I really do appreciate HarperOne's imagination in producing this Bible. It is, for those of you who are unaware, the NRSV Go-Anywhere Bible Catholic Edition, which was published back in 2007. It was, for me, the first edition of the NRSV that I actually purchased and read. Up until that point, I had stayed away from the NRSV due to the perceived inaccuracies of the translation due its use of inclusive language. (Since then, I have come to greatly appreciate the NRSV and its more than helpful textual notes.)
What is most unique about this particular edition is its dimensions: 8.6 x 6.6 x 1.2 inches. It is a very slender, portable Bible, but one where the text is not cramped like most compact ones. Some, like myself, have liked the extra length in this edition, while others have not. Included with the Sacred text is a helpful concordance, but that is about it. (The typical issues that plague most of HarperOne's releases, lack of cross-references and too thin paper, is also present in this NRSV.)
However, with that said, the binding is sewn and the Italian Nu-Tone cover is quite soft and has lasted for almost five years with no issues. Also, unlike the most recent NABRE imitation leather release from HarperOne, this edition does come with a ribbon marker! All in all, it is certainly a unique Bible, one that will be appreciated by only a handful of people, depending on their taste for strangely shaped Bibles!
While I don't necessarily mind the shape of this Bible, it doesn't seem particularly practical or useful. I've never really understood the "Go-Anywhere" concept anyway because these Bibles clearly do not go just anywhere. When I think "Go-Anywhere," I think pocket or compact-sized - or something similar to the incredibly imaginative (not to mention useful) Cambridge KJV Transetto. Sure, this Bible packs into a messenger bag or woman's (medium to large sized) purse, but so does an Ignatius or Oxford compact RSV. Plus, the font and typsetting, not to mention Harper's thin pages, doesn't make this Bible any easier to read than an Ignatius or Oxford compact RSV-CE. So, I'm not really sure of this Bible's niche. Sure, compact and thinline NRSV's are scarce, but I do know that Baker Publishing produces an exceptional slimline NT with Psalms. And my fiance has a full text slimline NLT which could easily go anywhere. I'd love to see an NRSV produced like this since I love compact Bibles as they fit my daily needs best.
ReplyDeleteAt my age, a 'compact' or 'pocket sized' Bible just means a Bible so small I can't see the text....I need something bigger....
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ReplyDeleteNote that this Bible came in both gray and red covers. Also, it has a small concordance at the back.
ReplyDeleteI like this series of Bibles (I own the equivalent edition with the full NRSV Apocrypha). The columns were thin and easy to read, and the poetry layout was well done. The font size here is 7-point.
Colleague: Oxford does publish compact NRSVs in formats similar to the their RSVs, but I am not aware of a currently-in-print Oxford NRSV-CE edition. Also, it is small print -- 6-point). See here.
There are a few copies of the Catholic edition currently available at Amazon at a bargain price of $11.63.