A note for this review: This is not a review base on the stories contained inside the Bible, as doing so is probably best done by someone who studies religion/theology which this reviewer does not, nor is it based on any of the reviewer's personal faith/beliefs. Instead this review is based of the particular version's construction, organization, and additional explanatory content.

Reviewers copy printing: 2006-2007 leather bound edition.

Overall Fireside's New American (Catholic) Bible is a very well constructed and organized edition with the chapter neatly separated and bolded that can be useful when looking for a particular passage. Each page also has references to other passages and footnotes that give extra context or an alternative lay persons translation that allows for better extending reading and accessibility respectively. The only issue (and this is a tiny nitpick) is the text font is fairly small and compact (not surprising for a Bible of this version's size) and can be a minor issue if the reader had sight problems. This particular version also contains a impressive amount of additional content apart from scriptures including but not limited to; an expansive dictionary/encyclopedia of terms, maps. a yearly rotation calendar with reading for specifics days/feasts, a guide for the celebration of the Eucharist, and prefacing explaining the origins and history of the creation of the Bible. A very comprehensive and accessible (in other words understandable) version that would useful to students and practicing church goers alike. ( )

Bible was part of becoming member of Catholic Faith. ( )

St. Joseph New American (Catholic) Bible from Catholic Book Publishing contains the complete Old and New Testaments in easy-to-read type, as well as many helpful aids for easy Bible reading, including new maps, full-color illustrations, and Family Record. The beautiful and elegant features of this high-quality, medium-size (5-1/2 x 8) St. Joseph New American Bible include supple material, blind embossing, foil stamping, precise stitching, and decorative gilding to provide an exquisite and unique package for the Word of God. Flexible black imitation leather cover. An unparalleled Catholic Bible gift from Catholic Book Publishing.

My copy of The New American Bible, 1971 edition, is the cheap version, missing the dictionary and appendices mentioned on the copyright page. The signatures are sewn, but the cover is a limp imitation leather. My parents gave it to me for my 20th birthday, and I wish they had sprung for a sturdier, complete copy. The dictionary and appendices would have been nice to have, but my main reason is that my copy has not stood up well to daily reading for 40 years. The cover fell apart and off years ago, and some of the pages are loose. It sits in a folding book holder to keep it together.

On the other hand, the introductions, footnotes, and each page's box listing which verses on the page correlate with other Biblical books or epistles are helpful. I appreciate being told about puns in the original languages, customs, scientific information about miracles, inconsistencies between books, etc. (We Catholics are not required to take the Bible literally. Some footnotes or introductions even state that the language is figurative, not literal.)

I don't always agree with footnotes or introductions' conclusions, but I do like the fact that this Bible expects its readers to have brains and know how to use them.

-lots of notes and background info, thus less confusing than some versions ( )