead of a dissected piece of manuscript. I find the formatting especially invaluable for reading many chapters at a time. Inconspicuous verse markings, well-suited divisions into paragraphs, as well as quotation marks around dialogue all help give the reader a much better sense of the context of the passage. The substantial margins on the outside edges of the text are highly useful for annotations, especially since they are not cluttered with other information. I love to underline and make notes in this Bible, firstly due to the available space, and secondly since the Bible costs so little. The incredibly low price makes me not at all afraid to make notes on it, drink tea with it, and take it on the road with me, since, if by some misfortune I would misplace it, another copy would surely be in order! True, some information which is typically supplied in a King James Version will not be found. There are no marginal notes, page headings, or other marginal references. But for me, these all work to its advantage. The absence of these features make it a highly readable Bible, not a study Bible. My study Bible is still handy when I need access to other such information. I have actually enjoyed discovering inter-scriptural references and making my own page headings in the absence of these features. Without a doubt, this well-formatted version of the King James Bible is a job well done by David Norton. Anyone who is preparing to read the Bible through from cover-to-cover will surely appreciate this highly readable version.

King James Version in penguin paperback edition. No complaints and easier to hold and read while laying down than paper thin bibles which must lay flat.

Read this Bible aloud to best appreciate it. This translation of the King James version of the Bible is not just for Christians but for anyone who likes good English; for the 1611 translation had a lot to do with shaping the English we speak today. This translation takes the 1611 King James Bible and updates the grammar and layout while leaving the magnificence untouched. The language isn't fully updated into modern forms, but just enough to be more accessible for modern readers. Some books of the Bible were written for specific audiences or for specific purposes (Paul's letters are the most obvious examples). Similarly, translations of the Bible often have different audiences in mind. The original King James translation was written to sound magnificent as it was being read aloud in church. People in 1611 didn't actually talk like that: it wasn't a translation into the language of the day. So don't read this quietly to yourself or study from it but read it aloud and listen to it, and worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

This is a review of the physical features of this Bible, not David Norton's freshly prepared edition of the Authorized Version, or the various canonical debates surrounding the Apocrypha. PROS: I love most of what Penguin Classics puts out. I also am an avid believer in single column Bibles, especially over the usual KJV "verse-per-paragraph" setting. This Bible (bulky, yes, but it's a BIBLE) is a great value for the price. It offers a clean, readable text setting on relatively opaque paper, and for a typical (non-textual-scholar) Bible reader, it performs even a bit higher than the price point would lead you to expect. The best part of the Bible, though, is that if it gets lost or damaged, the cost to replace it is relatively negligible. CONS: The binding is nothing special, and will wear out relatively quickly if read with regularity. The page glue will begin to weaken and pages will start falling out. But again, the price point more than makes up for this in my opinion. Also, the inclusion of the Apocrypha does add to the bulk, but any Bible, let's face it, is going to be a bulky book, unless you want microscopic text and/or onion skin paper.

This edition of the King James Version (Authorised Version) of the bible is a pleasure to handle. It is printed on white paper that is thick enough to minimise the amount of bleed-through of print from pages sharing the same sheet. It is a well bound paperback, not sewn in signatures but still well bound. The book is surprisingly heavy but in a way that adds to the pleasure of handling it. There are some things missing (1) it does not have chapter summaries at the top of each chapter - these summaries are common in good KJV editions. (2) it doesn't include the marginal notes from the KJV translators. But there are some nice features (1) it has a good introduction (2) it has interesting notes at the end of the volume - these notes are similar to book introductions for each of the books of the KJV (3) it has the text set out in paragraphs on a single column which in my opinion enhances the pleasure of reading the volume. If you like marking passages this edition will suit you well because of the quality of the paper. If you want a bible that includes everything that the KJV translators translated (except for the marginal notes with alternate translations) this is the bible for you. The price is very good; $10.88 (as at 4th-April-2008). This review is for the book with ISBN-10: 0141441518 Five stars is well deserved.

To be brief: This is the easiest-to-read King James Bible I have ever come upon. The paragraphing is one big help; but so is the font selected. In addition, it is very well-bound, meaning that for such a "thick" book, there should be no problem holding together. Be advised though, this is NOT an annotated or study bible with lots of notes-- just the basic, wonderful KJV English!

just what i was looking for it had all the information i needed it is a must buy for anyone who wants to diligently read and study bible truths!!!!

This paperback Bible is one of my two most favourite paperback Bibles. The other paperback Bile is from collins publishers.I am mad about Bibles, specially these two paperback Bibles and I can't spend even two days without reading these two paperback Bibles. I must tell everyone that this Bible is one of the most complete Bibles in the world. After Weber-Gryson Biblia Sacra Vulgata Stuttgart Edition and Douay-Rheims Bible Challoner Revision this paperback Bible is another one going to be bestselling book.

Better than all the expensive fancy gold edge leather editions.. print is on the small side, but very clear, readable (its amazing how many bibles are not), the text has much greater depth than modern English, Poetry sections are printed in that format, other sections in paragraph format. There are no "pronunciation marks", nor the thousands of reference numbers which clutter most bibles, only small unobtrusive verse numbers... i.e a Bible, which means a collection of writings in book form... the margins are fairly wide, so notes are easy, the paper is more opaque than that of the expensive leather verisions, so its easier to read... and it cost about 10% as much as a fancy gold trimmed, thin page, "eye-wrecker" leather version... 1890 yen with free shipping... less than a pizza.

Waiting for a leather or pleather version due to arrive any day now. This book contains the apocrypha. Most KJV Onlyists don’t realize that they don’t have the “complete” book if they aren’t carrying this version. Of course that’s a religious spirit though. For those seeking Truth, it’s good to have the apocrypha. This is one of the books I use every day so the paper cover is in hard shape, but the rest is just fine.

If every household had blessed themselves with having this great book in their houses, I have no doubt the world would be worthy of living in.