In 1844 a German scholar traveled ten days by camel to amonastery guarded by the 1,100-year-old skeleton of a janitor, where thescholar discovered the world's oldest complete copy of the New Testament. In 1947 the oldest complete manuscript of Hebrew Scripturedisappeared in Syrian riots. Part of it was later recovered, and a full pageand a fragment were also discovered in Brooklyn, New York. In 1536 William Tyndale was burned at the stake for thecrime of publishing the New Testament in English. The Bible is a remarkable collection of books and letters,written by more than forty authors over a period of 1,500 years. Its words havebeen studied, disputed, and treasured. They have also brought comfort,conviction, and challenge. Today at least one book of the Bible is translatedinto more than 2,400 of the world's 6,900 living languages. The Story of the Bible is a sweeping panorama of the Bible's 3,500-year history, answering questionssuch How accurate are the manuscripts we have? Do all translations say the same thing? Was America reallyfounded on the Bible? Why are the Dead Sea Scrolls so important? Endorsements : "A captivating and colorful account of the history of theBible from parchment to print." - Ravi Zacharias, from the foreword " The Story of theBible tells beautifully and crisply how the Bible came together and how ithas been read through the centuries. It is a joy to scan and is rich to read,an excellent book about the most unique book in the world." - Darrell Bock,Ph.D., author, According to theScriptures and Breaking the DaVinciCode " The Story of theBible offers breathtaking insight and compelling clues into the Bible andits power over the heart of mankind." - Rabbi Daniel Lapin, American Allianceof Jews and Christians
The Story of the Bible: The Fascinating History of Its Writing, Translation & Effect on Civilization by Larry Stone Larry Stone in The Story of the Bible provides the history of the Bible’s writing, canon, printing and translations. Stone provides his readers with detail on the ancient civilizations and languages in which the Bible was written and the discovery of manuscripts containing portions of the Bible. He then outlines how the Biblical manuscripts became canonized in the early church, and how additional manuscripts were discovered and furthered our understanding of Biblical content. Stone also demonstrates how the Bible was translated from manuscripts in original languages to Latin, German, eventually English and finally as a missionary tool in native languages. Along with the text, 23 life-size reproductions that can be removed and returned to the book are provided. Overall this text is a straight forward survey text providing information that can be found elsewhere, such as Christian history textbooks, specific to the Bible. The text is readable and generally understandable. It is not however a complex historical discussion. However that should make it more usable for the general reader. Visually the book is also very pleasing and would look nice on any shelve. I was also surprised by the size of the book, expecting a very short pamphlet style book. This instead really is a coffee table book that’s strength really is its visual presentation. The reproductions to me however were a miss. I struggled to return two of the pullouts to their envelope in the book. In fact, one will never go back in to its original spot. And the reproductions are printed on the same paper as the book itself, making me wonder if it would have been just as effective as added pictures in the book. Really with a pullout I’m looking for something that I could not show in a book or shows the texture or feel of the actual item when teaching. Overall, this is a good introduction to the Bible that is visually pleasing.
Have you ever wondered just how we got our Bible? For most of us, history is a bit fuzzy, a once upon a time. Most Christians believe that the Bible is the true Word of God; but, why all the different versions? How do we know that the Bible we hold in our hands is the Bible that was written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit nearly two thousand years ago? Good questions. Good questions to which I found good answers in The Story of The Bible by Larry Stone.
Often a new book will be on my bookshelf for awhile before I read it. Not this one. When I opened the box, I was in awe. The quality of the book was amazing. The cover felt good in my hands. The paper was thick, as though it is meant to last a lifetime. The illustrations are of excellent quality. Throughout the book there are vellum pouches containing copies of many of the documents that Mr. Stone references. I felt like I'd just been given a box of rich chocolates and flowers, too.
When I opened the book, I found that the text was very readable. The information presented could have been for a college textbook; but, the style of writing was like sitting down with a good friend for some one on one tutoring. He explained it all, the beginnings, the people of the Bible, the foundation of a new faith, the early years of the church, the Middle Ages, the remarkable century from Gutenberg to Luther, the Bible in English, the old Book in the New World, and "to the end of the Earth".
This book was especially thrilling (yes, I really do mean that) for me because I just finished reading about the Middle Ages with my children. Many of the names and events in the book were familiar to me. So, now that I've enjoyed the book, I am reading it aloud to my 13, 11, and 9 year olds. Do I think they will grasp everything? No, probably not. They will retain a respect for the truth and value of our Bible, for the sacrifices made for it, and I hope, have an increased understanding of its importance.
I am very glad I bought this book. It will keep an ever present place in my library unless someday I can't help myself and I give it away to a person who will appreciate it. Read this book. If you love the Bible, read this book. If you enjoy the history of publishing, read this book. It will expand your vision of how we got the Bible. It will relieve your view of the transmission of the Bible from half-truths and mythology. If you've never heard of the author, the introduction by Ravi Zacharias should help smooth any doubts you have about the book's value and accuracy. I cannot say it too emphatically, read this book!
The Story of the Bible is an absolute gem. It is big and colorful with many pictures and a graphically gorgeous presentation. The centerpiece of the book is the collection of life-sized, full color reproductions of pages from historically significant Bibles (from the Dead Sea Scrolls, to Sinaiticus, to Gutenberg, Erasmus and the original KJV). These are scattered throughout the book with their appropriate chapters in convenient open-top envelopes. You not only read about historic Bibles and their interesting stories, but you can actually look at them and see for yourself the development of the texts. Even if you don't read Hebrew, Greek or Latin, you can appreciate the beauty of the pages and the monumental amount of work that has gone into preserving a book most of us take for granted.
I loved this book. It captured my attention and kept it. I strolled through its too few pages, looking at the reproductions as they surfaced and enjoyed the stories about their production and discovery. This book will delight your appreciation for a book that besides telling the most important story in history, you will see, has an amazing story of its own.
Stone covers his topic thoroughly and not pedantically. The topic could get tediously scholastic, but he does not allow that. From time to time, his passion for a particular chapter in Bible history shows, but it does not damage the story he's telling. The story is well balanced from period to period. There were times I thought he could tell part of the story more thoroughly, but he kept to his purpose to survey the topic and did not weight it down with needless detail.
Most of the reviews I read about this book on Goodreads were written by people who were given the book and required to write a review as a condition of the gift. Not me. I wanted this book from the first time I saw it on the shelf and could not afford it. Then Barnes and Noble put it on the sale shelf and I scarfed it up. I have not been disappointed.
There are only two things that keep me from saying that this book is indespensible. First, it is too new (the 2011 NIV revision is not mentioned though the now out of print TNIV is). The Story of the Bible has yet to stand the test of review that all great books should endure. Second, it has a bit of an American slant which is a little sad. I guess that should not bother me, because in the history of English Bible translation (arguably the most significant development since Jerome), the United States looms large, and if not for the massive number of Bible's published and sold in America, much of Bible distribution throughout the world could not happen. So, even though Stone gives the U.S. a whole chapter, making the book seem a little provincial, it is probably objectively appropriate.
I cannot recommend this book too heartily. It deserves a place in every church's library and every Bible scholar's home. If I ever teach another course in Church History, this book will be one of the textbooks.
"The Story of the Bible" covered the history of the Bible from the writing of the books of the Bible and their canonization to the many translations made throughout the ages. This book was packed with interesting information, but it was still easy to read and understand. There were over 90 full color illustrations (including pictures of many Old and New Testament manuscripts and translations).
There were also 23 life-sized, full-color, removable copies of pages from important Bibles. They were tucked into pouches near the text that talked about them. These included copies of pages from the Dead Sea Scrolls, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus, The Morgan Crusader's Bible, The Book of Kells, New Testament translated by John Wycliffe, German New Testament text by Martin Luther, Gutenberg Bible, New Testament translated by William Tyndale, Geneva Bible, 1611 King James Bible, The Bay Pslam Book, Algonquin Bible translated by John Eliot, and Waodani Gospel of Mark translated by Rachel Saint.
There was also a timeline inside the front and back covers showing the various events mentioned in this book. Overall, I was very impressed and learned a lot I didn't know. I'd highly recommend this book.
Chapter One gave an overview of the Bible including the languages it was written in, material it was written on, and the number of remaining early manuscripts. Chapter Two gave an overview of Old Testament history from Abraham to the end of the Old Testament including who wrote what books. It also talked about how careful the Jewish scribes were when making copies, how the Old Testament cannon was determined, the early translations of the Old Testament (including the Septuagint), and the Dead Sea Scrolls and other manuscripts and how they confirm the accuracy of the Old Testament.
Chapter Three gave an overview of the New Testament and who wrote what and when. The "traditional" or standard views were given. It also covered the variety of New Testament manuscripts and how they confirm the accuracy of the New Testament that we have today. Chapter Four talked about how the New Testament cannon was determined, early church history, and early New Testament translations.
Chapter Five talked about Middle Ages translations, history, copying practices, and methods of teaching the Bible (including pictures, drama, etc.). Chapter Six discussed translations and history related to the Bible from Gutenberg to Luther.
Chapter Seven talked about William Tyndale and the other English Bible translations that came after his (including the King James Version). Chapter Eight talked about Bibles printed in America from 1640 until today. Chapter Nine talked about modern Bible translation efforts.
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program.
“The Story of the Bible” by Larry Stone is more than just a “story” book or even a history book, it is tour of the history of the Bible not only as the inspired Word of God but as a document; whose history of survival is tremendous evidence God’s plan for his Word. Although “The Story of the Bible” is a beautifully designed book in the large scale of a coffee table book, it is not just a book to flip idly through in spare moments. It is a book to sit down and read cover to cover while lingering over the beautiful illustrations and pull-out documents. Over the years, I’ve picked up bits and pieces of the history of the document we know as the Bible. Often, what I learned was given as anecdotal evidence in books or lessons whose main topic was not the history of the Bible. As a result, I knew a fair amount of what I read in “The Story of the Bible.” However, reading it in a well-organized, well-written presentation gave me a whole new appreciation of how God insures that His Word goes out to the entire world and avoids the corruption that documents of similar age fall prey to. While I was gratified to discover that I knew more than I realized, I was even more delighted to learn many things I didn’t know before. I smiled when I read “America’s common language and common heritage was the Bible. Many towns had biblical names and Biblical allusions permeated American literature. Benjamin Franklin and the Congressional committee proposed that the national seal picture Moses leading Israel through eh Red Sea, a reference to America’s freedom from Britain.” (83-84) In addition to learning what I did not know, I discovered that some things I did know weren’t exactly how I thought they were. For instance, I always thought of the Gutenberg Bible as being a cramped document without visual appeal. Thanks to the pull-outs that fill this book, I got to see a reproduction of a page from the Gutenberg Bible and I discovered that it was a beautiful document and that our Bibles today are cramped documents without visual appeal. I thoroughly enjoyed reading “The Story of the Bible” and I can’t wait for the opportunity to share some of the pull-outs with my daughters to give them visuals for lessons they learn in school or at church.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
The Story of the Bible by Larry Stone is a chronological account of how the Bible came about. It begins with the early days of record keeping via stone, copper, papyrus, and parchment. Next came the development of scrolls and then codex—the predecessors of the book. Stone describes the protocols and procedures that were put in place to ensure the accuracy of future copies of chapters and books of the Bible. As each ancient record is discovered, analyzed and placed in the historical time line the validity and accuracy of the scriptures is proven over and over. The original manuscripts of the Bible have survived raids, wars, washings and re-usings, fires—and yet there is still enough left for scholars to study and marvel at the consistency of the man-made copies. The locations of the discoveries show that copies were dispersed and circulated. The early church had to deal with false teaching without the benefit of an established Bible.
I’ll admit I have not finished reading this book. It is big and packed with information. The portion I have read is fascinating and I look forward to reading more, gradually and seeing more of God’s sovereignty revealed as He has obvious overseen the survival of so many puzzle pieces. I plan to make this a permanent part of my home library and I’m sure I will refer to it as I do various Bible studies.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson to read and give an honest review.
The Story of the Bible by Larry Stone Thomas Nelson, 2010 96 pages Non-fiction 4/5 stars
Source: Received a free copy for review via booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.
I chose to review this book because it had pretty pictures, simple as that. The inside and back cover showcases a colorful timeline covering the history of the Bible, from Abraham to today. Inside the pictures include photographs as well as beautiful Renaissance artwork and other art. There are also pull-out pages which show pages from some of the elaborately decorated Bibles of olden times, such as the Codex Vaticanus.
The history shared is about how Bibles were made and distributed. I learned about the oldest copies we think we have and about different agendas when translating and sharing. It actually ends with information about the JESUS film, a filmed adaptation of the book of Luke which apparently about 225 million people have seen worldwide. Some of the information was repeated several times, which annoyed me but most of it was well-written and new.
Overall: A beautiful book with information on the production of Bibles throughout history.
A very accessible history of the English Bible for a general audience. The full color photos and pull-out reproductions would be worth the price of the book themselves. The binding unfortunately is not of the highest quality and will need care to preserve through much use. The text contains much useful information, though it occasionally somewhat misrepresents current research. It is unabashedly interpretive and Evangelical in many places. This may be welcome to some, but in this reader's estimation is a distraction from the story and information that is otherwise well-presented. Readers can form their own interpretations and understandings of what the story means for them within their particular worldview--whether Evangelical Christian or otherwise--without it being foisted upon them.
Quite a masterpiece in its own right, this book recounts the entire history of the Bible from start to present. I've always wanted to learn more about how the Bible has traveled through the centuries to end up in its present day form, and this study did not disappoint.
A must read for anyone interested in learning more about the Bible, typography, faith, and the amazing journey this tome has traveled in the past 2000+ years.
I enjoyed reading this book, it covers the story of the bible on how it became to be one collection of books. My favorite part about the book was the little pockets they put inside with hebrew, greek, latin, and other languages. it was fun to look at those pull outs.
This is an amazing book every student of the bible should own. Detailed, yet easy to read. I was awed by the timeless and crucial story about the STORY.