Thanks to my friend Paul for pointing me to this great article, on the Cambridge University Press site, about how to recognize a fine Bible. Follow this link and make sure to bookmark it for future use.
I think what frustrates me is there are a number of of companies out there, Oxford for one, that make fantastic Bibles, and even make Catholic Bibles. But why, oh why, do they suddenly dumb down the quality when it is a "Catholic" Bible? Seriously. I think I'm going to write to Oxford and ask them whey the NOAB RSV and NRSV are top quality from binding to cover yet the NABRE\study Bible is bonded leather? Really? I mean really? How hard would it be to at least cover and bind it in the same quality you already use for a number of Bibles you produce?
Sorry. Small tangent. Just frustrated over it, LOL.
What it comes down to is that publishers have to go where the money is.
Catholics don't buy a lot of Bibles, and when they do, they don't buy expensive ones. Baronius Press seems to be the only publisher that specializes in making really good editions of Catholic Bibles, and they are profitable because they target a very small niche market, mainly traditionalist Catholics who want a very traditional Bible. There just isn't much of a market for really expensive, ornate editions of the NAB or the Jerusalem Bible or whatnot.
Can we send this link to every single Catholic Bible publisher on the planet? :)
ReplyDeleteSteve,
DeleteI'll take one or two! 😀
I think what frustrates me is there are a number of of companies out there, Oxford for one, that make fantastic Bibles, and even make Catholic Bibles. But why, oh why, do they suddenly dumb down the quality when it is a "Catholic" Bible? Seriously. I think I'm going to write to Oxford and ask them whey the NOAB RSV and NRSV are top quality from binding to cover yet the NABRE\study Bible is bonded leather? Really? I mean really? How hard would it be to at least cover and bind it in the same quality you already use for a number of Bibles you produce?
ReplyDeleteSorry. Small tangent. Just frustrated over it, LOL.
What it comes down to is that publishers have to go where the money is.
ReplyDeleteCatholics don't buy a lot of Bibles, and when they do, they don't buy expensive ones. Baronius Press seems to be the only publisher that specializes in making really good editions of Catholic Bibles, and they are profitable because they target a very small niche market, mainly traditionalist Catholics who want a very traditional Bible. There just isn't much of a market for really expensive, ornate editions of the NAB or the Jerusalem Bible or whatnot.