New Cambridge Paragraph Bible without Apocrypha Hardcover Personal Size (Bible Review)

Before the Clarion came out, the most readily available layout for the KJV was the verse-by-verse. Cambridge saw the opportunity for a new layout and went ahead with Norton's translation of the 1611 KJV and adapted the text to a paragraph setting.

Having originally published this work in a gigantic textbook size format (2005) - inadvertantly putting off a lot of potential buyers, Cambridge has since released its NCPB in a personal size format (2011). This layout is reduced in size by 87% compared to its giant predecessor. The font size used is approx 8.7/10.9pt compared to the 10/12.5pt used by its predecessor. The font-type remains the same in using the Swift (EF).

The Personal-size Rendition of the NCPB is Currently Available in Four Different Formats: (All are Paste-down Liners)

1) NCPB with Apocrypha (Hardcover Gray)

2) NCPB with Apocrypha (Calfskin Black)

3) NCPB without Apocrypha (Hardcover Blue)

4) NCPB without Apocypha (Calfskin Black)

Unlike the Clarion and other premium products by Cambridge which are printed and bound by Royal Jongbloed in the Netherlands; all four formats are printed and bound in Italy at L.E.G.O. SpA., Vincenza.

All Four Formats Include the Following:

1) Editor's introduction

2) Title page dedicating the text to be read in Chuches

3) Epistle Dedicatory

4) The Translators to the Reader

5) New and Old Testaments

The format I will be reviewing is the New Cambridge Paragraph Bible in Hardcover Blue, KJ590:T: Personal size. ISBN 978-0-521-19501-0

Sizing:

The NCPB Personal size fits somewhere between the Cambridge ESV Topaz and the Clarion (see pictures below).

The other objects that the NCPB are compared with in the attached pictures are A4 size paper and an Apple iPhone.

First Impressions:

Having previously purchased the NCPB in calfskin, and not being impressed by it (that's another review), I had taken it upon myself to give the NCPB another try - this time in its cheaper hardcover edition. Having already purchased multiple Cambridge bibles in the past off of Amazon, I have learned that the product had to be shrink-wrapped in order for it to be considered as new rather than having been opened and returned. Mine came in shrink-wrapped - so it passed the first test.

It didn't however, pass the second test. The spine of my NCPB had somewhat of an oddity to it, namely a crease in the middle. Furthermore, I realized that the paper came in with notable scuffing already evident on the edges. Not satisfied with this, I opted for a replacement - which I got, but once again the same issues concerning the spine.

What Made Me Hesitate in Returning My Copy:

Overall, aside from the noted structural deficiencies, I loved the size of the NCPB. It was easy to wield and made for a perfect reader in terms of its layout. If it weren't for the book spine issues noted above, I would rate the hardcopy as a better edition than the calfskin. The cover has a really nice marble-eque pattern on it. Furthermore, the blue and white head-tail bands really accentuate the desirability of this blue hardcopy. You get the same Cambridge trademark spine rib indented etchings on the hardcover as you would on the Clarion. As a comparison, when compared to the Clarion, the references (Clarion) are located in the outer margin, whereas the translator notes (NCPB) are located in the inner margin. This layout employed by the NCPB ensures that the main text (scriptures) never reaches the gutter.

Readability - Why I Ultimately Sent Mine Back:

If there was one thing that I could change about this edition of the NCPB, it would be the paper. The paper does a great injustice to the layout of this whole NCPB project, There is so much ghosting, that it really makes it hard to read in somewhat dimmer environments. This is further aggravated by the fact that Cambridge decided not to line-match this bible. In the end I opted for a refund of the actual hardcopy of this edition and decided to invest in its available Logos format.