The NASB Single-Column Personal Size Bible is the latest addition to the Holman Handcrafted Collection. This is a large print edition that’s an excellent size for carrying, studying, reading, teaching, and preaching. This is ISBN: 9798384502050, printed in China.
Specs
- 2020 NASB
- Goatskin leather cover
- Calfskin liner
- Smyth-sewn
- 33GSM Bible paper
- Single-column text format
- 11-point type size
- Black-letter text
- Red chapter and verse numbers
- Reduced set of footnotes
- Art gilt page edges
- Three ribbons
- Topical index
- 8 full-color maps
- 5.375” x 8.5” page size
- 2lbs, 7 oz
- Printed in China
- Current price $119
Holman provided this Bible in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
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Table of Contents
Cover and Binding
The cover is black goatskin. The grain is deep and looks and feels elegant. It looks different from the image on the Amazon sales page. Mine is more like river grain. It includes perimeter stitching. Nothing is printed on the front. The spine includes five raised hubs and text printed in gold.
The liner is calfskin, but it’s stiff and thin. It has a gold line around the inside. The edge-lined tab is stiff and it tries to close in Genesis. It has a little bit of cockling, but it’s not obvious. I only saw it because I was looking for it.
It has three double-sided satin ribbons in black, gold, and red. They’re angle-cut and just long enough to pull to the corner to open the Bible easily. The overall size is 6 x 9.25 x 2.125 inches. It weighs 2ibs, 7 oz.
Paper
The paper is 33GSM. It’s bright white and has a rough texture. It’s easy enough to turn. It’s not as opaque as I’d like, but it’s not bad enough to keep me from using it. The show-through is only noticeable where there isn’t something printed on the side of the page you’re looking at, but there is something on the other side. The edges are slightly bent. This is probably from the page cutting. The edges have gold gilding. I did have to separate every page.
It has 8 pages in the back for notes. This is the same paper as the regular Bible pages.
Typography
The 2020 NASB text is presented in a single-column paragraph layout. Poetry is in stanzas, letters are indented, certain lists are printed in a list format, OT quotes are in all caps, and supplied words are in italics. The header shows the book name and chapters in the outer margin and page numbers in the inner margin printed in dark red. Chapter and verse numbers in the text are in red and are easy to find. The layout design is the real star of the show. I love the red highlights.
The typeface is an 11-point Bible Serif designed by 2K/Denmark. It’s a dark black letter text and it’s consistent throughout. It was printed with line-matching, so the lines on both sides of the page are printed in the same location to reduce show-through. It does help. The show though is noticeable where there’s nothing printed on one side of the page, but it’s not bad.
It has around 14-16 words per line on average. There is extra space between the lines. Also, there is enough inner margin to help bring the text out on the flat part of the page. All of this helps make the text easier to read. Poetry is divided well. I didn’t see any lines with one word. Rather than going to the end of the line and having one word to wrap to the next line, the line ends early and places two or more words on the next line.
Footnotes
Footnotes are placed in the footer. It has a reduced set of translation footnotes. They include the chapter and verse numbers in red and bold. They include alternate renderings, explanations of the original languages, etc. They’re helpful for study.
Topical Index
In the back is a topical index with 2 columns per page. It has definitions of topics, breaking most of them down into smaller sub-topics. They include lots of references. It does include theological terms. It handles them well and often includes multiple points of view. This is an excellent tool for study and sermon prep. As always, I recommend using it for reference and do your own study.
Maps
It includes 8 full-color maps on thick non-glossy paper. These are the recent maps from Holman with dark colors. The maps are clean and easy to read. It doesn’t include a map index. They have large areas without text and are annotated well, which makes them easy to use. The maps include distance, topography, mountain peaks, routes, cities, major roads, Scripture references, locations on the globe, kingdoms, locations of events, dates, etc.
Maps include:
- The Migration of Abraham
- The Route of the Exodus
- The Tribal Allotments of Israel
- The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
- Israel in the Time of Jesus
- The Ministry of Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee
- The Passion Week in Jerusalem
- Paul’s Missionary Journeys
Video Review
Conclusion
The Holman Handcrafted NASB Single-Column Personal Size Bible is a well-designed Bible. The single-column layout looks fantastic on the page and I love the red highlights. The paper could be a little more opaque for a premium edition, but it’s still highly usable. The goatskin is excellent. This size is great for all-around use. If you’re looking for a premium large print personal size NASB, this is a good choice.
_________________________________________________________
This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)
and many local Bible bookstores
_________________________________________________________
Holman provided this Bible in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.
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