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tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘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
tideseekermystery's review against another edition
2.0
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.
karenangela_1's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting read and Bragg does make a good case for the King James Version of the bible being one of the most influential books ever written.
The King James Version was the book that influenced many of the social movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly those aimed at ending poverty.
It was also the book that helped to convice William Willberforce, among others that slavery was wrong although quite why they would need any book to tell them this I don't know.However during the American Civil War both sides would use the King James Version to justify their position, and it was also used to attempt to control people by telling them how they should live their lives especially when it came to sex.
As for Bragg's book, while it is an enjoyable read if I could have I would have given it two and a half stars instead of three. This is for two reasons, firstly given that he claims that this version of the bible is one of the most influential books of all time he gives very few pages to the actual creation of this book and secondly there were some, lets be charitable and call them typos, that really should have been picked up on before the book went to the printer - the most obvious one being when George Eliot changes sex within the space of a few sentences.
The King James Version was the book that influenced many of the social movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly those aimed at ending poverty.
It was also the book that helped to convice William Willberforce, among others that slavery was wrong although quite why they would need any book to tell them this I don't know.However during the American Civil War both sides would use the King James Version to justify their position, and it was also used to attempt to control people by telling them how they should live their lives especially when it came to sex.
As for Bragg's book, while it is an enjoyable read if I could have I would have given it two and a half stars instead of three. This is for two reasons, firstly given that he claims that this version of the bible is one of the most influential books of all time he gives very few pages to the actual creation of this book and secondly there were some, lets be charitable and call them typos, that really should have been picked up on before the book went to the printer - the most obvious one being when George Eliot changes sex within the space of a few sentences.
northeastbookworm's review against another edition
2.0
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.
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