Midweek: 1611 KJV with Apocrypha

Sooooo, I was curious. I probably would not have considered reading a 1611 KJV Bible, but the thought of having the Apocrypha close at hand made it impossible for me to resist. I have to say, when my complimentary edition from Thomas Nelson Publishers arrived, my excitement quickly turned to shock: this is a "digitally remastered" edition. In other words, the print (though modified from the original Gothic to a 19th century Roman font) and typeset are generally consistent with the original 1611 copy. "Priests" is rendered "Priefts" and "reproved" is "reproued", just to name a few anomalies. Well, time to put on my RenFaire persona and get this thing done.

To start, this guaranteed-for-life Bible is packaged in a protective cardboard sleeve. Its Leathersoft™ cover is stamped, stitched, and embossed; the spine is ribbed and stamped. The gilt-edged pages are thin --not necessarily friendly toward those who tend to mark up their Bibles at all. The binding allows for the book to lie flat when opened. A gold double-sided satin bookmark makes a lovely addition. The print itself is rather small and has a faded appearance, making it a little more difficult to read on top of the atypical typeset.  

Just behind the article From the Translators to the Reader, begins an almanac which includes times of the sun's rising and setting, number of days in each month, a calendar, feasts and fasts celebrated by the church, Psalms and Bible lessons to accompany morning and evening prayers, and an almanac of those "floating" church holidays everyone is always striving to figure out. An Anglican's Google, I suppose, for the days when one Bible (if any) graced the home and was a main source of information and record-keeping. Additional features according to Thomas Nelson's website include:

• Word-for-word reprint of the first edition of the Authorized Version

• Books of the Apocrypha between the Old and New Testaments

• Drop caps at the beginning of each chapter

• Original introductions from the 1611, including the article, “From the Translators to the Readers”

• Illustrated genealogy of key biblical figures from Adam and Eve to Jesus

• Reading plan to help you read through the entire Bible in a year

• Translator notes in the outer and gutter margins

• Updated typeface for easier reading

However, unless I'm missing something, I do not see the illustrated genealogy spoken of in this list of features. While the cardboard sleeve, which also catalogues the Bible's features, does not include the genealogy in its list, it does mention "original 1611 extra content. The illustrated genealogy is consistent with that description.

Would I recommend this edition? Mmmm, maybe. It's a bit of a lark; unique, appealing to a target audience. I just don't think I could pay its suggested retail of $49.99 for funzies. Christianbook is currently selling the same brown Leathersoft™ edition I received for $28.65 (with personalization available); a much more commodious price. As for my copy, I will be passing it on to someone who appreciates the King James Version of scripture and might possibly enjoy the schmaltz.