English Bible History: Tumultuous Tale of the Bestselling Book for Study & Faith

This really is a "visual" history. Drawings, photographs, portraits and nurmerous Bibles fill the pages. A visual delight! Contents -1. Ancient Bibles: The Triumph of Beauty, the Tyranny of Power2. He Dared to Act: John Wycliffe and the Bible in English3. The Man of the Millenium: The Triumph of the Press over the Quill4. He Dared to Take a Stand5. The Fire of Devotion: Then plowman reads the Bible6. A political Pastor Struggles in Exile7. A Royal Court Intrigue8. Theology Influnces Bible Versions9. The Clergy's Version: A Bible Longing for an audience10. The Catholic Church responds11. A Royal Translation12. The King's Bible Revised13. The Source for English Translations14. The Bible in America15. The Bible as Bestseller16. The People TriumphBrake presents this work from ancient to modern. Alfred, Gothic, Book of Kells, Dead Sea scrolls, Bede are all mentioned and deftly connected. Jews and their key role in preserving the Hebrew text is explained, along with other details. Well done.Spends a chapter on Wycliffe and his impact on future translation. "Rejecting the metaphysics of the universities of his day, Wycliffe returned to the principles of the Bible for his authority. He found moral authority in the words of scripture rather than in the cloaks of religious orders." (48) In fact Brake returns to Wycliffe in conclusion.Explains the contrast of Mary and Elizabeth concerning Bible reading. Mary banned the Bible. Elizabeth loved it. "A Bible in the British museum records Queen Elizabeth's words, written in her own hand:'August. I walke many times into the pleasant fields of the Holy Scripture where I plucke up the goodiesome herbed of sentences by pruning: eate them by reading: chawe them by musing: and laie them up at length in the hie seate of memorie by gathering them together: that so having tasted theire sweetness I may the lesse perceave the bitterness of this miserable life.' " (161) Facinating!Concludes with explanation of the different Greek texts and modern English versions. Brake does an outstanding job making this book absorbing, even seductive. Great!One notable feature are his personal stories in finding, bidding, agonizing and paying for rare Bibles. Wonderful! Another unique feature is a eighteen page 'visual' glossary. A real treat. Thirteen pages of footnotes. Seven page bibliography. This book is printed with high quality glossy paper. Really makes all the visual additions stand out.Brake clearly loves the Bible. Anyone can learn why the Bible is so special from this work.