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Majestie: The King Behind the King James Bible
In the Beginning,James. Orphaned, bullied, lonely, and unloved as a boy, in time theyoung King of Scots overcame his troubled beginnings to ascend the Englishthrone at the height of England’s Golden Age. In an effort to pacify risingtensions in the Anglican Church, and to reflect the majesty of his new reign,he spearheaded the most important literary undertaking in Western history―thetranslation of the Bible into a beautiful, lyrical, and accessible English. David Teems’s narrative crackles with wit, using athoroughly modern tongue to reanimate the life of this seventeenth centuryking―a man at the intersection of political, literary, and religious thought,yet a man of contrasts, dubbed by one French king as “the wisest fool inChristendom.” Warm, insightful, even at times amusing, Teems’s depictionof King James has all the elements of a grand tale―conspiracy, kidnapping,witchcraft, murder, love, despair, loss. Majestie offers an engaging new look at the world’s most cherished, revered, and influentialtranslation of Sacred Writ and the king behind it. “Engrossing and entertaining…a delightful read inevery way.” – Publishers Weekly
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2010
70 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
David Teems
20 books5 followersRecording artist, songwriter, and speaker,David Teems is the author of Tyndale: The Man Who Gave God an English Voice , Majestie: The King Behind the King James Bible , To Love is Christ , Discovering Your Spiritual Center , and And There by Hangs a Tale . Teems earned his BA in Psychology at Georgia State University. David and his wife Benita live in Franklin, Tennessee near their sons Adam and Shad.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 2, 2017
Ugh!! I'm so glad I'm done with this book!
I read several Tudor history books this summer and figured this book on James I would be a great followup. I should have been more specific with myself. A book on James I would have been a great followup---this particular book was not.
The author relied far too much on secondary sources and quotes. Another reader said it felt like they were reading the Cliff's Notes version of James' life and reign---exactly. I still feel like I know very little about the man. Teems liked to say, "James was James." Or various versions of that; problem is, he didn't give us a clear and thorough portrait of James to begin with.
The thing I found consistently frustrating though was that Teems gives his reader very little credit for possessing a functioning brain. Anyone who has chosen to read this book is already going to know that "plough" is "plow", that "elasticity" means "a good deal of stretch", that a vicar is a pastor. He uses vocabulary and then defines it: "he learned to vacillate. To say one thing and do another." This is needlessly redundant (see what I did there?). It goes on, ad nauseum: a fortnight is two weeks, a physic is medication, a homonym is defined...
I concede there were a few interesting bits. I found this quote to be the most fascinating of all. The author is discussing the influence that Shakespeare may have had on the translation of the KJB: "Remember, the circles in late Elizabethan and early Jacobean London were quite small. And all of this somewhat amazingly took place within a few square miles of earth, and at the same moment in time." Amazing. Also, I thought James' rendering of Psalm 100 was quite clever and the KJB information was really interesting---if brief. Though I feel like I wasted a lot of time forcing myself to read this book, it has served to spark an interest in James I and the translating of the KJB, so I suppose all's not lost.
I read several Tudor history books this summer and figured this book on James I would be a great followup. I should have been more specific with myself. A book on James I would have been a great followup---this particular book was not.
The author relied far too much on secondary sources and quotes. Another reader said it felt like they were reading the Cliff's Notes version of James' life and reign---exactly. I still feel like I know very little about the man. Teems liked to say, "James was James." Or various versions of that; problem is, he didn't give us a clear and thorough portrait of James to begin with.
The thing I found consistently frustrating though was that Teems gives his reader very little credit for possessing a functioning brain. Anyone who has chosen to read this book is already going to know that "plough" is "plow", that "elasticity" means "a good deal of stretch", that a vicar is a pastor. He uses vocabulary and then defines it: "he learned to vacillate. To say one thing and do another." This is needlessly redundant (see what I did there?). It goes on, ad nauseum: a fortnight is two weeks, a physic is medication, a homonym is defined...
I concede there were a few interesting bits. I found this quote to be the most fascinating of all. The author is discussing the influence that Shakespeare may have had on the translation of the KJB: "Remember, the circles in late Elizabethan and early Jacobean London were quite small. And all of this somewhat amazingly took place within a few square miles of earth, and at the same moment in time." Amazing. Also, I thought James' rendering of Psalm 100 was quite clever and the KJB information was really interesting---if brief. Though I feel like I wasted a lot of time forcing myself to read this book, it has served to spark an interest in James I and the translating of the KJB, so I suppose all's not lost.
March 24, 2012
Biography of the Scottish, English King. Teems writes well and this is clearly well researched, but I just could not get into it. Teems has an informal style of writing that is approachable, humorous and even irreverent, but for me at least, this just never clicked. James seems to be a very complex character, but there's just not enough of to hold my interest. It's almost historic fiction and maybe if Teems had gone more that route it would have been a better read.
October 7, 2011
Great read for several reasons...Love the history! Anything about English history fascinates me. This book paints a sad and bleak picture of the young King's life. It also gives lots of background about his mother, Mary Queen of Scots. David Teems shares a light and sometimes humorous perspective of James' life.
With all the background in place, Teems describes the events both leading to and during the translation of the bible that became the KJV. I had no idea of any of it really. I loved the way he put side by side comparisons of the other bibles used so that you could easily see and read the difference in the language. One thing I really loved from this book was his thoughts about the language of the times and how that affected this work. Lots of fascinating linguistic history. It was the world of Shakespeare, but more, with the destruction of the catholic church in England during Henry VIII, it was the culture of theater and the aural/oral word. As he says, this book was written by these men to be read aloud! It has changed my perspective in my own personal scripture reading. I find myself looking more at the language, not just navigating the words.
With all the background in place, Teems describes the events both leading to and during the translation of the bible that became the KJV. I had no idea of any of it really. I loved the way he put side by side comparisons of the other bibles used so that you could easily see and read the difference in the language. One thing I really loved from this book was his thoughts about the language of the times and how that affected this work. Lots of fascinating linguistic history. It was the world of Shakespeare, but more, with the destruction of the catholic church in England during Henry VIII, it was the culture of theater and the aural/oral word. As he says, this book was written by these men to be read aloud! It has changed my perspective in my own personal scripture reading. I find myself looking more at the language, not just navigating the words.
January 31, 2011
If the author's referring to Mary Queen of Scots and Darnley as the King's "Mom and Dad" sounds a bit ... off-putting, you're guaranteed to dislike the book. I wouldn't exactly call it "scholarly", but approachable. Filled in the gaps in some of my historical knowledge, though I did feel a bit guilty - as though I were reading the Cliff's Notes instead of the full story. Those interested specifically in the KJV Bible background (as teased) will likely feel cheated, that part seemed presented almost an afterthought to me.
October 6, 2025
Liked very much.
I saw a few reviews that complained about it being not only a book about King James but also about the King James Bible. This surprises me because the title refers to both. Also, it was published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, a Christian publisher. I enjoyed reading about the life of King James and the translation of the KJV. Alot of info on both. I read it through Kindle Unlimited.
I saw a few reviews that complained about it being not only a book about King James but also about the King James Bible. This surprises me because the title refers to both. Also, it was published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, a Christian publisher. I enjoyed reading about the life of King James and the translation of the KJV. Alot of info on both. I read it through Kindle Unlimited.
December 21, 2018
Review title: The Biblical King
Having just finished James Shapiro's The Year of Lear about Shakespeare in 1606, I went to my local public library in search of a general history of the Gunpowder Plot he referenced, but the closest thing I could find was this book on King James. After getting it home I was surprised to notice that it was published by Thomas Nelson, which is a major publisher of Bibles, Christian devotionals, and other Christian literature. And I was pleasantly surprised to find a highly readable biography of King James (VI of Scotland and I of England) that made a perfect companion to The Year of Lear.
Teems, whose other author credits described in his bio are Christian devotionals as befits the publisher's catalog, has written a fast-moving narrative biography of King James based on secondary sources. Obviously intended for a lay audience of readers, not academics, he breaks no new ground but places the highlights of the king's life in the context of his time and his place in history. And to his credit, Teems does not angle the text towards Christian devotional themes or overlook or condemn aspects of his life (like his strong and possibly sexual relationships with men) that run counter to Christian doctrine. While Teems of course touches on the relationship between church and state, and between Catholics and Protestants, and then sketches the background of James's sponsorship of the English translation of the Bible that has since carried his name, his writing tone, focus, and intent is never explicitly Christian or proselytizing. Any general reader in search of an introduction to James's place in history would find this book a great starting point.
In fact, despite the subtitle, Teems does not get to the commissioning and writing of the King James Bible until chapter 15 of 20. But not to worry, plenty happens along the way that makes for a fascinating life. James was the son of Mary Queen of Scots, herself a piece of work in Teems's telling, replacing his mother as Scotland's boy king managed by regents and threatened by shifting conspiracies of nobles and church until taking the reign on his own while still a teenager. That he survived literally and politically seemed miraculous, and that he managed such accomplishments as the unification of the monarchies of England and Scotland and the commissioning of his Bible, one of history's great cultural achievements, astonishing.
When he reached that latter point in James's reign and life, Teems leave off the biography and focuses the remainder of the story on the translation; in Teems words, "the years between 1604 and 1611, the years of the translation, were doubtless his finest." (p. 245). Like James, whose relationship to Shakespeare Teems has noted (with references to Shapiro's more detailed study), the playwright's career was effectively in a dimming twilight by 1611. Teems provides the briefest of recaps of the back end of both men's reign.
I wonder if Thomas Nelson was pleased when they first read Teems's manuscript. But his focus on the life of James up to the point of the translation is eminently justifiable. The past is always prologue, especially with such an important and vitally alive character as James, and with such a far reaching enterprise as commissioning an English translation of the religious text at the foundation of British (and the broader Western) civilization. As Teems writes in a footnote on p. 247, "it [the King James Bible] has free movement within us, even as it has an invisible presence in the subtext of this book." James's life history, his sense of "majestie", his belief in both Christianity and his divine right and appointment to rule, along with his intersection with English history at the time of Shakespeare, the maturing and vitality of the English language, the dawning of the age of European colonization and the planted seed of future empire, all helped make the King James Bible manifestly great and enduring. Indeed, see my review of Manifold Greatness: The Making of the King James Bible, a more in depth study I read a few years ago and also rated a classic.
And while he didn't write a word of it, without this strange, odd, sometimes unloved and imperious King James, it doesn't get written. His life is worth knowing as we live in the world he and his Bible created. Teems is a great place to start the journey.
Having just finished James Shapiro's The Year of Lear about Shakespeare in 1606, I went to my local public library in search of a general history of the Gunpowder Plot he referenced, but the closest thing I could find was this book on King James. After getting it home I was surprised to notice that it was published by Thomas Nelson, which is a major publisher of Bibles, Christian devotionals, and other Christian literature. And I was pleasantly surprised to find a highly readable biography of King James (VI of Scotland and I of England) that made a perfect companion to The Year of Lear.
Teems, whose other author credits described in his bio are Christian devotionals as befits the publisher's catalog, has written a fast-moving narrative biography of King James based on secondary sources. Obviously intended for a lay audience of readers, not academics, he breaks no new ground but places the highlights of the king's life in the context of his time and his place in history. And to his credit, Teems does not angle the text towards Christian devotional themes or overlook or condemn aspects of his life (like his strong and possibly sexual relationships with men) that run counter to Christian doctrine. While Teems of course touches on the relationship between church and state, and between Catholics and Protestants, and then sketches the background of James's sponsorship of the English translation of the Bible that has since carried his name, his writing tone, focus, and intent is never explicitly Christian or proselytizing. Any general reader in search of an introduction to James's place in history would find this book a great starting point.
In fact, despite the subtitle, Teems does not get to the commissioning and writing of the King James Bible until chapter 15 of 20. But not to worry, plenty happens along the way that makes for a fascinating life. James was the son of Mary Queen of Scots, herself a piece of work in Teems's telling, replacing his mother as Scotland's boy king managed by regents and threatened by shifting conspiracies of nobles and church until taking the reign on his own while still a teenager. That he survived literally and politically seemed miraculous, and that he managed such accomplishments as the unification of the monarchies of England and Scotland and the commissioning of his Bible, one of history's great cultural achievements, astonishing.
When he reached that latter point in James's reign and life, Teems leave off the biography and focuses the remainder of the story on the translation; in Teems words, "the years between 1604 and 1611, the years of the translation, were doubtless his finest." (p. 245). Like James, whose relationship to Shakespeare Teems has noted (with references to Shapiro's more detailed study), the playwright's career was effectively in a dimming twilight by 1611. Teems provides the briefest of recaps of the back end of both men's reign.
I wonder if Thomas Nelson was pleased when they first read Teems's manuscript. But his focus on the life of James up to the point of the translation is eminently justifiable. The past is always prologue, especially with such an important and vitally alive character as James, and with such a far reaching enterprise as commissioning an English translation of the religious text at the foundation of British (and the broader Western) civilization. As Teems writes in a footnote on p. 247, "it [the King James Bible] has free movement within us, even as it has an invisible presence in the subtext of this book." James's life history, his sense of "majestie", his belief in both Christianity and his divine right and appointment to rule, along with his intersection with English history at the time of Shakespeare, the maturing and vitality of the English language, the dawning of the age of European colonization and the planted seed of future empire, all helped make the King James Bible manifestly great and enduring. Indeed, see my review of Manifold Greatness: The Making of the King James Bible, a more in depth study I read a few years ago and also rated a classic.
And while he didn't write a word of it, without this strange, odd, sometimes unloved and imperious King James, it doesn't get written. His life is worth knowing as we live in the world he and his Bible created. Teems is a great place to start the journey.
March 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. The author loves his subject, while being completely honest about the many faults of the subject. It’s a fun ride for anyone interested in an introduction to King James. If you are looking for something in-depth on James, this isn’t it. But it’s a great start.
A good portion of the book is dedicated to the authorship of the King James Bible, which was fascinating. I am now hunting down biographies of some of the theologians referenced in the book.
A good portion of the book is dedicated to the authorship of the King James Bible, which was fascinating. I am now hunting down biographies of some of the theologians referenced in the book.
January 20, 2021
It is amazing that King James survived his childhood. While still in his mother's womb, a sharped knife was placed against Queen Mary of Scots. Carefully, she saved herself and son, but her musician, Rizzio, was brutally killed by a group put together by her husband, Lord Robert Darnley.
Darnley is a pretty man/boy, that's about all he has going for himself. The father of James, is a weakling with eyes toward the throne of Scotland. The life of Mary and her baby were saved. The incident of her husband's stupidity was repaid when months later, he was blown to bits.
Mary made tremendous stupid mistakes. As my college history professor noted over and over, Mary ruled with her heart while her brilliant cousin Elizabeth I of England ruled with her intelligence.
Mary's fate was to be imprisoned under Elizabeth's careful watch. After many failed attempts to overthrow Elizabeth, it was her final communications to Scotland with a plea to make a plan to kill Elizabeth so she could gain the throne. Way too smart, Elizabeth adeptly proved Mary a fool, and she was executed. It too was a bloody undertaking with three attempts to chop her head. Finally, when the nasty task was finished, her head was raised, her wig fell to reveal a balding, sad woman, whose only true companion was her dog who, hidden, found his way out of the bloody gown.
When Elizabeth grew older and more frail, she still had not named a successor. Mary Queen of Scots son, James, would fulfill that duty. He brought to the throne what Elizabeth did not--heirs to continue the legacy. With a foot that turned sideways and a spindly composure, James learned quickly and relied on what he witnessed as a child.
A better, smarter ruler than his mother, his was the reign of trips to the new colonies by Sir Walter Raleigh who brought back a crop of tobacco . He too would eventually lose his head.
James was raised in violence and uncertainty. Scotland was a bloody land with blood and short lived reigns of those who tried to rule James, eventually they too were killed.
Intelligent, with the ability to smartly navigate, when James came to the English throne, he was aware of how religion tore apart both Scotland and England. He called for a middle ground, which was achieved by bringing together learned, intelligence men who worked to achieve what we now know as the King James bible.
Darnley is a pretty man/boy, that's about all he has going for himself. The father of James, is a weakling with eyes toward the throne of Scotland. The life of Mary and her baby were saved. The incident of her husband's stupidity was repaid when months later, he was blown to bits.
Mary made tremendous stupid mistakes. As my college history professor noted over and over, Mary ruled with her heart while her brilliant cousin Elizabeth I of England ruled with her intelligence.
Mary's fate was to be imprisoned under Elizabeth's careful watch. After many failed attempts to overthrow Elizabeth, it was her final communications to Scotland with a plea to make a plan to kill Elizabeth so she could gain the throne. Way too smart, Elizabeth adeptly proved Mary a fool, and she was executed. It too was a bloody undertaking with three attempts to chop her head. Finally, when the nasty task was finished, her head was raised, her wig fell to reveal a balding, sad woman, whose only true companion was her dog who, hidden, found his way out of the bloody gown.
When Elizabeth grew older and more frail, she still had not named a successor. Mary Queen of Scots son, James, would fulfill that duty. He brought to the throne what Elizabeth did not--heirs to continue the legacy. With a foot that turned sideways and a spindly composure, James learned quickly and relied on what he witnessed as a child.
A better, smarter ruler than his mother, his was the reign of trips to the new colonies by Sir Walter Raleigh who brought back a crop of tobacco . He too would eventually lose his head.
James was raised in violence and uncertainty. Scotland was a bloody land with blood and short lived reigns of those who tried to rule James, eventually they too were killed.
Intelligent, with the ability to smartly navigate, when James came to the English throne, he was aware of how religion tore apart both Scotland and England. He called for a middle ground, which was achieved by bringing together learned, intelligence men who worked to achieve what we now know as the King James bible.
April 1, 2016
This book falls in that genre of popular history which seeks to examine certain events through the examination of a single person. A sort of combination of biography and 'broad' history. I've seen it done to great effect(Devil in the White City is probably the best example).
Majestie is about the King James Bible, but also about King James himself. About the world that shaped him and how that world shaped the bible and indeed his efforts to create the translation. It was, after-all generated as a further effort to harmonize and unite kingdoms seriously disunited. From the Scottish/English split, only recently brought to personal union in James' person, to the Catholic/Anglican/Presbytrian/Puritan/etc. religious conflict which had and would continue to dominate so much of European history.
The Book is strongest when focusing on James himself and the events that shape his life. The historical conspiracies and politicing which affected him even before his birth. The way he was used as a political football, passed back and forth until he came into his own power. His education and experience and how that led to him adopting the notion of the Divine right of Kings. His conflicts with the Scotish Kirk(the Church) and Scottish Nobility and how that nest of vipers shaped the man who would one day be King of Both Scotland and England. All that is great.
The Books downsides come mostly in relation to the bible. Some of it is simply the dryness of the act and text. It's hard to 'jazz up' a committee of people discussing whether 'light' or 'brightnesss' is a better/more apt/more commonly understood translation of a particular word. It's also hampered by the authors Anglophilia, which at times get distracting. Waxing lyrical about English qualities and the qualities of thought it produces in a text like this just ends up sounding pretentious.
All in all though it was a fun read for a history buff like myself.
Majestie is about the King James Bible, but also about King James himself. About the world that shaped him and how that world shaped the bible and indeed his efforts to create the translation. It was, after-all generated as a further effort to harmonize and unite kingdoms seriously disunited. From the Scottish/English split, only recently brought to personal union in James' person, to the Catholic/Anglican/Presbytrian/Puritan/etc. religious conflict which had and would continue to dominate so much of European history.
The Book is strongest when focusing on James himself and the events that shape his life. The historical conspiracies and politicing which affected him even before his birth. The way he was used as a political football, passed back and forth until he came into his own power. His education and experience and how that led to him adopting the notion of the Divine right of Kings. His conflicts with the Scotish Kirk(the Church) and Scottish Nobility and how that nest of vipers shaped the man who would one day be King of Both Scotland and England. All that is great.
The Books downsides come mostly in relation to the bible. Some of it is simply the dryness of the act and text. It's hard to 'jazz up' a committee of people discussing whether 'light' or 'brightnesss' is a better/more apt/more commonly understood translation of a particular word. It's also hampered by the authors Anglophilia, which at times get distracting. Waxing lyrical about English qualities and the qualities of thought it produces in a text like this just ends up sounding pretentious.
All in all though it was a fun read for a history buff like myself.
June 12, 2015
This is the best book I ever read, and I read a lot, about King James. Every detail of his life is not only told in an interesting, page turning manner, but everything is documented. King James was born a King and raised without mother or father. Read why in beginning of this masterpiece. If, and I doubt you will be bored in the beginning keep going. I was surprised how Shakespeare appears in this story. The beauty of the period this is written. King James born 1566 died 1625. King of England.....wait until you find out HOW he did that. I loved this book and all the characters in it. All the people involve in this writing of King James Bible. But King James did all the work of getting the right people to do the work. Amazing. It was King James Idea. He checked every detail of all the work.
The copy I read was from library but I loved everything about how it was written and I will be buying my own copy.
The copy I read was from library but I loved everything about how it was written and I will be buying my own copy.
July 22, 2013
Having grown up with the King James Version of the Bible, I found this biography very interesting and at times, very sad. It was a well appreciated birthday gift. King James was described as being "orphaned, bullied, lonely and unloved", yet he was instrumental in having the KJV of the Bible translated and printed. The author, David Teems, has a great sense of humor, and employs it when describing some of the "hanky-panky" of the times in which King James was reared. Also, since Teems is from Franklin, TN where many of my family live, I was grateful to learn of a hometown author that I will follow in the future.
April 14, 2013
This book relates most of the highlights of King James VII's life, with emphasis on the efforts he exerted to have the Bible translated from Greek and Hebrew into then-modern English. It is a compelling tale, and Teems tells it with humor and style, putting it into 21st century perspective. I was a little disappointed in the quick round-up of the final details of James' life at the very end, but that was not the focus of the story. A good read, especially for anyone who enjoys a good book about those enigmatic and charismatic royal figures.
April 21, 2020
Fascinating book. I picked up on a bookstall at work and was not sure I really wanted it but thought I should buy something as I had hovered so long!! I had finished a book about Margaret Tudor so this followed along perfectly. Really enjoyed this book and loved how he writes. Not too formal and adding in a few little details which really kept me interested. About general history at the time and context. He didn't assume you already knew those facts -which I didn't. Have now ordered his book about Tyndale as I enjoyed it so much.
September 24, 2011
Excellent book. Learned a lot about the KJB, King James, and Jacobean times. Author's writing is conversational with good tidbits of information. The KJB is not my favorite version of the Bible, but I have a greater respect for it now. I will now listen for the lyrical rhapsody in its verses.
Even Shakespeare was involved with the translation-indirectly, of course. his literary presence carried the times.
2011 is the 400th anniversary of the KJB.
Even Shakespeare was involved with the translation-indirectly, of course. his literary presence carried the times.
2011 is the 400th anniversary of the KJB.
September 2, 2016
I read a hundred or so books a year, and this is easily one of my favorite reads of this year--and the year is 2/3 over! It is a thoroughly readable, unfailingly enjoyable glimpse into the life and times of the enigmatic king who succeeded Elizabeth I and ordered the translation and publication of what we know today as the King James Version of the Bible. It is well paced, lightened at times with humor, and hard to put down.
April 12, 2016
Superbly written; craftsman like. Very helpful to learn the background on who got the idea to have a new translation (Puritan Dr. Reynolds.) He king saw it as an effective way to put his stamp on something lasting and receive heaps of praise to himself for "authorizing" the project.
April 18, 2011
Needed more King, less King James Bible and less of the author just quoting from other books. The way the author interjected his own opinions into the book was off putting too.
June 22, 2011
Liked it very much. Easy to read and very informative.
July 25, 2015
Super informative with matchless writing. The latter half is the best and most interesting.
March 28, 2016
Rather engaging, and I learned a lot! A very interesting book.
May 11, 2025
This is the story of James I’s early life and his arguably most significant achievement – the commissioning of the King James Bible.
The author employs a metaphorical, often acerbic style, which I found initially engaging and later too pretentious.
He also vividly conveys the harsh and violent court life during Mary’s reign and James’s rule in Scotland.
I was particularly struck by how highly effective the editorial organisation of the translation committees was, and by the fact that many of the scholars involved came from lower social classes — a sign that English society at the time allowed for some degree of upward social mobility.
However, I felt the author overemphasised the significance of James’s use of the title “Majestie,” and the repeated royal, religious, and philosophical associations he drew often felt forced.
I understand that the book's title clearly reduces the scope to the significance of the term majesty and the commission of the Bible. Still, I find it disappointing that the author decided to exclude the details of James’s life beyond 1611. For this reason and for the bursts of pomposity, I give it only three stars.
The author employs a metaphorical, often acerbic style, which I found initially engaging and later too pretentious.
He also vividly conveys the harsh and violent court life during Mary’s reign and James’s rule in Scotland.
I was particularly struck by how highly effective the editorial organisation of the translation committees was, and by the fact that many of the scholars involved came from lower social classes — a sign that English society at the time allowed for some degree of upward social mobility.
However, I felt the author overemphasised the significance of James’s use of the title “Majestie,” and the repeated royal, religious, and philosophical associations he drew often felt forced.
I understand that the book's title clearly reduces the scope to the significance of the term majesty and the commission of the Bible. Still, I find it disappointing that the author decided to exclude the details of James’s life beyond 1611. For this reason and for the bursts of pomposity, I give it only three stars.
January 28, 2022
The author of this book is a fan of King James. While I am certainly not, I could stomach a book skillfully written by someone who was. This one is not it. The style is annoying chatty, and as you approach the end you realize that it's not actually a book about King James, but really about the King James Bible. Once he hits that point, he effectively says that the rest of James life is a let down, and leaves it at that.
He is also vitriolically anti-Puritan. While this is a common position, it is one that lacks any empathy for someone you disagree with, and it's disappointing that a Christian publisher would print this nonsense.
He is also vitriolically anti-Puritan. While this is a common position, it is one that lacks any empathy for someone you disagree with, and it's disappointing that a Christian publisher would print this nonsense.
September 6, 2024
This was an interesting book to read, although it was not particularly well written. Sort of a breezy amateur historian style. Tells about the upbringing of James VI and I and how he came to be the man he was. The kjv came out of a conference of Puritans and Bishops called by James. Teams of translators converted Hebrew and Greek into English and then a different team had the ms read out loud to them for auditory critique. Also tells about earlier English Bibles, especially those by Wycliffe and Tyndale.
November 23, 2024
Excellent history of King James, the translation of the Bible and even Shakespeare
This history was highly readable and provided an interesting account of the life of King James.
It also gives a good background of how the King James Bible was translated.
I enjoyed the how the author connected James and Shakespeare, showing how they jointly developed and standardized the English language.
Altogether a colorful and thorough, without being tedious, account of the life of King James and the Bible he had translated.
This history was highly readable and provided an interesting account of the life of King James.
It also gives a good background of how the King James Bible was translated.
I enjoyed the how the author connected James and Shakespeare, showing how they jointly developed and standardized the English language.
Altogether a colorful and thorough, without being tedious, account of the life of King James and the Bible he had translated.
July 30, 2024
The story of James I of England, his community, and his gift to posterity, the King James Bible. The tone is much lighter than the usual scholarly research, but it makes the reading more enjoyable and does not alter the facts and opinions of James' contemporaries. When we get to the actual translation years, the author pays homage to the wisdom and education of the translators, the articulate yet poetic use of language, and the attention to detail.
January 31, 2021
Love old English history!
December 24, 2022
A popular read for a general audience, contains some generalities but is a quick read that stays on topic.
March 18, 2024
Super compelling biography of a pivotal character in the formation of personal Christianity, where anyone can have their own set of scriptures and read for himself.
July 4, 2025
I enjoyed this biography which was well researched and well written. This reads like a novel while being scholarly and insightful. Loved it.
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