Saint Joseph Edition of the New American Bible Paperback – December 12, 1988

The cover is nice, the fake leather is textured glossy cardboard that actually looks decent and doesn't feel weird. Some fake leather is ... rubbery and weird. Well, at least to me. :-)The cover: here is the title "New American Bible" (in larger bold letters) and a sensible decorative cross in the middle, then "A Saint Joseph Edition" in tasteful script ~ all done with silver embossing.The spine is also very tastefully designed with the silver embossing but also some slightly raised details that make it look like a proper leather spine. If this were on the book shelf you would think it was a real leather edition.The binding is glue BUT there is a wee card that gives you a lifetime guarantee if you take the time to register your Bible. So it might not be build to last a lifetime but that guarantee is makes up for it.What I appreciate is the size of the Bible. It is "Giant Print" yet not a hopelessly gigantic tome to try and lug around. However it *is* thick (2") and it is heavy. Yet a decent Bible cover with a sturdy carry handle would soon make it easier to carry + protect the binding and make it last a bit longer.(The heaviness of the Bible will work against the glued binding.) I have arthritis and really wimpy wrists and yet I have no problem using this Bible. Because of it's length and height being sensible sized (6.5" x 9") it lays open just fine on the lap or on the table.This edition is very straight-forward with excellent sized print (for once a large print that is truly large print!) but without any of the glossy pages of artwork.There are no notes at the bottom of the pages, but at the end of the books instead. Which is not a feature I enjoy but oh well.Double-column with only black print.There is just enough room in the margins to scribble notes. Would easily fit pen, pencil, or my fave: fine tipped (as in super fine tipped) sharpies and Micron pens, size 01.The pages are bright white paper, of medium thickness, with medium bleed-through of text on other sides of the pages. I get very distracted by bleed-through because of dyslexia and consider myself annoyingly hyper sensitive with this issue, almost OCD ~ yet with this particular Bible I am not bothered. This is probably because the actual print is nice and bold, nothing wimpy about this GIANT PRINT. :-)The thing is, it's not just the size of the print that makes it hard to read ~ also the boldness or lack of boldness, the font style of the print, the bleed-through of the pages... I have a regular sized Bible from St. Benedict Press that I can read just fine. Yet others of the same size as that one give me headaches and eye strain. So finding the right print/font/paper/blah blah ... it's tricky! But this Bible really checks all of those boxes right up front and so you won't take much of a risk purchasing it for your library.Overall this is a fine Bible for the price. :-)

Excellent BibleI was raised Roman Catholic and I will always be one, but being a Catholic was difficult until I first started reading the New American Version of the Bible. Before that, things just were hard to understand. But now, this version is completely readable. The stories take on new and powerful meaning to me now because I can read them easily. Reading the Bible used to be serious work, and much of the meaning was lost in reading things over and over again just to try to get past the style of writing that was used in versions like the King James Version.I was reading the story of Sodom and Gomorrah to my mother the other day, and I had to pause for a moment because of the look on her face at what I was reading to her. I asked, "What's the matter mom?" She said that she never knew that the people of Sodom were doing THAT (aghast at the actions of the people of the Sodom)! I said, "Mom, where do you think the word, sodomize, gets its origin?She said that she never knew the real story of Sodom and Gomorrah. I was amazed, and said, "What do you mean?" She said that when she had tried to read other versions of the Bible she could never quite get the whole meaning of things. She admitted to me that she hardly ever read the bible because it was so much work to only understand half of what was in there. I felt very sad. I went out and bought my mother her own copy this book that I am reviewing. I can only imagine how many other people don't understand Gods word because they are trying to read a version that they can't fully understand.PS. As far as people saying on here that this version isn't approved, well guess what. If you go the Vatican's own web site and click on the bible english version it is this same version, "The New American Bible." Also, the Catholic Church that I used to go to also used this version. In fact, i think many Catholic Churches use this version and I can fully understand why. It is fully readable and fully understandable.Just call up your local Catholic Church and ask them what they use. Once you use the look iside feature and read som of this understandable Bible you will "see the light" and order one for your house as well.This book has a quality cover, nice full color illustrations of events, and (what surprised me most) many black and white photo's of historic places mentioned in the bible. Reading this version is like a history lesson and geography lesson while reading a version of the bible that you can fully understand. It is awesome, and must truly be inspired by GOD. I only wish more people would use this excellently illustrated and fully readable version of GOD'S Word.Thanks

If you can find it, it’s a must buy for any library as a go to for Catholic study and reference as a solid translation of the Bible and I’m so glad I found one in near new like condition.

This Bible is easy to in hand. Not heavy at all. It is well made and a very worthy purchase. The size is perfect for those who like to carry their bible with them in a purse or Bible bag. Excellence product that I highly recommend.