ESV Pitt Minion Reference Bible, Black Goatskin Leather, Red-letter Text, ES446:XR

Earlier this year I decided to make an addition to my translation library which consisted of ... wait for it ... just the KJV. I grew up with the King James bible and love the elegant flow of the old English. I also enjoyed the vast resources built around the study component centered on the KJV text. After doing a lot of research about different translations I came to love the ESV. I still read and study from the KJV, but wanted to include another translation that was faithful to the manuscripts they translated and the ESV was it. The purpose of the review isn't to discuss translations, but bible formats and there purpose in absorbing the word of God. My plan was to build a library of bibles and resources, i.e., study bibles, commentaries, concordances, translations, bible types, etc... Since my KJV library was fairly well established I began the search for the perfect combination for the ESV. My wish list included bibles for reading, on the go, and personal home study. During my research I found several iterations of the ESV translation that I thought would work but nothing really stuck for the three purposes I was looking for. Since this was the first time I had spent more than $30 on a bible I didn't feel comfortable going completely nuts and buying a $200 bible (I thought I would dip my toe first). When I saw the Pitt Minion and it's corresponding partner in the wide-margin I knew this is what I was looking for. So I purchased the Pitt Minion in calf split and wide-margin in hardcover. I couldn't be happier with my choice. I know they are the bottom of the barrel when it comes to quality of covers in their category, but to be honest I don't think I forfeited anything with this combination choice. I feel better about the money spent and if I were to do it all over again I would choose the same covers. The calf split Pitt Minion has softened up a lot ... the bible opens flat in all places with ease! The grain feels so good in the hand! The print is unbelievably readable for its size. The hardcover wide-margin is actually (IMO) better than the soft cover options, because my sole intention for the bible is to use it for personal study. The bible doesn't come to bed with me (often) and is mostly used on the coffee table. Also, it opens flat in all places. The selling point was the fact that the pages correspond with each other. This is perfect for me because I have a visual memory. Now this left me with one more aspect of my search for the perfect combination of bibles. I needed a bible for long periods of reading. Well, lucky for me, Cambridge fulfilled that desire as well in the recent released Clarion. I purchased the calfskin this time because it was only $10 more at evangelicalbible.com than the calf split. To be honest, I like the cover, but would've been fine with the calf split. The one nice thing that may maintain my first decision is the red under gold gilt edges (they are really nice!). I plan to never write in this bible ever ... it's just for reading. That's why I have the wide-margin. I can not begin to tell you how perfect the layout, text and size of this bible is. It is literally a perfect reading bible for me. The font really appears much larger than 9 pt. The pages do curl in the middle of the bible, but I think with time the problem will go away. If not, it won't matter because the rest of the bible is perfect! If they used thicker paper the bible would've been twice as thick (wouldn't work!). It's the compromise you make when looking for the best reading bible on the market. So that concludes my ESV library ... for now. The Cambridge Pitt Minion (calf split), Wide-Margin (hardcover), and Clarion (calfskin). You will love any one of these bibles in isolation and could easily get away with just one. If that is was what you are planning to do ... my order of preference would be (1) Clarion, (2) Pitt Minion, and (3) Wide-Margin. If you want to take notes and only want the Clarion or Pitt Minion you can always buy a notebook. Know that each of these editions will last you a very, very long time! Go, enjoy the word of God, and share your experience with others!

Update/Addendum: For more on this Bible, see my blog post: [...] By the numbers: 1) The font: This font is very readable, yet compact. It's amazing how clear and easy to read the font is. 2) The paper: India paper. Outstanding. Some bleed through, but not enough to be distracting. 3) The maps: This is where this edition really stands out. This feature seems to be overlooked by most reviewers of most Bibles. I would say two things to this effect--a) If you're seriously studying the Bible, you need to start paying attention to its geography. Period. How can you follow the narrative flow of the Biblical story if you're not paying attention to geography? b) Except for study Bibles, the Pitt Minion has far and away the best maps I've ever seen. Shoot, this little Bible's map arsenal rivals that of many study Bibles. 15 maps with a complete map index! I have never seen anything like this in a compact Bible before. 4) The casing/cover: Beautiful brown leather! *Goatskin* leather! The ESV edition is a bit stiffer than the others (NASB, NIV, etc.) for some reason, but I really don't think this is a down side. The cover becomes very flexible with use. And, with a compact Bible this size, having a sturdy rather than floppy cover can be a plus. 5) The page edges: Art gilt (red dye under gold). The gilding, as I understand it, is real gold leaf (not the spray on stuff). These page edges will be protected for years. I've seen gold-leaf gilt edged books over 100 years old and the gold still glistens. The red under the gold adds an extra layer of protection. The art gilt edging gives you another reason to buy the brown edition, rather than the black edition, because the red-under-gold produces a sort of reddish-brownish-gold hue to the page edges, and this goes brilliantly with the brown leather. 6) Overall sturdiness and durability: Honestly, it takes at least two years to really be able to assess how well a book or Bible holds up, and I've not had mine for that long. That being said, I and my wife (I gave this Bible to her after I saw how much she liked it) have given this Bible some pretty bad beatings, and it has taken them all very well. We've thrown it in purses, pockets, brief-cases, etc. And it is still in very good shape. The text block is completely attached to the cover, and I can't see it coming undone any time soon. There is no separation between any of the pages. This one has held up very, very well. 7) The spine/binding: This one is, of course, smythe-sewn, but that's just the beginning of the story. The text block has a "springiness" that I've never seen before. It opens flat out of the box, with absolutely no coaxing. When you open it, it lies completely flat, whereas many Bibles and books, even smythe sewn ones, form a sort of arch as the papers curve back into the spine. Not the Pitt Minion. 8) Size: I'm a big guy, and I can put this in my somewhat sizeable pockets. Maybe most people can't fit it in their pocket, but you can carry it with you in your hand easily. It can fit in compartments in briefcases and backpacks easily. And it is very slender. All in all, if you want one Bible to take with you for the long haul, one that you can trust to hold up to abuse, one that has plenty of good helps in the form of cross-references and maps, and one that you can carry with you anywhere--this is it. In fact, I think that I'd sum up my review this way: If a soldier or chaplain were to ask me if there was a good Bible that they could take with them into a war zone and still count on it to hold up for life, I'd tell them that they want this Bible, the ESV Pitt Minion, preferably in brown goatskin.

Cambridge has produced a fine, quality Bible that will surely last me for many years to come. I will be reviewing the ESV Pitt Minion in black goatskin leather, red letter edition. It is a real treat to hold and read. A few notes. 1) The font is 6.75 Lexicon No. 1, which means it's small. It is a compact Bible, so that's to be expected. The print quality is exemplary. I don't have any trouble reading it for long stretches of time, even though I have notoriously bad eyes that require rather thick glasses to correct. The print remains legible and readable, likely due to the high-quality printing techniques used by Royal Jongbloed in the Netherlands. The layout, done by Blue Heron Bookcraft in Battleground, WA, is very traditional: double-column paragraph format with center-column references. The references appear to be the same ones found in any ESV reference edition currently available. One minor quibble: the red letters are okay, but sometimes they do not line up exactly with the text surrounding them. This is unfortunate and distracting. Next time I think I will opt for whichever edition uses black-letter text throughout. 2) The paper is very high-quality, quite smooth to the touch compared to my Crossway edition. It is not completely opaque, but the show-through is minimal and easily ignored. The text appears to be line-matched. 3) The ribbons (there are two in this edition, though some editions evidently only have one) leave a little to be desired, but they are altogether functional. I used a lighter on the ends to prevent fraying. 4) The goatskin is just so luxurious. Since this is my first so-called "premium" Bible, I have nothing to compare it to except bonded leather and TruTone™, but compared to both of those options, the goatskin is a real treat. I've seen some reviews mentioning that the cover is stiffer on the ESV than other editions; I cannot attest to that. What I do like, though, is that the boards they used give the text block a bit of extra support for easy one-handed reading. Perhaps limpness is desirable on larger Bibles, but for a small one like this, I do not feel as though I am lacking anything. While we're on this topic, let me just mention my favorite part: the smell! I've often found myself sitting and reading for a while and every so often catching a whiff of the Bible and just going "ahhhhh" on the inside. The smell of goatskin leather is wonderful. I've never had a smelly Bible before. 5) With a little breaking in, the Bible now lays flat from Genesis to Revelation. It will only get looser with time. 6) One last honorable mention: the maps! Cambridge's collection of 15 maps makes an appearance at the rear of the volume, complete with a map index. They are printed on slightly thicker paper than the main text, but not cardstock, which is nice. I've often bemoaned the fact that my previous Bible didn't contain any maps. Having them now is wonderful. Cambridge makes a fine product. They've achieved something very difficult: creating a full-featured Bible laid out in a traditional format in a slim, compact volume. You'd be forgiven for thinking it was only a New Testament at first glance. I'm looking forward to purchasing some of their other options if the occasion arises. For now, though, this Pitt Minion has become my everyday carry and I just could not speak more highly of it. Thanks, mom and dad, for such a wonderful birthday gift.

Some smaller tools are more useful than larger ones. A dentist uses a tiny drill and not a concrete jackhammer. (Thank goodness). A smart phone should fit in my jeans pocket; I don’t need a backpack to tote it around. The reason the Lone Ranger carried a six-shooter in his holster instead of a rocket launcher is that the shoulder-fired weapon couldn’t fit on his horse! When it comes to Bibles, there are very good reasons to have very large Bibles. Some study Bibles have more material than the first year of seminary. My study Bible is so large we have to rent a U-Haul to take it to church. Other Bibles need to have extra-large print for aging eyes. I get that. No problem. On the other hand, some very quality Bibles come in very small formats that are extremely useful to the lover of the Word of God. Such is the Cambridge Pitt Minion series, including the two Bibles featured in the review below. Today I will be doing a duel-review of both the ESV (brown) and NASB (black): both in the same size, text, font, and calf split leather. Vital Statistics: • Publisher: Cambridge • Printing: Jongbloed, Netherlands • Translations: ESV and NASB • Binding: Smyth sewn/pastedown interior • Cover: Brown and Black calfskin • Columns: Double • Text: Red letter • Font: Lexicon No. 1 in 6.75 and 7pt. • References: Center column • Study Notes: None • Size: 6.85’ X 4.75’ X .0.85’ • Yapp: 0.25’ • Ribbons: (1) • Gilt edges: gold • Head and tail bands: brown and yellow (brown edition); red and yellow (black edition) • Features: Concordance, maps • Cost: approximately $85.00 USD This is going to be a love it or hate it Bible for many readers and it all comes down to what I mentioned in the lead in, the size of the book. This is a small Bible. It’s not quite so small that it can fit into the front pocket of your best church button-down, but it is small enough to get into the front pocket of your day-off comfy jeans. Let me be clear: if you struggle with small print, do not get this Bible. You will return it the moment you open it up. But stay with me young-eyed folks: this Bible has some serious firepower if you can get past the 7 pt. font that is used in the main text of the Bible. (The references are even smaller). Type, Font, and Print The first time I held one of these Pitt Minion’s, I was borrowing it for a few moments as I listed to Tim Keller speak at our denomination’s general assembly. Keller faded out and the Pitt took the center of the platform. I loved it! Then I opened it up. “Whew.” I thought. “That small font is going to take some getting used to.” Alright, so let’s talk about the font. How bad is it? Well, it’s pretty small. I like to give a Bible the old “quarter dollar” test. When I place a George Washington onto a prose section of the text, the coin covers up ten whole lines of text. That’s pretty small folks. Just for comparison, the Crossway Legacy gets a seven by the same standard. At the same time, the “form factor” was just right in my hand. I thought about it for a few weeks and sprung for my own Pitt Minion with a gift card I received at a speaking engagement. I am so glad I did. After getting my own copy (the ESV in brown came first) I realized just how clear the print really was. Small, but exceptionally clear like it was printed with a laser engraving tool by NASA or something. The double columns with center references are amazing. Something just works here; like Cambridge stumbled onto the perfect algorithm for column width and reference placement. It is beautiful, crisp and uses almost every square inch of the page. Aesthetics The first thing you will notice about this Bible is that the hand-to-Bible size ratio is perfect. If we have Bibles in Heaven, they will be this size and all of our eyes will be piercing enough to read them. This Bible fits the hand like a glove. In fact, that’s exactly the analogy I would use to describe it: remember that baseball mitt you used to take into the street to play ball? How perfect it fit you that second year after you broke it in for a season? Yeah… Now we’re talking. The calf split leather is a steal for the price. (When they split leather across the length of the hide, the better part becomes known as “top grain,” while the lesser side is dubbed calf split). There are several more expensive versions of this Bible out there. I know that goatskin is all the rage among the serious collectors. But this split calf works in so nice after a while, I really don’t think I’d spring for the upgrade. I’ve been carrying it around for a couple months in my messenger bag and it now feels like the leather quality somehow went up several notches. A few months after I’d had my ESV in brown, I received a tip that the NASB in black was on sale. Some of us thought they had put $28 on the sale page instead of $82 by mistake. Actually, I suspect that might be correct. So I bought the second one too. I still like the brown more. The texture of the grain is much more visible, nuanced, and mature. I also realized how much my brown ESV had broken in after a few months when I held the stiffer NASB right out of the box. I have every reason to believe it too would loosen up after a month of carry-around. I’ll say this: if you think the leather-over-cardboard style of paste-down binding is too rigid when you first open this Bible up, do what I did: simply tote it around in your bag or briefcase for a month and you won’t believe how soft this leather actually becomes. As for the other features, the gilding is spot-on Cambridge quality. The binding springs open like a bird of prey ready to take flight. The line matching is faultless. Aesthetically - for looks and feel - it has neither weakness nor peer. Uses Here’s the bottom line: this Bible can easily be the Bible you take everywhere. As a pastor myself, I always need a Bible. All the time. If I have a few moments waiting at Starbucks, I’m in the Word. When I go to staff meetings, we read and study together. When I go to the hospital, I always take my Pitt Minion. Since it does fit in the pocket of my pants, I can tap the hand sanitizer and scrub up without setting it my Bible down on a germy sink or changing station. It comes right out of my bag in the evenings again for elder’s meetings. No, I probably wouldn’t want to use this Bible for my everyday devotional reading, but it is there when I need it. Trusty. Reliable. Just the right tool for the job. And that’s the point: this thing is going to be your “take anywhere” Bible.

I want to start off with I love this bible! I have used this bible a lot for the last year almost and I have not been easy on it. Its traveled with me in so many different places and I have done a full read through. I've been able to take notes and make annotations that make sense to me and allow me to study its been great the goatskin holds up so well to any abuse you put it through. Now some of the bad is just due to me personally I cannot blame the bible or Cambridge. It's just the red letter version of this proofed to be straining to my eyes so much when I got to the new testament I had to read from another bible and then when I switch back after the gospels I realized how often id get little headaches while reading for long periods which really sucks cause I do love the portability and text block so much. If I could buy another bible I'd probably try the diadem and that's what I would recommend to most people. But still such an amazing bible

The Pitt Minion is itself a fantastic Bible. The text was much easier to read that I was anticipating. The quality of the paper is superb and the Goatskin is fantastic. It doesn't quite sit flat at the moment, but I'm sure that it will with wear. The issue that I have is that it was sold as a new product, but there are definite signs of use: 1. It was not in the plastic that these Bibles are usually in new from Cambridge. 2. The box was a little beat up. 3. The art-gilt edging is scratched from what looks like someone trying to open it from the bottom. I may find more as I go through my reading, but at present that is all I can find. I highly recommend this for a premium go anywhere Bible. I'm not sure there is a better value out there when it comes to these materials. However, be ready for disappointment from Amazon. It may be worth spending just a few more dollars over at Evangelical Bible dot com to ensure you're really getting a new unused Bible for this price point.

ESV Pitt Minion Reference Brown Goatskin ES446X The Cambridge ESV Pitt Minion Bible in brown goatskin leather is a treasure for any person who is fond of the great old Cambridge traditon. Let's start with the cover. This Bible is bound in genuine goatskin leather. There isn't a better leather out there for the price than goatskin. It is soft and thick, tough and yet very pliable. This Bible just feels great in your hands. When you hold it open in your hands you feel like you are holding a real Bible made in the old tradition. And it smells great! The binding is smyth-sewn and opens flat right out of the box, which is really outstanding if you like to study at a desk or table. The page edges are art gilt, red under gold, a process that is more expensive for Bible makers but reflects a much higher quality Bible. The paper is nice. Smooth, opaque, strong, and non-glare, so it doesn't tire the eyes. The print is quite small but readable if you have decent eyesight. This is a reference Bible with center column references, a concordance, and a nice section of maps. This is remarkable for such a small Bible. Although available in a red-letter edition (if you want the words of Christ in red, order the black goatskin), this brown goatskin edition is black-letter, which I prefer. I have an R. L. Allan KJV Ruby Edition in Highland goatskin which is also a black-letter edition and about the same size as the Pitt Minion, so these two will make a fine pair. If Cambridge would line their Pitt Minions in leather like the Allan Bibles (or like the Cambridge Goatskin wide-margin editions), this Bible would be almost too wonderful to touch. But it is made to use and enjoy! You can't go wrong with the English Standard Version. There isn't a more accurate, more readable translation available. The Pitt Minion is the 2007 ESV text. If you appreciate traditional Cambridge quality, you will love this Bible. Designed to last a lifetime and pass down to your children or grandchildren, this Bible is worth every penny you spend. Dr. Mike Kear

For the few (smile), who might read my reviews, you will note I am fond of the Pitt Minion Reference Bibles. I have a nice leather tote, I tend to read and carry several versions, The NASB, The NKJV, (A limited Edition Lambskin MacArthur Study Bible as my "big" reference, great Bible in Black, A FEW left on the GRACE TO YOU site for you J Mac fans), I also often carry and read the ESV, as the MANY merits of the ESV have been discussed, I shall focus on this gem. I received brown "Pitt Mins" in both the NASB and NKJV (both new colors prior you choices in goatskin were black OR black). Do not get me wrong Brethren! I love a classic black Bible, but, the rich dark brown is VERY elegant an a nice change of pace. I Give this a SOLID 5 Stars! ONE GOOOD NOTE! I like a Bible with an extra Marker, and I gave my other ESV to a Gent at church who was changing to the ESV, it had 1 ribbon the NEW BROWNS have 2! Great if you are reading the NT, and want to mark an OT Reference or vice-versa! The Brown still is still all "black ink" no red letter! The Pitts are almost magic to me, for the size, the print strike (Blue Heron I think.) POPS off the page. A GREAT, one hand so in Devotions, you can easily sip you coffee (or tea) and easily hold open your Holy Book! Take Up and Read. BLESSINGS TO ALL IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! Shalom!

The Pitt Minion ESV is incredible! The leather is stiff out of the box but it becomes flexible in a few days of work in, the leather feels nice and the grain is satisfying to look at. The liner is made of a vinyl thick piece of paper and it is a paste down, in the few days of usage I noticed that the corners of the liner began to peel off but the problem of resolved easily by super glue. The text is fine for me but for others it may be small since the bible is a compact bible and it's a 6.75 font. There are 2 ribbons on mine, I don't know if that is normal since most Pitt minion calf splits only come with 1 ribbon, 2 or one ribbon doesn't really bother me. The Bible has maps and a concordance and it is a red letter text, it is not too red but a little pinkish but it is still elegant, overall the bible itself is worth the buy, it is a incredible portable nice feeling premium bible

I love bibles and I have a lot of them. As a German who wants to improve his English and read the word of God in this language I ordert this bible and didn't get disappointed. A small one but really nice. It is a calf split leather and it is more soft that I thought. Really flexible. In comparison I have another bible in goatskin leather. Yes, there is a difference but not that big. The fonts are small but for my eyes absolutely ok and good to read. A big plus is, that this bible has the same layout as the Cambridge ESV wide margin bible. The Pitt Minion is the smaller brother. For me as a visual learner that is the cherry on top. So..with my school English...I hope you can understand what I mean :-) Great Bible - 5 Stars

First the pros: Great size that balances features and portability. This Bible fits easily in one hand, and yet has great maps, good cross-references and concordance. The double column layout is very nice. I especially like the way Cambridge puts the cross-references down the center column. Cross-references for the left column of biblical text are flush left, and those for the right column are flush right. Makes it very easy to track which references go with which verses. The maps are super. Though some of the writing is in very small type, it's readable. I use progressive lenses, and can even make out the numbers on the distance bars on the maps. The printing is that crisp. I really like the color-coded map index too. The Cons: The point size of the text may be a bit small for some people, but I found that even with progressive lenses the 6.75 pt. font for the text to be quite okay. Even the small font used in footnotes and cross-references is clearly readable. The only time I had difficulty reading the text was when there was a power cut in a poorly lit room. The BIGGEST Con, however, is the problem of getting a non-defective product in India. Cambridge makes top-quality Bibles that come with life-time guarantees, but for some reason some of the ones that end up in India have problems. (That's the reason for the 2 stars.) Right out of the box I noticed that many pages had slight crease marks near the corner of the edge. This defect wasn't visible in the edging when the Bible was closed, and I decided to keep the Bible because I like it so much. However, one day I was reading in Isaiah and saw a damaged page that had the torn edge of it sewn into the binding! (See photo.) That compromises the longevity of the binding. The vendor was good about giving a refund even several months after the purchase, but it was still a big downer for such a good Bible. Here's what I suggest if you buy this Bible: When you get it, immediately go through and inspect every single page to make sure there are no defects. If you see none, you'll have a great Bible at a reasonable price. If you have to return the item, Amazon makes it very easy to do that in the first 10 days.

This genuine goatskin leather ESV bible is a real pleasure to use.The Bible is very light, yet very strong and durable with the goatskin cover. It feels very soft and opens flat straight from the box. The English Standard Version (ESV) is a literal translation making it very accurate, similar to the KJV/NKJV only more updated, and perhaps easier to read and understand. The central column references are also great. The whole Bible is nicely laid out and although the font is 7 point it is easy to read. This edition is red letter for the words of Christ. Overall a great Bible, compact yet easy to read with very strong Bible paper with sewn binding meaning it will last for many years. Would highly recommend for a great all rounder Bible- well worth the money. Cambridge bibles are probably among the highest quality available.

Beautiful quality. Rich leather cover. Not floppy. Cover is but not to stiff. Will last for years. Typeface for me requires glasses but very crisp and legible. Nice 2 column format with references down the middle. Perfect size for backpack or bag. I take this edition everywhere with me for when there are a few minutes to spare. Very much worth the investment as it feels like an heirloom.