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The following is a review of Crossways ESV Single Column Reference Bible (SCRB).
I have this bible in my fleet of Crossway publications and it has quickly become my all time favorite version to use in my daily devotional and study time. I plan on laying out for you here why it is this bible has not only become my favorite, but list a few of its downsides as well. I want to review this bible in 3 separate categories; binding, layout, and size.
Binding
Crossway’s black tru-tone series has quickly won me over as their best binding material short of their calfskin versions. The feel of this material is absolutely glorious and has the perfect texture in the palm to keep it from sliding about. Its feel is what I have come to describe as banana peel-like. I have no other way to describe it other than that. The closest other binding I know of you may be familiar with are moleskin notebooks…just a little smoother.
Though Crossway offers tru-tone in other formats and styles, their straight black series is by far the most supple and flexible. Any of their bindings in this cover are the most flexible you can purchase from them. For some reason, perhaps because of different backing material the tru-tone is adhered to, other versions with different colors and styles of tru-tone are not as flexible as the black.
These black tru-tones are what I have come to refer as the “blue collar goatskin”. The look and feel of these bindings rank equal, in my opinion, to that of the ultra high end bible bindings…just ALOT cheaper.
Another great feature of the SCRB is it’s absolute fluidity, i.e., it practically conforms to the hand when held. A simple test I have developed rates bibles in my own collection in this fluidity. Simply pinch a corner, and watch what happens:
It practically bends over on itself. This is usually a trait one usually only finds in supple, high end goatskin bindings.
Another desirable characteristic of the SCRB is its ability to lay open flat with no prodding at all:
Below are some more pictures of its characteristics:
Here’s a close up of the tru-tone:
Unfortunately, this version of the SCRB does not have a sewn binding, it is glued. I handled a few of the other SCRB’s in the bookstore, and it appears they are all glued. Oh well, I suppose.
Layout
At first, I thought this version was going to be a bear to read. I mean, after all, every verse is a new line! But boy was I wrong.
I was amazed how easy and comfortable it was to read in this manner. What I found was that as you read and come to the end of a verse, there is a break in the text, forcing the eye to move down to the next verse. What I found was that instead of just reading sentence after sentence after sentence, there was a split second where my mind sort of digested the text that I had just read before my eyes moved onward. Sort of like how a golfer may approach a golf ball on a tee. The verse is laid up on a “tee” where you approach it, your eye takes it in, and there is time to “let the verse in” to your mind before you feel like you have to move onto the second verse. It’s actually quite amazing, especially if you aren’t familiar with this layout. It’s very reader friendly.
Often, when I read my bible, I tend to approach it as sentences to be read, like an ordinary book. However, where the bible is different than, say, Moby Dick, is that each verse is to be savored, mulled over, mediated upon, and digested. This version actually helps in that whole process. Remarkable. The downside to this format is it makes for a pretty thick book (more on that later).
Though it isn’t considered a true wide margin bible, I would say it is….barely. It’s margins are 1 1/8″- 1 1/4″ on the sides, 3/4″-1″ on the top, and 3/4″ on the bottom. Plenty of space for some margin notes.
I think it is also worth saying that the typeset used is very easy on the eyes. The letters on the page are very crisp and distinct making for comfortable reading. If you wear glasses, this may be a great bible for you.
Finally, the obvious advantage of this layout is that it is very easy to find a verse on the page. Though I am no preacher nor pastor, I have a feeling this might be a good investment for those referring to many verses at any given time or the layperson wanting to keep up with Sunday morning preaching.
Size
I felt size needed a separate category because as it stands, the SCRB is the largest bible currently in the Crossway stables measuring in at a whopping 6 1/2″ x 9 1/4″ x 1 3/8″. It’s truly a beast of a book. The only bible larger that that published by Crossway is going to be their new ESV Study Bible and that’s only going to be thicker.
Below are some pictures for comparison. On top is the ESV New Testament, followed by the Personal Size Reference, a moleskin, Thinline, and finally the SCRB.
Here’s the largest and the smallest:
Conculsion
If you’re interested in large bibles that you can interact with (see this post), then the SCRB is your bible. Though the wide margin edition does indeed have larger margins, the type is much smaller and is only available in a double column format (yuck).
On a scale from one to ten, I’m giving this bible an 8 and that’s only because of its massive size. But considering all that it can do, it’s a trade off that is worth it.
If you want a convenient bible, this isn’t your book. But if want a bible you can live in, the SCRB is your bible.
I thought I’d do a quick review of the ESV Pocket New Testemant (with Psalms and Proverbs). I’ve had this one for awhile and figured it might be helpful to post my likes and dislikes about it. So here goes….
I wanted a small pocket sized bible to keep in my back pocket at all times. The smallest version of the ESV that I had at the time was a Compact Thinline and found it to be a bit too big for fittin’ in the pocket. After a bit of research, I found that the Pocket NT w/ Psalms and Proverbs would do just the trick. It’s not a full bible, but as long as I has something to keep with me wherever I went, I was OK with it. This along with the fact that I recently heard a tremendous sermon series from Don Whitney on praying the Pslams, I made it a point to always have the Psalms with me.
Below is a picture of the Pocket NT on top of my Compact Thinline on top of my new absolute favorite bible, the ESV Personal Size Reference. This picture should give you a bit of scale between the three. If you’re wondering why on earth the bottom Personal Reference has 3 ribbons, you can go here and learn how to install them yourself at home.
Again, below is another picture for scale. It’s almost the identical size as my tri-fold wallet. I’ve been using and abusing mine pretty hard as of late and she’s holding up nicely. Since it lives in my back pocket, I sit on it whenever I, well, sit! Since the tru-tone cover is so flexible, I can barely tell it’s there. I just have to remember to take it out when we wash clothes…ug.
In the hand, it fits comfortably. I opted for the tru-tone version which feels absolutely wondeful to the touch. In preparing to write this review, I had the hardest time trying to formulate words to describe the texture of tru-tone. I came to the conclusion that the only way I can describe it is that it feels much like the skin of a banana peel. It’s smooth, “grippy”, and almost rubbery. Perfect for handling. I love it. Tru-tone is really growing on me as my favorite binding of choice. It’s affordable, durable, and looks attractive, much unlike the “genuine leather” Crossway manufactures. I have both the tru-tone and the genuine leather in the Personal Reference editions and the tru-tone is by far the most appealing. For a great summary of the synthetic bindings becoming so popular amongst many publishers, check out J. Mark Bertrand’s excellent post.
Below is a quick comparison of all three. The Personal Reference on the bottom, followed by the Compact Thinline, and the Pocket New Testament on top. You’ll notice that the lettering in the Pocket NT is veryreadable. It boasts a 7 point font, while the Compact Thinline only has a 6.2 font….eek! The Personal Reference has the most comfortable of all 3 coming in at a 7.4 point font. Even for such a tiny bible (3″x4 1/4″ x 5/8″) the Pocket NT is very comfortable to read.
The following are a few shots of the inside pages. One a general shot of John, while the others are the opening pages of Psalms and Proverbs.
Overall, this is quite a nice little book. The tru-tone sewn binding makes for a quality look and feel at a MUCH cheaper price than the goat and calf skin varieties. It’s readability is far better than I had anticipated when I first purchased it, and the ESV translation is second to none. On a scale of one to ten, I give it a high 9. The only problems I have run into (you honestly didn’t think there wouldn’t be any, didja’) are:
1)While I do not mind having a red letter edition bible, I find that the red ink Crossway uses to be somewhat pinkish and as a result, the letters sort of “fade into the background” as you read. I would love to see a bolder red used. But that problem isn’t just related to the Pocket NT, it has more to do with all red letter editions published by Crossway.
2)The picture on the Crossway website of the Pocket NT shows the binding sporting gold leaf lettering on the spine. My edition, nor any others on the store shelf, had such guilding. No big whoop, but just wanted to make all aware of it.
3)Again, not neccesarily related to the Pocket NT, but I would still love to see 2 to 3 ribbons in bibles. Since many read in several spots in their bibles during devotions, especially with the popularity of the M’Cheyne Reading Schedule as of late, it would be worth the investment.
4)For some reason, Crossway decided to place the Psalms and Proverbs behind the New Testament. My fingers naturally gravitate towards flipping to the front of my bible for thse two books, and having them in the back is a little awkward.
Well, that about sums up my little review of the Pocket New Testament. If you’de be interested in purchasing one, I’d recommend heading on over to Westminster Books and picking one up for $8.99. Can’t beat the price!
For more information on small bibles, why not check out Bible Design and Binding. You can read some great comparisons and get some great insights into bible binding, versions, and publication. Here are a few to get you started:
