The Bible: Designed to Be Read as Living Literature - the Old and the New Testaments in the King James Version 1936

by Ernest Sutherland Bates

1936 Hardcover Simon & Schuster New York

Genres: Religion, Philosophy, Nonfiction, History, Theology, Classics, Spirituality

1271 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1993

About the author

1879-1939

Reviews

[Anthony McKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read The Bible from cover to cover. This time I chose to read it in conjunction with Issac Asimov's Guide To The Bible, reading a chapter in the latter first then back to the former to read each chapter with some secular history to be the backdrop. I'm not a believer, but I think this book a worthwhile read to understand the evolution (word deliberately chosen) of religious thought. A large span of history is covered by this book and these words continue to shape society and our individual behaviors whether we subscribe to them or not. The Bates version is nice, because it eliminates the long drudgery of passages that aren't really necessary to understand the message. One is spared "so-and-so begat so-and-so" for endless paragraphs and repetitive retelling of certain stories occurring in different books are eliminated for brevity as well. To read The Bible in a layout that makes it feel like reading a book, rather than an over annotated manuscript, is a pleasure - but be advised that verily thou shalt find it written in ye olde English. I highly recommend this paired with Asimov's guide. You will learn much about what was going on in the region at the time and other fascinating insights that will illuminate many thing in this mysterious tome.

[Lisa of Troy]

Unannotated Book in F. Scott Fitzgerald's College of One

[Gustavo Pérez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This edition of the Bible was actually designed to make it readable enough like a big novel, and it accomplishes this quite nicely. I could read it in more or less a month. Unnecessary parts for the modern reader are cut off, and before each individual book there is an introductory text by the editor, in which he details the theological importance of the book and the scholarship about it. About the King James Version (which is the 1611 english translation), although sometimes has mistakes and makes a paragraph difficult to understand, the poetical tone of it is undeniable, and the whole old english style makes you feel like you are reading directly from an old papyrus.
I recommend this edition more for the lay person, the more dogmatic people may get offended with the editing.

[Albert Ferkl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although 100yo already, this edition remains a singular way for a first full read-through of the Bible (in KJV). It entirely abolishes the chapter-verse structure, in favor of smooth prose and poetry. And it's abridged, leaving out a lot of the more repetitive material -- but retaining such an elegant flow that you don't even notice. Almost irreverent, huh? but barely anyone in our supposedly educated generation, whether nominally Christian or not, actually reads this foundational text of world culture. Well I did, in 3 years spend over this beautiful version, and it's taken me places. If you want it, there's an epub on Anna's Archive -- or hmu to borrow my copy.