Guest Post: Ignatius RSV-2CE (Large Print)

 Thank to long-time friend of this blog, Rolf, for this guest review of the new RSV-2CE Large-Print from Ignatius Press.

As some of you know, I have been commenting (and yes, a little ranting) on this blog since 2008 about the whereabouts of a large/giant print RSV-2CE Bible from Ignatius Press. I bought the first RSV-2CE Bible when it first came out in 2006, so when Tim's blog started up in 2008 I had already been waiting 2 years! Well it has finally arrived!

This Ignatius Bible Second Edition Large Print is in reality a 'giant print' Bible. It uses size 14 font.  When the Bible arrived, the first thing my wife said when she picked up the box on our porch was, "man that is heavy!" This is a large and heavy Bible (see photos). 

This giant print Bible measures 10 1/4 x 7 1/4 x 2 3/8 inches and has 2100+ pages. It is quite a bit larger and heavier than the RSV-CE large/giant print Bible from Oxford/Ignatius Press/Scepter (see comparison photos). The reason for this is the paper thickness. The newer RSV-2CE Bible uses a heavier paper unlike the RSV-CE Bible which has tissue paper feel.

Is it worth the extra weight and size? To me it is, the words pop off the page on this new Ignatius Bible. It is a combination of the thicker paper, the creamy page coloring, and the very bold size 14 font that makes it the best reading Bible that I have ever owned! But this readability comes at a cost! To me it is worth it but to others it may not be. Giant print Bibles are not for everybody, they are great for teaching from and of course are a must for people with poorer eye sight.

I purchased the bonded leather cover (blue) which is practically the same cover that is on the regular print Ignatius Bibles. For bonded leather it is flexible and comfortable, and has the now familiar icons on the cover ( which I like). Since Ignatius uses the heavier paper in this Bible, it works well with the thin bonded leather cover and is not 'too floppy' when you hand hold it.

The layout and contents are practically the same as the regular print RSV-2CE, including the 16 pages of color maps and no extras. My one complaint is they did not include any ribbon markers, even with the bonded leather edition? Hopefully Ignatius will include them in future editions! 

If you like the Ignatius Press RSV-2CE regular print Bible and you have a hard time with the size 9 print, this might be a good read at home Bible. If you teach from the Bible this giant print is wonderful, as long as you don't have to hand hold it for a long time!

I have since bought the hardcover version also which I have tabbed and added some ribbon markers. The hard cover stays in my brief case for my RCIA sessions and I will keep the bonded leather Bible for home reading and maybe one day, a journey to Leonard's? Hmmm... Burgundy hand dyed rustic goatskin!!!

RSV-2CE Large-Print?

Thanks to Eric for the scoop!

For more: http://www.ignatius.com/IProducts/278853/ignatius-bible-rsv-2nd-edition-large-print--hardcover.aspx?bCategory=BIBLES

For a look inside:

http://www.ignatius.com/Content/Site107/FilesSamples/278853LargePrin_00000018382.pdf

The Revised Standard Version of the Bible is acclaimed by many as the clearest, most accurate and most beautiful modern translation of the Bible. This newly designed and typeset 2nd edition of the popular Ignatius RSV Catholic Bible is a contemporary English translation that revises archaic language of the first edition, but avoids dumbing-down the text. It retains the beauty of the RSV language that makes the Ignatius Bible such a joy to read. Now the only contemporary Catholic Bible translation in standard English is even more beautiful in word and design, and much easier to read with the large print!

This large print version, in three different versions – leather, hard and soft covers - makes this popular yet beautiful Bible translation more accessible and appealing to a wider reading audience.

The Large Print Edition is the perfect option for devotional reading for those who prefer larger print, have impaired vision, or are reading from a lectern. It features large, clear type and additional materials of interest to all readers.

Special Features: 

• Completely re-designed and newly typeset with large 14 point font size
• The RSV, second Catholic edition, is the only Bible translation that uses standard (non-feminist) English and is in conformity with the Church's translation guidelines found in the Vatican document, Liturgiam Authenticam
• 16 pages of color maps
• Large 7 x 10 trim size
• Handsome dark blue cover with gold icons