When God Spoke English: The Making of the King James Bible

If 94% of the King James Bible was actually lifted from the earlier translation by Tyndale, you might wonder how Adam Nicolson can stretch the story of this iconic English Bible out over the course of a book. But anything Nicolson writes is a bit like going on one of those guided walking tours of an old city: constantly diving down small alleys, emerging - surprisingly - at a place well-known but having seen and learnt something new along the way. It's a trick he's pulled off in so many different tomes, from seabirds to Scottish islands. Besides, the process - political and scholarly - of producing the KJB is almost as interesting as the book itself. And - as Nicolson makes clear - although the alterations are few, they are the magic fairy dust that makes the prose sparkle. That 6%, those minute changes, are the key to our continued fascination with this wonderful book.

This is a very enjoyable book. The author examines the development of the King James Bible in the context of the times with lots of gossipy information about the Jacobean Court and Church of England hierarchy. This is important as King James wanted a translation of the Bible that was as opulent and magnificent as his Court. To show how this effected the final outcome, the author offers fascinating textual analysis of various English translations. The author seems to assume that the more flagrant language of the King James Version is superior to the Geneva Bible and the modern translation but only because it is more expressive rather than more accurate. But, of course, the debate about the sole importance of the Word against the importance of ritual and show, is at the heart of the religious controversy of the time.

If you are interested in the tortuous creation of the KJB, this is essential. Couldn't find a hardback version, but the paperback is good quality.

This is a book that when first published, I meant to buy when it came into paperback but for whatever reason - there was a house move in which I had to scale down the books - I didn't get around to it. I'm glad I finally did, and when I do read the Bible, I read the King James Version. I didn't realise the extent to which it differs from Tyndale, and I find the modern translations lack gravitas. The extracts from 18th century attempts at revision made me smile - in their determination to be rational they were the first to fall into the modern pitfalls.

written in away that is easy to understand, and brought new insights into the origins of the King James Bible and the 16th Century.

You may think this book is a religous tract....... it is'nt. It is a fascinating socio historic explanation of the times of James 1'st and the backdrop against which the King James Bible was written. James for instant turns out to be a much more complex personality than is often portrayed.The bible itself was written by committee (something impossible to imagine these days )the members of which whilst academically brillant were on the whole full of venal ambition and /or suffered from other interesting foibles.The bible was written to be read out loud and was in an old English which was already at that time not in common use!. All in all a very interesting read .

Interesting book - arrived quickly

It is plainly no accident that we have such a guide. We are not orphans.A triumph of research by an incisively enquiring mind.