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The Book of Books: The Radical Impact of the King James Bible 1611-2011
The King James Bible has often been called the “Book of Books,” both in itself and in what it stands for. Since its publication in 1611, it has been the best-selling book in the world, and many believe, it has had the greatest impact.
The King James Bible has spread the Protestant faith. It has also been the greatest influence on the enrichment of the English language and its literature. It has been the Bible of wars from the British Civil War in the seventeenth century to the American Civil War two centuries later, and it has been carried into battle in innumerable conflicts since then. Its influence on social movements—particularly involving women in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries—and politics was profound. It was crucial to the growth of democracy. It was integral to the abolition of slavery, and it defined attitudes to modern science, education, and sex.
As Lord Melvyn Bragg’s The Adventure of English explored the history of our language, so The Book of Books reveals the extraordinary and still-felt impact of a work created 400 years ago.
The King James Bible has spread the Protestant faith. It has also been the greatest influence on the enrichment of the English language and its literature. It has been the Bible of wars from the British Civil War in the seventeenth century to the American Civil War two centuries later, and it has been carried into battle in innumerable conflicts since then. Its influence on social movements—particularly involving women in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries—and politics was profound. It was crucial to the growth of democracy. It was integral to the abolition of slavery, and it defined attitudes to modern science, education, and sex.
As Lord Melvyn Bragg’s The Adventure of English explored the history of our language, so The Book of Books reveals the extraordinary and still-felt impact of a work created 400 years ago.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2011
102 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Melvyn Bragg
136 books141 followersMelvyn Bragg, Baron Bragg, FRSL, FRTS (born 6 October 1939) is an English author, broadcaster and media personality who, aside from his many literary endeavours, is perhaps most recognised for his work on The South Bank Show.
Bragg is a prolific novelist and writer of non-fiction, and has written a number of television and film screenplays. Some of his early television work was in collaboration with Ken Russell, for whom he wrote the biographical dramas The Debussy Film (1965) and Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World (1967), as well as Russell's film about Tchaikovsky, The Music Lovers (1970). He is president of the National Academy of Writing. His 2008 novel, Remember Me is a largely autobiographical story.
He is also a Vice President of the Friends of the British Library, a charity set up to provide funding support to the British Library.
Bragg is a prolific novelist and writer of non-fiction, and has written a number of television and film screenplays. Some of his early television work was in collaboration with Ken Russell, for whom he wrote the biographical dramas The Debussy Film (1965) and Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World (1967), as well as Russell's film about Tchaikovsky, The Music Lovers (1970). He is president of the National Academy of Writing. His 2008 novel, Remember Me is a largely autobiographical story.
He is also a Vice President of the Friends of the British Library, a charity set up to provide funding support to the British Library.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
January 17, 2012
His argument is poor and his writing is even worse.
My main problem with his argument is that he severely overreached. I'm reasonably certain that he has conflated the King James Version of the Bible with the Bible in general. Here's the difference between those two things, via quotations that he cited in his first chapter:
"It is the most beautiful piece of writing in any language." VS
"The New Testament is the very best book that ever was or ever will be known in the world." VS
"It is impossible rightly to govern the world without God and the Bible."
The first probably does refer specifically to the KJV, the second might (but I doubt it), and the third certainly does not. So mainly what you end up getting is the radical impact of vernacular translations of the Bible, and in the English speaking world that happens to mainly be the KJV.
As for his writing style... For someone who has published primarily fiction--the inner cover lists 22 works of fiction to 10 nonfiction books--he is a shit-poor writer. He is so bad that I felt obligated just now to invent a compound word because no single existing word adequately expressed my feelings about it.
Aside from not writing well, he constantly does another thing that drives me crazy. Here are a few examples:
"The Geneva Bible was to be banned and it was banned and the sales of the KJV...grew rapidly."
"'I look upon all the world,' said Wesley, 'as my parish.' As it was."
"The poverty-stricken King hoped it would generate great wealth. It did."
"This was not an inheritance to be lightly thrown over. Nor was it."
He does this literally dozens if not hundreds of times. It was enough to make me want to stop reading the book. Which I did.
My main problem with his argument is that he severely overreached. I'm reasonably certain that he has conflated the King James Version of the Bible with the Bible in general. Here's the difference between those two things, via quotations that he cited in his first chapter:
"It is the most beautiful piece of writing in any language." VS
"The New Testament is the very best book that ever was or ever will be known in the world." VS
"It is impossible rightly to govern the world without God and the Bible."
The first probably does refer specifically to the KJV, the second might (but I doubt it), and the third certainly does not. So mainly what you end up getting is the radical impact of vernacular translations of the Bible, and in the English speaking world that happens to mainly be the KJV.
As for his writing style... For someone who has published primarily fiction--the inner cover lists 22 works of fiction to 10 nonfiction books--he is a shit-poor writer. He is so bad that I felt obligated just now to invent a compound word because no single existing word adequately expressed my feelings about it.
Aside from not writing well, he constantly does another thing that drives me crazy. Here are a few examples:
"The Geneva Bible was to be banned and it was banned and the sales of the KJV...grew rapidly."
"'I look upon all the world,' said Wesley, 'as my parish.' As it was."
"The poverty-stricken King hoped it would generate great wealth. It did."
"This was not an inheritance to be lightly thrown over. Nor was it."
He does this literally dozens if not hundreds of times. It was enough to make me want to stop reading the book. Which I did.
December 19, 2013
When Melvyn Bragg presents his "In Our Time" show on Radio 4, he does so very effectively. Each week he presents a discussion with a small group of academics, usually 3, who have expertise in a particular topic. These topics vary considerably ranging through literature, philosophy, various branches of science, history, religion, sociology, anthropology etc, etc.
In chairing these discussions, Bragg plays the part of informed Everyman, asking the questions, expressing the kind of generalizations that a non-specialist layman might believe, and which the academics then explain, discuss, bringing to bear their varied views & knowledge, hopefully in interesting, informative & at times challenging discussion. At their best these programmes are very good, enlightening & helping listeners to understand a little more of the complexities & depth of the topic, and Bragg plays his part very well.
The big problem I found with his “The Book of Books” was that Bragg took on the same role he plays in “In Our Time” & put it into book form. He asked the questions & stated the often well-worn generalizations about his chosen topics. Unfortunately he did not bring the academic specialists with him, to bring scholarship to bear on his chosen topics.
The resulting volume is packed with “soft” material; generalizations that contains many ill-informed & misinformed statements. At times the text reads not simply as badly written history & sociology, but as close on a parody of it.
It’s greatest interest is as a document for analysis by future cultural historians, who want an easily accessible overview of popularly held beliefs, well-worn clichés & uncritical thought about a number of cultural, historical & religious issues related to the King James Bible.
In chairing these discussions, Bragg plays the part of informed Everyman, asking the questions, expressing the kind of generalizations that a non-specialist layman might believe, and which the academics then explain, discuss, bringing to bear their varied views & knowledge, hopefully in interesting, informative & at times challenging discussion. At their best these programmes are very good, enlightening & helping listeners to understand a little more of the complexities & depth of the topic, and Bragg plays his part very well.
The big problem I found with his “The Book of Books” was that Bragg took on the same role he plays in “In Our Time” & put it into book form. He asked the questions & stated the often well-worn generalizations about his chosen topics. Unfortunately he did not bring the academic specialists with him, to bring scholarship to bear on his chosen topics.
The resulting volume is packed with “soft” material; generalizations that contains many ill-informed & misinformed statements. At times the text reads not simply as badly written history & sociology, but as close on a parody of it.
It’s greatest interest is as a document for analysis by future cultural historians, who want an easily accessible overview of popularly held beliefs, well-worn clichés & uncritical thought about a number of cultural, historical & religious issues related to the King James Bible.
July 22, 2019
In his 2011 book, The Book of Books: The Radical Impact of the King James Bible 1611-2011, Melvyn Bragg attempts to compile a comprehensive yet accessible account of the King James Bible’s impact in history through modernity. He was motivated to start this project in commemoration for the 400th year anniversary of the King James Bible, and as an addendum to his previous book published in 2006, 12 Books That Changed the World (of which Bragg names the King James Bible as one). It is clear from the beginning of the book that Melvyn Bragg is undoubtedly a very intelligent man- one who is clearly highly skilled in the art of letters. Over his decades-long career as both a novelist and BBC presenter, Bragg has been able to hone his craft as a talented wordsmith. The Book of Books is a very accessible read for a general audience who is curious about the evolution of Christian Biblical interpretation. However, since this book is aimed at the unspecialized audience who likely lacks training in historical analysis, it is severely disappointing that it is a propagandist piece constructed on logic-jumps, plagiarism, and historical falsehoods. Although Bragg has been interviewing expert historians since 1998 through his podcast, In Our Time, this does not make him a historian. His book is easy to consume as a reader, yet no amount of smooth prose can negate the fact that his historical analysis is inaccurate.
I shall begin with my accusation of plagiarism against the author. Melvyn Bragg would like to consider himself a historian, especially given his undergraduate degree in modern history from Oxford University. However, if this book was to ever be taken seriously as a historical analysis of the King James Bible’s reception, historians would not hesitate to include detailed citations for their primary sources and argumentations, as well as a comprehensive bibliography for all sources used. However, that is a noticeable absence in Melvyn Bragg’s book. He’ll include famous quotations from figures ranging from George Washington to Thomas Hardy- having included a long passage from his poem, The Oxen- and not give any citation on the page or even in his bibliography. He speaks multiple times throughout his book about the religious connections between Toni Morrison's Beloved, such that it even appears at the beginning of his first chapter analyzing the scope of this Biblical translation, yet he never cites Toni Morrison as an influence in his bibliography.
Bragg has even included Biblical quotes from the King James Bible and only given a partial citation. As seen on page on 35, he writes, “This was a man [King James] who wrote a book on demonology and- on Biblical authority, ‘thou shalt not suffer a witch to live’ (Exodus)- had ‘witches’ burned to death after questioning them himself at a trial in Edinburgh.” He has taken the time to include that the passage is from Exodus, but not the full citation of ‘Exodus 22:18’. Furthermore, the specific line which Melvyn cites in Exodus was only translated as ‘witch’ versus ‘poisoner’ following the King James Bible’s publication in 1611. However, King James’ Daemonologie was first published in 1597- over a decade before that Biblical line would have been available for popular reference. Given that this book was written in 2011- in the age of the internet- it is disappointing that the author couldn’t Google the quotations’ full citation (or that it got through editing). Although this book is not necessarily meant to act as a reference for historical journals because it is fashioned as a narrative piece, he is inserting long passage quotations as evidence and he needs to give proper citation credit.
Regarding his argumentation and the overall structure of the book, it largely falls short of its potential as it spreads itself far too thin, investigating not only 400 years of history but also from America to Africa. It is fully possible to fill an entire book engaging with the scholastic implications of translating the Bible into the vernacular. Bragg could have focused on the theological predecessors of printing the vernacular Bible, or the history of the underground movements of Church reform before Protestantism became popular. He could have focused on why the King James Version was such a groundbreaking piece given the history of religious struggle between the crowns and James’ own mother was a devout Catholic. Yet these are only passing mentions which deserved greater elaboration. Since Bragg organizes his book by themes, rather than chronologically, it repeats itself and is prone to a meandering narration.
In particular, chapter sixteen of The Book of Books seems completely extraneous. For fifteen pages, Melvyn Bragg rants about the cultural impact of Richard Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion (2006), and its impact on the growing atheism movement supposedly growing into a cultural epoch. Bragg does not cite any statistics to support this claim. However, although Dawkins’ atheism can be connected to the Bible, Bragg fails to clearly connect it to the King James translation specifically. Furthermore, it also lacks any real relevance to Dawkins because Melvyn admits that “Richard Dawkins scarcely mentions” the impact that the King James Bible had on Protestantism. But why would Dawkins? If his book is centred around the idea that worshipping a God who permits the abuse of women and children, and restricts science by only subscribing to creationism, why would Dawkins simultaneously promote the positive cultural impacts of the Bible? The chapter should have been cut during the editorial stage, yet somehow it made it through to publication.
Melvyn Bragg’s book is severely wanting in specific areas of analysis as it floats across large themes over long periods of time. However, it is entirely possible to create a history of the King James Bible spanning across continents and 400 years of history, as demonstrated by Gordon Campbell. On the 28 October 2010, Gordon Campbell’s book, Bible: The Story of the King James Version 1611-2011 was published by Oxford University Press (Melvyn Bragg’s alma mater). Bragg clearly was heavily influenced by Campbell’s work, as demonstrated throughout his own work, and it is one of the few books listed on Bragg’s select bibliography. The extent of this influence can even be seen in the striking parallels between Bragg’s and Campbell’s opening sentences of their respective introductions.
Campbell: “On 20 January 2009, Barack Obama took the presidential oath of office on a copy of the King James Version of the Bible published by Oxford University Press in 1853; it was the same Bible that had been used by Abraham Lincoln in 1861.”
Bragg: “In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in Westminster Abbey. She swore her oath on the King James Bible. This version of the Bible was printed in English in 1611. It was inspired by James I, who was also crowned in Westminster Abbey, 350 years before Elizabeth II.”
Just as Campbell had done with his structure, Melvyn imitates by highlighting the foundation laid by early Church reformers, the movement of pilgrims to America, the impact of the Second Great Awakening, and even its subtle impact on Shakespearean performances. Not only is Melvyn Bragg’s work unoriginal in construction, but it is also poorly constructed. Unlike Campbell, who continuously grounds his argumentation in how cultural trends were influenced by the King James Version, Bragg seemingly conflates the King James Bible with ‘the Bible’ in general. This gets him into trouble as he generalizes Protestant theology among widely varying sects of faith. This becomes glaringly obvious as he discusses Puritans using the King James Bible while crossing the Mayflower. This is despite the fact that in general, Puritans preferred the Geneva Bible because of its similarity to Calvinism and they were also against the ‘divine right to rule’ of kings. Yet, Bragg suggests that the Geneva Bible was quite similar to the King James Version because both were likely influenced by Tyndale’s incomplete Biblical translation. Melvyn Bragg even acknowledges that the Geneva Bible’s annotations didn’t support the king’s divine right to rule, yet his work continually contradicts itself. Although Melvyn can spin compelling prose, the actual content of his work shows a lack of historical awareness.
This lack of historical awareness- and extended research in general- appears multiple times throughout his book. The greatest risk this presents is that by not fully contextualizing his ‘facts’, it can skew the narrative Bragg is presenting. A prime example is how Bragg praises the superior intellect of a young William Tyndale. He begins, “this became the life purpose of this brilliant boy, who went to Oxford University when he was twelve.” Although this, to a modern readership audience, this would undoubtedly be an astounding feat of genius by a child-prodigy, this was not especially extraordinary at the time. When Tyndale would have been admitted to the university in 1506, twelve would have actually been the average age of matriculation. Additionally, Oxford was still one of two universities open in England at the time. There is no doubt that Tyndale was a highly educated man, but when facts are not contextualized with their historically contemporary surroundings, it fails to paint an accurate picture of the past.
Lord Melvyn Bragg of Wigton is a has been a life-long member of the Labour Party, and now serves in Parliament within the House of Lords. While Bragg is able to identify the hint of political agenda behind King James’ translation of the Bible, he needs to improve in identifying his own bias within his historical analysis. Twice in the book, Melvyn dedicates significant portions of his book to the Christian morality behind the Labour movement. Bragg even goes so far as to say during his conclusion, “the birth and growth of the Labour Party- owed more to Methodism than to Marxism”, which is up for historical debate. Although it may not be categorically true or false, he is making sweeping generalizations about entire political movements in a half-sentence without any evidence to support it.
This tendency to let his pre-existing biases dominate his narrative is, unfortunately, prevalent throughout his book. Bragg approaches his analysis of the King James Version of the Bible with a narrative that the English language is not only superior but also a potentially civilizing force. This not only presents a progressivist narrative but also promotes a Whiggish interpretation of British history. During the chapter, The Mayflower and the Covenant, Melvyn argues that the English language has been adapting linguistically for a thousand years, yet the settlers preferred their own English words because “[t]hey had the Words of God through His prophets and His Son: what more could they possibly need save a few phrases which speeded up commonplace understanding? [...] But in the beginnings of America, it was very prudent. Perhaps Squanto had spoiled them.” The reasoning Bragg gives for the prominence of the English language slowly dominating as a de-facto language was because of the settler’s commitment to language, first learned through Scripture. However, this also ignores the systematic and violent oppression of Natives as colonial settlers built on Native land, which allowed for English dominance.
Melvyn Bragg presents his book as if he is an authority in historical interpretation- this narrative supported by pages of positive reviews of his book before you even begin reading. He pretends to be a historian because he’s been interviewing historians for over twenty years, yet he enters with a progressivist, and frankly Whiggish, outlook on Protestant history. Bragg generalizes theological developments, and he doesn’t think critically or properly engage with scholastic material. When Melvyn Bragg has included ‘evidence’, it is primarily illustrative rather than supportive of any argument, and never properly referenced in citations. This is not a book which should be used in any scholastic citations as a reference because of its glaring inaccuracies and sloppy craftsmanship. Even as a refresher of popular history which might be available for sale at a bookstore, I can find limited virtues about this work. It twists facts to suit its narrative- and that is a misleading history.
Bibliography:
BBC Radio 4, Melvyn Bragg, [3 March, 2019].
Bragg, Melvyn, The Book of Books: The Radical Impact of the King James Bible 1611-2011, (London, 2011).
British Council, Melvyn Bragg, [3 March 2019].
British Library, King James VI and I’s Demonology, 1597, [2 March 2019].
Campbell, Gordon, Bible: The Story of the King James Version 1611-2011, (Oxford, 2010).
Cardozier, V. R., “Student Power in Medieval Universities”, Personnel and Guidance Journal Vol. 46, Issue 10 (1968), pp. 944-948.
Norton, David, The King James Bible: A Short History from Tyndale to Today, (Cambridge, 2011).
Penguin, The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins, [3 March, 2019].
Henderson, Lizanne, Witchcraft and Folk Belief in the Age of Enlightenment: Scotland 1670-1740, (Glasgow, 2016).
I shall begin with my accusation of plagiarism against the author. Melvyn Bragg would like to consider himself a historian, especially given his undergraduate degree in modern history from Oxford University. However, if this book was to ever be taken seriously as a historical analysis of the King James Bible’s reception, historians would not hesitate to include detailed citations for their primary sources and argumentations, as well as a comprehensive bibliography for all sources used. However, that is a noticeable absence in Melvyn Bragg’s book. He’ll include famous quotations from figures ranging from George Washington to Thomas Hardy- having included a long passage from his poem, The Oxen- and not give any citation on the page or even in his bibliography. He speaks multiple times throughout his book about the religious connections between Toni Morrison's Beloved, such that it even appears at the beginning of his first chapter analyzing the scope of this Biblical translation, yet he never cites Toni Morrison as an influence in his bibliography.
Bragg has even included Biblical quotes from the King James Bible and only given a partial citation. As seen on page on 35, he writes, “This was a man [King James] who wrote a book on demonology and- on Biblical authority, ‘thou shalt not suffer a witch to live’ (Exodus)- had ‘witches’ burned to death after questioning them himself at a trial in Edinburgh.” He has taken the time to include that the passage is from Exodus, but not the full citation of ‘Exodus 22:18’. Furthermore, the specific line which Melvyn cites in Exodus was only translated as ‘witch’ versus ‘poisoner’ following the King James Bible’s publication in 1611. However, King James’ Daemonologie was first published in 1597- over a decade before that Biblical line would have been available for popular reference. Given that this book was written in 2011- in the age of the internet- it is disappointing that the author couldn’t Google the quotations’ full citation (or that it got through editing). Although this book is not necessarily meant to act as a reference for historical journals because it is fashioned as a narrative piece, he is inserting long passage quotations as evidence and he needs to give proper citation credit.
Regarding his argumentation and the overall structure of the book, it largely falls short of its potential as it spreads itself far too thin, investigating not only 400 years of history but also from America to Africa. It is fully possible to fill an entire book engaging with the scholastic implications of translating the Bible into the vernacular. Bragg could have focused on the theological predecessors of printing the vernacular Bible, or the history of the underground movements of Church reform before Protestantism became popular. He could have focused on why the King James Version was such a groundbreaking piece given the history of religious struggle between the crowns and James’ own mother was a devout Catholic. Yet these are only passing mentions which deserved greater elaboration. Since Bragg organizes his book by themes, rather than chronologically, it repeats itself and is prone to a meandering narration.
In particular, chapter sixteen of The Book of Books seems completely extraneous. For fifteen pages, Melvyn Bragg rants about the cultural impact of Richard Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion (2006), and its impact on the growing atheism movement supposedly growing into a cultural epoch. Bragg does not cite any statistics to support this claim. However, although Dawkins’ atheism can be connected to the Bible, Bragg fails to clearly connect it to the King James translation specifically. Furthermore, it also lacks any real relevance to Dawkins because Melvyn admits that “Richard Dawkins scarcely mentions” the impact that the King James Bible had on Protestantism. But why would Dawkins? If his book is centred around the idea that worshipping a God who permits the abuse of women and children, and restricts science by only subscribing to creationism, why would Dawkins simultaneously promote the positive cultural impacts of the Bible? The chapter should have been cut during the editorial stage, yet somehow it made it through to publication.
Melvyn Bragg’s book is severely wanting in specific areas of analysis as it floats across large themes over long periods of time. However, it is entirely possible to create a history of the King James Bible spanning across continents and 400 years of history, as demonstrated by Gordon Campbell. On the 28 October 2010, Gordon Campbell’s book, Bible: The Story of the King James Version 1611-2011 was published by Oxford University Press (Melvyn Bragg’s alma mater). Bragg clearly was heavily influenced by Campbell’s work, as demonstrated throughout his own work, and it is one of the few books listed on Bragg’s select bibliography. The extent of this influence can even be seen in the striking parallels between Bragg’s and Campbell’s opening sentences of their respective introductions.
Campbell: “On 20 January 2009, Barack Obama took the presidential oath of office on a copy of the King James Version of the Bible published by Oxford University Press in 1853; it was the same Bible that had been used by Abraham Lincoln in 1861.”
Bragg: “In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in Westminster Abbey. She swore her oath on the King James Bible. This version of the Bible was printed in English in 1611. It was inspired by James I, who was also crowned in Westminster Abbey, 350 years before Elizabeth II.”
Just as Campbell had done with his structure, Melvyn imitates by highlighting the foundation laid by early Church reformers, the movement of pilgrims to America, the impact of the Second Great Awakening, and even its subtle impact on Shakespearean performances. Not only is Melvyn Bragg’s work unoriginal in construction, but it is also poorly constructed. Unlike Campbell, who continuously grounds his argumentation in how cultural trends were influenced by the King James Version, Bragg seemingly conflates the King James Bible with ‘the Bible’ in general. This gets him into trouble as he generalizes Protestant theology among widely varying sects of faith. This becomes glaringly obvious as he discusses Puritans using the King James Bible while crossing the Mayflower. This is despite the fact that in general, Puritans preferred the Geneva Bible because of its similarity to Calvinism and they were also against the ‘divine right to rule’ of kings. Yet, Bragg suggests that the Geneva Bible was quite similar to the King James Version because both were likely influenced by Tyndale’s incomplete Biblical translation. Melvyn Bragg even acknowledges that the Geneva Bible’s annotations didn’t support the king’s divine right to rule, yet his work continually contradicts itself. Although Melvyn can spin compelling prose, the actual content of his work shows a lack of historical awareness.
This lack of historical awareness- and extended research in general- appears multiple times throughout his book. The greatest risk this presents is that by not fully contextualizing his ‘facts’, it can skew the narrative Bragg is presenting. A prime example is how Bragg praises the superior intellect of a young William Tyndale. He begins, “this became the life purpose of this brilliant boy, who went to Oxford University when he was twelve.” Although this, to a modern readership audience, this would undoubtedly be an astounding feat of genius by a child-prodigy, this was not especially extraordinary at the time. When Tyndale would have been admitted to the university in 1506, twelve would have actually been the average age of matriculation. Additionally, Oxford was still one of two universities open in England at the time. There is no doubt that Tyndale was a highly educated man, but when facts are not contextualized with their historically contemporary surroundings, it fails to paint an accurate picture of the past.
Lord Melvyn Bragg of Wigton is a has been a life-long member of the Labour Party, and now serves in Parliament within the House of Lords. While Bragg is able to identify the hint of political agenda behind King James’ translation of the Bible, he needs to improve in identifying his own bias within his historical analysis. Twice in the book, Melvyn dedicates significant portions of his book to the Christian morality behind the Labour movement. Bragg even goes so far as to say during his conclusion, “the birth and growth of the Labour Party- owed more to Methodism than to Marxism”, which is up for historical debate. Although it may not be categorically true or false, he is making sweeping generalizations about entire political movements in a half-sentence without any evidence to support it.
This tendency to let his pre-existing biases dominate his narrative is, unfortunately, prevalent throughout his book. Bragg approaches his analysis of the King James Version of the Bible with a narrative that the English language is not only superior but also a potentially civilizing force. This not only presents a progressivist narrative but also promotes a Whiggish interpretation of British history. During the chapter, The Mayflower and the Covenant, Melvyn argues that the English language has been adapting linguistically for a thousand years, yet the settlers preferred their own English words because “[t]hey had the Words of God through His prophets and His Son: what more could they possibly need save a few phrases which speeded up commonplace understanding? [...] But in the beginnings of America, it was very prudent. Perhaps Squanto had spoiled them.” The reasoning Bragg gives for the prominence of the English language slowly dominating as a de-facto language was because of the settler’s commitment to language, first learned through Scripture. However, this also ignores the systematic and violent oppression of Natives as colonial settlers built on Native land, which allowed for English dominance.
Melvyn Bragg presents his book as if he is an authority in historical interpretation- this narrative supported by pages of positive reviews of his book before you even begin reading. He pretends to be a historian because he’s been interviewing historians for over twenty years, yet he enters with a progressivist, and frankly Whiggish, outlook on Protestant history. Bragg generalizes theological developments, and he doesn’t think critically or properly engage with scholastic material. When Melvyn Bragg has included ‘evidence’, it is primarily illustrative rather than supportive of any argument, and never properly referenced in citations. This is not a book which should be used in any scholastic citations as a reference because of its glaring inaccuracies and sloppy craftsmanship. Even as a refresher of popular history which might be available for sale at a bookstore, I can find limited virtues about this work. It twists facts to suit its narrative- and that is a misleading history.
Bibliography:
BBC Radio 4, Melvyn Bragg, [3 March, 2019].
Bragg, Melvyn, The Book of Books: The Radical Impact of the King James Bible 1611-2011, (London, 2011).
British Council, Melvyn Bragg, [3 March 2019].
British Library, King James VI and I’s Demonology, 1597, [2 March 2019].
Campbell, Gordon, Bible: The Story of the King James Version 1611-2011, (Oxford, 2010).
Cardozier, V. R., “Student Power in Medieval Universities”, Personnel and Guidance Journal Vol. 46, Issue 10 (1968), pp. 944-948.
Norton, David, The King James Bible: A Short History from Tyndale to Today, (Cambridge, 2011).
Penguin, The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins, [3 March, 2019].
Henderson, Lizanne, Witchcraft and Folk Belief in the Age of Enlightenment: Scotland 1670-1740, (Glasgow, 2016).
August 6, 2011
In his book, Melvyn Bragg may know the history but he doesn't know the true lessons the Bible teaches. He does a good job of giving us the post-publication history of the KJB as it has progressed through the years and its influence within the world. He is an unbeliever, readily admits it and does not know nor see Biblical truths. He has shown no capability of "rightly dividing the word of truth". He certainly falls for all the illicit passions and false teachings this world has to offer; and if there is biblical (God) commandment against it, then the Bible is in error. In other words, God is wrong. What arrogance! What foolishness! But in today's world not unexpected.
I did enjoy the book, it was informative and thought provoking as could be seen by the margin notes I made in the book
I did enjoy the book, it was informative and thought provoking as could be seen by the margin notes I made in the book
December 31, 2015
The King James Bible has spread the Protestant faith. It has also been the greatest influence on the enrichment of the English language and its literature. It has been the Bible of wars from the British Civil War in the seventeenth century to the American Civil War two centuries later, and it has been carried into battle in innumerable conflicts since then. Its influence on social movements—particularly involving women in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries—and politics was profound. It was crucial to the growth of democracy. It was integral to the abolition of slavery, and it defined attitudes to modern science, education, and sex
December 20, 2024
I bought this thinking it was about the language of the King James Bible, not sure why, but was still excited for it when I realised the actual topic – but was ultimately disappointed.
The book sort of covers the influence of Christianity on various social movements and attitudes since the 17th century, but pretty superficially, and the KJB is present only by happening to be the default version of the Bible since then. Not much specifically about the King James, and even the concept and impact of a Bible in the vernacular isn't engaged with a huge amount. To then make suggestions like moving away from the KJB is the reason the CofE is in decline is flat-out absurd.
The book sort of covers the influence of Christianity on various social movements and attitudes since the 17th century, but pretty superficially, and the KJB is present only by happening to be the default version of the Bible since then. Not much specifically about the King James, and even the concept and impact of a Bible in the vernacular isn't engaged with a huge amount. To then make suggestions like moving away from the KJB is the reason the CofE is in decline is flat-out absurd.
March 15, 2012
I love the King James Bible. I know that for many the language makes it difficult to read, and they prefer more recent, modern, accessible translations. For me, part of what I love about it is the archaic language. I find language in general fascinating, and the history of how the English language has changed over time, connections with other languages, and how the expression of ideas changes is something I enjoy learning about. So when I saw Melvyn Bragg's The Book of Books: the Radical Impact of the King James Bible 1611-2011, I prepared myself for an educational and enjoyable read.
I heard Bragg interviewed on our NPR affiliate, and he came across as entertaining, and I looked forward to reading his book. The 370 page hardcover is a fast read, but it's sadly uneven. The Book of Books is divided into three broad parts: Part One: From Hampton Court to New England, Part Two: The Impact on Culture, and Part Three: The Impact on Society.
The first section is Bragg's strongest, where he lays out the process of getting the King James Bible written (translated, collated, and written) in the first place. I don't know a lot about that history, and it was an interesting and often evocative read. The movement of the church to stop an English translation being readily available is laid out. Bragg's contention is that "Language can be a means of control. It has always been used and abused by those claming omnipotence. The medieval Roman Church's mission was to impose recognition of its omnipotence the world over." This mission was undermined by the sacrifices of men like William Tyndale who gave their very lives in pursuit of translating the Bible...it was astonishing to learn about the amount of bloodshed that tried to prevent an English Bible from making it into print.
Bragg's background is more in the literary world than as a historian, and his arguments aren't as clearly drawn as I would have hoped. He includes chapters about the influence of the Bible on the English language, with the King James Bible providing "a standard and a stability for what was considered to be the best possible English literary language." The King James Bible joins Shakespeare in this as an examplar, and Bragg spends a lot of time on the words, phrases, and characterizations that are laid out in the Bible. Some of those chapters get more into literary analysis, poetic license and opinion than I'm used to in history books, but gave me food for thought.
Bragg seems to have two gross missteps as far as I'm concerned: one is a chapter where he goes off on a tangential rant against Richard Dawkins and his "New Enlightenment" of atheism. The author rambles on for fifteen pages about Dawkins' crusade against religion, but doesn't really connect that with Bragg's central ideas about the King James Bible. It delves into matters of faith and belief, and the perceived condescension of Dawkins' followers toward any and all religions. Even if Bragg is right, it seemed very out of place in this particular book.
The other misstep is also later in the book: Bragg uses the King James Bible to represent all bibles, all Christianity. He writes about the emancipation of slaves in England and in the United States, and writes about the role that Christianity played in both enforcing slavery and fighting against it. But he doesn't draw a clean cause-effect relationship between the King James Bible and the slavery movement.
This was a fast read, and there are some good ideas about the King James Bible and its role in shaping the English language. But the chapters that deal with the role that the Bible has had in shaping history end up circling back on themselves with no real destination. I still recommend the book to people who are fans of the language of the King James Bible...but it's certainly not for everybody.
I heard Bragg interviewed on our NPR affiliate, and he came across as entertaining, and I looked forward to reading his book. The 370 page hardcover is a fast read, but it's sadly uneven. The Book of Books is divided into three broad parts: Part One: From Hampton Court to New England, Part Two: The Impact on Culture, and Part Three: The Impact on Society.
The first section is Bragg's strongest, where he lays out the process of getting the King James Bible written (translated, collated, and written) in the first place. I don't know a lot about that history, and it was an interesting and often evocative read. The movement of the church to stop an English translation being readily available is laid out. Bragg's contention is that "Language can be a means of control. It has always been used and abused by those claming omnipotence. The medieval Roman Church's mission was to impose recognition of its omnipotence the world over." This mission was undermined by the sacrifices of men like William Tyndale who gave their very lives in pursuit of translating the Bible...it was astonishing to learn about the amount of bloodshed that tried to prevent an English Bible from making it into print.
Bragg's background is more in the literary world than as a historian, and his arguments aren't as clearly drawn as I would have hoped. He includes chapters about the influence of the Bible on the English language, with the King James Bible providing "a standard and a stability for what was considered to be the best possible English literary language." The King James Bible joins Shakespeare in this as an examplar, and Bragg spends a lot of time on the words, phrases, and characterizations that are laid out in the Bible. Some of those chapters get more into literary analysis, poetic license and opinion than I'm used to in history books, but gave me food for thought.
Bragg seems to have two gross missteps as far as I'm concerned: one is a chapter where he goes off on a tangential rant against Richard Dawkins and his "New Enlightenment" of atheism. The author rambles on for fifteen pages about Dawkins' crusade against religion, but doesn't really connect that with Bragg's central ideas about the King James Bible. It delves into matters of faith and belief, and the perceived condescension of Dawkins' followers toward any and all religions. Even if Bragg is right, it seemed very out of place in this particular book.
The other misstep is also later in the book: Bragg uses the King James Bible to represent all bibles, all Christianity. He writes about the emancipation of slaves in England and in the United States, and writes about the role that Christianity played in both enforcing slavery and fighting against it. But he doesn't draw a clean cause-effect relationship between the King James Bible and the slavery movement.
This was a fast read, and there are some good ideas about the King James Bible and its role in shaping the English language. But the chapters that deal with the role that the Bible has had in shaping history end up circling back on themselves with no real destination. I still recommend the book to people who are fans of the language of the King James Bible...but it's certainly not for everybody.
January 27, 2012
"The Book of Books" was published in 2011, 400 years after the King James Version of the Bible was first published. Outside of Shakespeare, few works in the English language have been nearly so long-lasting. There are still quite a few people who insist the King James Version is the ONLY valid translation of the Bible, as if God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses in King James English.
The strongest chapters in "The Book of Books" are the early chapters that talk about how the translation came about and the chapters on the influence of the King James Version on English literature.
On the other hand, the chapter that attempts to rebut Richard Dawkins ("The God Delusion") seems as if it was written for another book. And it's a weak rebuttal, at that.
And in the latter chapters of "The Book of Books," I was starting to wonder if the author had read the Bible himself. For instance, in the chapter on "The Bible and Sex," he devotes three paragraphs to a woman named Judith.
"Judith, a wealthy and beautiful widow, leaves the town at night, seeks out the leader of the army, Holofernes (perhaps by posing as a prostitute?)," he writes. "She makes him drunk, hacks off his head, returns to the town and displays the severed head on the ramparts. The Persians panic; the Israelites charge out and slaughter them."
Good stuff. But here's the thing: It's not in the Bible.
The only mention of any Judith in the Bible is in Genesis 26:34, and it says nothing about hacking off a head. "When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hiitite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite," that verse tells us. The next verse reports that both women were "a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah," then drops the subject.
The same chapter perpetuates the nonsense that, because the Bible says "David loved Jonathan," they must have been homosexual lovers.
When the Bible talks about sexual intercourse, it does so in unambiguous language. ("So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose." -- Genesis 19:33 "Then David sent messengers, and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from impurity; and she returned to her house." -- 1 Samuel 11:4)
The Bible uses the word "love" in several ways, even including romantic love. ("Now Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, 'I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.'" -- Genesis: 29:18) But I can't think of a single instance where it uses the word "love" as a euphemism for sexual intercourse. That dog won't hunt.
"The Book of Books" is 347 pages long but feels longer. At about Page 250, I was ready to be done with it. I think it could have stopped around Page 250 and left out the Richard Dawkins chapter (Pages 194-209) to boot.
Writing this book to time it with the 400th anniversary of the KJV was a nice idea, but I think it had the wrong author.
The strongest chapters in "The Book of Books" are the early chapters that talk about how the translation came about and the chapters on the influence of the King James Version on English literature.
On the other hand, the chapter that attempts to rebut Richard Dawkins ("The God Delusion") seems as if it was written for another book. And it's a weak rebuttal, at that.
And in the latter chapters of "The Book of Books," I was starting to wonder if the author had read the Bible himself. For instance, in the chapter on "The Bible and Sex," he devotes three paragraphs to a woman named Judith.
"Judith, a wealthy and beautiful widow, leaves the town at night, seeks out the leader of the army, Holofernes (perhaps by posing as a prostitute?)," he writes. "She makes him drunk, hacks off his head, returns to the town and displays the severed head on the ramparts. The Persians panic; the Israelites charge out and slaughter them."
Good stuff. But here's the thing: It's not in the Bible.
The only mention of any Judith in the Bible is in Genesis 26:34, and it says nothing about hacking off a head. "When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hiitite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite," that verse tells us. The next verse reports that both women were "a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah," then drops the subject.
The same chapter perpetuates the nonsense that, because the Bible says "David loved Jonathan," they must have been homosexual lovers.
When the Bible talks about sexual intercourse, it does so in unambiguous language. ("So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose." -- Genesis 19:33 "Then David sent messengers, and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from impurity; and she returned to her house." -- 1 Samuel 11:4)
The Bible uses the word "love" in several ways, even including romantic love. ("Now Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, 'I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.'" -- Genesis: 29:18) But I can't think of a single instance where it uses the word "love" as a euphemism for sexual intercourse. That dog won't hunt.
"The Book of Books" is 347 pages long but feels longer. At about Page 250, I was ready to be done with it. I think it could have stopped around Page 250 and left out the Richard Dawkins chapter (Pages 194-209) to boot.
Writing this book to time it with the 400th anniversary of the KJV was a nice idea, but I think it had the wrong author.
August 28, 2022
This a very helpful and readable overview. Concedes too much to Richard Dawkins but that apart this a lively well written book, and awakens real interest and follow through.
September 26, 2011
In the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the KJV Bible comes a book that starts out well then loses steam. Melvyn Bragg is a well known author, tv/radio presenter, and personality in the UK."The Book of Books" is really a long essay on the history and cultural impact of the KJV. Bragg starts off strongly with a history of how the KJV came to be. The first serious problem with the book is the lack of footnotes. It would be nice to know what he read. He alludes to several authors in the various chaptes but one is left guessing as to the book. There is also the lack of understanding of the impact of the KJV on the local church since Bragg is not a professional historian, anthropologist, or believing Christian. Some chapters are down right wishy-washy, example the chapter on Richard Dawkins. This could have been a very good book if the author had invested more time in research and reading. It has the feeling of being rushed, like an essay due the next day. Too bad.
July 24, 2018
I genuinely can’t tell what the focus of this book is.
There is a completely irrelevant chapter denouncing Richard Dawkins, stuff about language, history and slavery.
MB doesn’t have a bibliography which makes me doubt the rigour of his research. He also speaks in dangerous general statements: “people thought... slaves did X ... Protestants believed ...” without backing up his claims with specific names or quotes. This seems insufficient even in a work of popular history. It wouldn’t be sufficient for a Wiki page or GCSE coursework.
It rapidly descended into unfocused miscellanies after the early chapters.
Bragg’s sentences either have too many clauses, or are fragmented.
Far too hyperbolic about the KJV’s influence, conflating the KJV with all bibles.
I wanted to like this but steadily became confused, then bored, then annoyed.
There is a completely irrelevant chapter denouncing Richard Dawkins, stuff about language, history and slavery.
MB doesn’t have a bibliography which makes me doubt the rigour of his research. He also speaks in dangerous general statements: “people thought... slaves did X ... Protestants believed ...” without backing up his claims with specific names or quotes. This seems insufficient even in a work of popular history. It wouldn’t be sufficient for a Wiki page or GCSE coursework.
It rapidly descended into unfocused miscellanies after the early chapters.
Bragg’s sentences either have too many clauses, or are fragmented.
Far too hyperbolic about the KJV’s influence, conflating the KJV with all bibles.
I wanted to like this but steadily became confused, then bored, then annoyed.
July 29, 2013
Bragg leads his readers on a tour of the best and worst inspired by the King James Bible, those who fight it and those who are inspired by it, arguing it as a shaping force, still and yet, in the English-speaking world. What was an attempt at consolidating control (James I wanted to sponsor a translation to get rid of the translations concerned with monarchial tyranny) became a tool of authority and antiauthoritarians, reformers and liberators, slavers and the formerly enslaved, and continues to be argued and important in the lives of many. Recommended, and, if you haven't read the King James Version of the Bible yet, pick up a copy to reflect upon while reading Bragg on the Book of Books.
June 11, 2013
Melvyn Bragg has demonstrated that he has a firm grip on the subject. For students of theology, this book will sit well on your bookshelf and could be a welcome aid to your studies. For students of English history, this is almost like a summary of 400 years: it's a must. American history? It virtually began with the Pilgrim Fathers, determined to take the Word of God to the Americas. From King James 1st. to President Obama, the King James Bible has been an influential companion and witness to events that have changed the world. I have no hesitation in recommending this tome.
August 4, 2017
I quite enjoyed this book. The back cover states it is of interest to believers, non-believers, or people of different religions - but I did feel this was written from the authors own experience and a christian perspective. It begins with the accounts of the early translators from Latin to English and how the KJB became accessible to all people. Also the impact (both good and bad) the KJB has had due to people being able to read the bible for themselves and the different ways it can be interpreted. The later chapters explain the changing face of society over the years and the social implications of the KJB. A really interesting read.
October 22, 2025
I enjoyed this book immensely as I am currently wading through the King James at the moment. Some of the Good Reads criticisms of Melvyn Bragg are a tad personal, his vernacular, intonation, repetition, emphasis etc etc. There were some really interesting observations of the author about specific and important issues where the KJB had clearly influenced human history, eg slavery, English Civil War, American Civil War. The link to black music was understated but well observed. So, while I have to admit that I grew up watching Melvyn Bragg as a youth.
July 30, 2022
This book is probably not for the average reader, but history buffs will love it. Braggs impressively analyzes the universal impact that the King James Bible has had not only on Western society, but on the entire world. Its influence permeates in ways that are so ubiquitous that we take them for granted without considering the KJV as the source, and even non-Christians, atheists, and agnostics have benefited from its existence. A fascinating read!
May 17, 2017
As you would expect from Bragg a wonderfully researched account of the journey the King James Bible through the last 400 years. It's use and justification for good and ill by various different players in history.
I did however feel the book was a little too long (not as long as the Bible obviously!!).
I enjoyed it and I do need to read more Bragg, maybe some fiction next time.
I did however feel the book was a little too long (not as long as the Bible obviously!!).
I enjoyed it and I do need to read more Bragg, maybe some fiction next time.
Read
January 16, 2023Listened to this as an audiobook on my commute. It was interesting to read of the extent that the KJV has influenced society and culture. However, there were so many factual errors (e.g. Cromwell was a Presbyterian) and a poor understanding of the theology of the Bible. It was interesting to read an agnostic's view on the Scriptures.
October 14, 2018
I am a big fan of the King James Bible and the history around it, also a fan of the author. I think he sometimes overstated the reach of the KJV or combined the KJV with all Bibles, but still a really interesting read
March 7, 2022
Written by a condescending unbeliever who uncritically repeats secular and Protestant propaganda. It does impart some history, so it was not a complete waste. Nothing on rival translations or KJV Onlyism.
January 7, 2019
Simple read for general knowledge.
September 19, 2021
A good introduction to the history of one of the most important books in history. Use it as a stepping stone onto more in-depth works
December 24, 2021
A person of Christian perspective will like this read
July 12, 2022
Great writer with an interesting history of a seminal book.
Read
February 1, 2024DNF. I've decided that life is too short to finish a book that I'm slogging my way through.
June 16, 2024
Again, a good read with interesting insights. Would probably read again in the future.
October 10, 2024
A very interesting account of how it has shaped so much of British and American culture
September 30, 2013
This book will amaze, amuse and infuriate you. It has laugh out loud moments, and tear your hair out moments. And that's only at Melvyn Bragg's writing style and commentary on the subject!
I have to say I was looking forward to this book. I love the Bible, and wanted to see Bragg explore the richness of the impact of the King James Version. It all started so well - the first few chapters on history and scene setting were well written, and accurate as far as I can remember. Then it all started to slide downhill.
The book is divided into three parts: The History; the Impact on Culture (Literature and Language); and its Impact on Society. The main strengths are in the first third of the book. the second has just about enough useful information, but the final section is where conflation and inaccuracies multiply.
Turgid, convoluted prose bedevils the text thoroughout. As do pointless pithicisms (I felt I had to coin a word to describe these pithy appendages at the end of otherwise complete sentences. Eg.
- "I look upon all the world," said Wesley, "as my parish." As it was.
- The poverty-stricken King hoped it would generate great wealth. It did.
- This was not an inheritance to be lightly thrown over. Nor was it.
To be fair to Bragg this did become a great source of amusement, causing several 'stop and read out loud' moments. So it did.
Add to that vapid, vacuous statements of the obvious - "[Tyndale's] deep study on Hebrew undoubted enriched his translation" - Who'd have thought that would have been helpful in translating a book from Hebrew?!?!
Those are simply matters of preference and style. But of more substance, Bragg repeatedly conflates the King James Version with Christianity or the Bible in general, attaching grandiose claims to the KJV that properly belong elsewhere. This pervades the whole book.
This tendency leaves him open to making frankly ludicrous claims - that the move away from the magnificent KJV to modern translations has led to the decline of Christianity in the UK, to name just one. I'm surprised that there isnt a claim that global warming is linked to the decrease in reading of the KJV too!
Throughout the book there are basic errors either of factual accuracy or interpretation when it comes to the Bible. When it comes to the chapter on the Bible and Sex, it seems as if it was written on the Tube with no Bible handy to check even basic facts - such as the story of Judah and Tamar. It seems more like he was referring to The Da Vinci Code as a primary source. It seems like that chapter alone has more misrepresentations and basic misunderstandings than the others put together.
For a man who has the ability to see through Richard Dawkins empty rhetoric (chapter 16) it was disappointing to see sloppiness throughout the book. Sadly it robs the book of its power. His lack of grasp of theology and his tendency to look only to liberal scholarship with its easy dismissals of the text, and its imposition of its own meaning, leaves Bragg's book the poorer.
Apart from that the idea was a good one - and there are useful quotes and nuggets of information scattered throughout especially in the chapters on the impact on literature - yet, not knowing much in those fields I am left wondering how much is accurate.
It was a struggle to finish.
I have to say I was looking forward to this book. I love the Bible, and wanted to see Bragg explore the richness of the impact of the King James Version. It all started so well - the first few chapters on history and scene setting were well written, and accurate as far as I can remember. Then it all started to slide downhill.
The book is divided into three parts: The History; the Impact on Culture (Literature and Language); and its Impact on Society. The main strengths are in the first third of the book. the second has just about enough useful information, but the final section is where conflation and inaccuracies multiply.
Turgid, convoluted prose bedevils the text thoroughout. As do pointless pithicisms (I felt I had to coin a word to describe these pithy appendages at the end of otherwise complete sentences. Eg.
- "I look upon all the world," said Wesley, "as my parish." As it was.
- The poverty-stricken King hoped it would generate great wealth. It did.
- This was not an inheritance to be lightly thrown over. Nor was it.
To be fair to Bragg this did become a great source of amusement, causing several 'stop and read out loud' moments. So it did.
Add to that vapid, vacuous statements of the obvious - "[Tyndale's] deep study on Hebrew undoubted enriched his translation" - Who'd have thought that would have been helpful in translating a book from Hebrew?!?!
Those are simply matters of preference and style. But of more substance, Bragg repeatedly conflates the King James Version with Christianity or the Bible in general, attaching grandiose claims to the KJV that properly belong elsewhere. This pervades the whole book.
This tendency leaves him open to making frankly ludicrous claims - that the move away from the magnificent KJV to modern translations has led to the decline of Christianity in the UK, to name just one. I'm surprised that there isnt a claim that global warming is linked to the decrease in reading of the KJV too!
Throughout the book there are basic errors either of factual accuracy or interpretation when it comes to the Bible. When it comes to the chapter on the Bible and Sex, it seems as if it was written on the Tube with no Bible handy to check even basic facts - such as the story of Judah and Tamar. It seems more like he was referring to The Da Vinci Code as a primary source. It seems like that chapter alone has more misrepresentations and basic misunderstandings than the others put together.
For a man who has the ability to see through Richard Dawkins empty rhetoric (chapter 16) it was disappointing to see sloppiness throughout the book. Sadly it robs the book of its power. His lack of grasp of theology and his tendency to look only to liberal scholarship with its easy dismissals of the text, and its imposition of its own meaning, leaves Bragg's book the poorer.
Apart from that the idea was a good one - and there are useful quotes and nuggets of information scattered throughout especially in the chapters on the impact on literature - yet, not knowing much in those fields I am left wondering how much is accurate.
It was a struggle to finish.
June 5, 2011
‘Its impact has been immeasurable and it is not over yet.’
The year 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible (KJV), and a number of books have been published as a consequence. In this book, Melvyn Bragg provides a chronology of the development of the KJV, and its impact on culture and society. This is done in three parts: the journey of the KJV from its commissioning to the present day.
Part One ‘From Hampton Court to New England’ is broadly chronological: it places the KJV into its historical context and acknowledges earlier translations, especially the translation by Richard Tyndale which was published in 1526. Melvyn Bragg discusses how the KJV was commissioned, planned and then delivered. Mr Bragg discusses the KJV’s journey: across the Atlantic with the ‘Mayflower’; its use during the English Civil War and then the Restoration; and the Great Awakening in America.
I found Part Two, ‘The Impact on Culture’, the most interesting. The journey of the KJV is extended to encompass language, literature, political thought and science. Melvyn Bragg writes about the influence of the KJV on those who formed the Royal Society in 1660. The KJV is seen as great literature in its own right, has contributed to present-day idiom, and has influenced many writers.
‘It all but beggars belief that after all the pounding it has taken, the King James Version is still a source for such great imaginative writers today.’
Melvyn Bragg discusses how the KJV has survived attacks by philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and David Hume during the Enlightenment, and this leads him to make a case for how the KJV will survive the so-called New Enlightenment attack by Richard Dawkins and others. This section of the book ends with an account of the KJV’s influence on some notable individuals – such as Mary Wollstonecraft and William Wilberforce.
In Part Three, ‘The Impact on Society’, the journey encompasses slavery and the Civil War in America, and its political consequences. From a global perspective, the KJV is seen as an important force in education, especially for the first two centuries of its existence. As well, the text is seen as influential in the development of social attitudes: to sex, the place of women and in the development of democracy.
‘Democracy, as it took root and developed in Britain and then in America in the seventeenth century, owed an essential debt to the Reformation and to the King James Bible. This could be its greatest achievement.’
This is a compelling read: while there are other aspects (and people) who could have formed part of Melvyn Bragg’s discussion, the breadth of the discussion is interesting and informative.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
The year 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible (KJV), and a number of books have been published as a consequence. In this book, Melvyn Bragg provides a chronology of the development of the KJV, and its impact on culture and society. This is done in three parts: the journey of the KJV from its commissioning to the present day.
Part One ‘From Hampton Court to New England’ is broadly chronological: it places the KJV into its historical context and acknowledges earlier translations, especially the translation by Richard Tyndale which was published in 1526. Melvyn Bragg discusses how the KJV was commissioned, planned and then delivered. Mr Bragg discusses the KJV’s journey: across the Atlantic with the ‘Mayflower’; its use during the English Civil War and then the Restoration; and the Great Awakening in America.
I found Part Two, ‘The Impact on Culture’, the most interesting. The journey of the KJV is extended to encompass language, literature, political thought and science. Melvyn Bragg writes about the influence of the KJV on those who formed the Royal Society in 1660. The KJV is seen as great literature in its own right, has contributed to present-day idiom, and has influenced many writers.
‘It all but beggars belief that after all the pounding it has taken, the King James Version is still a source for such great imaginative writers today.’
Melvyn Bragg discusses how the KJV has survived attacks by philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and David Hume during the Enlightenment, and this leads him to make a case for how the KJV will survive the so-called New Enlightenment attack by Richard Dawkins and others. This section of the book ends with an account of the KJV’s influence on some notable individuals – such as Mary Wollstonecraft and William Wilberforce.
In Part Three, ‘The Impact on Society’, the journey encompasses slavery and the Civil War in America, and its political consequences. From a global perspective, the KJV is seen as an important force in education, especially for the first two centuries of its existence. As well, the text is seen as influential in the development of social attitudes: to sex, the place of women and in the development of democracy.
‘Democracy, as it took root and developed in Britain and then in America in the seventeenth century, owed an essential debt to the Reformation and to the King James Bible. This could be its greatest achievement.’
This is a compelling read: while there are other aspects (and people) who could have formed part of Melvyn Bragg’s discussion, the breadth of the discussion is interesting and informative.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
June 26, 2011
I thought this book was well documented, well researched, and thoroughly interesting.
it documents how the Bible came to be translated through self-sacrificing martyrs and through the work of a few men. Then it goes on to discuss to great deths the impact having the bible written into a language anyone and everyone can read and understand has had throughout the ages. It discussees events you have heard of and often don't fully understand and gives you a new way of looking at them and a clear reason why they might have come about.
The language is discussional, and while Melvyn doesn't talk like he believes 100% in the bible or lives his life for it, he acknowledges the impact it has had, and acknowledges the importance of the bible in other people's lives and the impact personally on each person despite their rank, race, or reason. It is an unbiased account, and the only place I felt he went a little on the defensive is when he talked/ defended the bible against the book "The God Delusion" He says that this other book is under researched, extremely biased, and belittles people particularly people of other than english race as having irrelevant beliefs. Melvyn defends 'the little person' as having their own reasons for their beliefs and talks about how short sighted the writer of the god delusion is for only seeing the surface layer of religion, traditions, and belief systems.
Thoroughly enlightening. Makes you want to pull out your bible and check it against history. Awesome in fact.
it documents how the Bible came to be translated through self-sacrificing martyrs and through the work of a few men. Then it goes on to discuss to great deths the impact having the bible written into a language anyone and everyone can read and understand has had throughout the ages. It discussees events you have heard of and often don't fully understand and gives you a new way of looking at them and a clear reason why they might have come about.
The language is discussional, and while Melvyn doesn't talk like he believes 100% in the bible or lives his life for it, he acknowledges the impact it has had, and acknowledges the importance of the bible in other people's lives and the impact personally on each person despite their rank, race, or reason. It is an unbiased account, and the only place I felt he went a little on the defensive is when he talked/ defended the bible against the book "The God Delusion" He says that this other book is under researched, extremely biased, and belittles people particularly people of other than english race as having irrelevant beliefs. Melvyn defends 'the little person' as having their own reasons for their beliefs and talks about how short sighted the writer of the god delusion is for only seeing the surface layer of religion, traditions, and belief systems.
Thoroughly enlightening. Makes you want to pull out your bible and check it against history. Awesome in fact.
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