Review: Douay-Rheims Large Print Edition from TAN Books — Guest Post by Fr. Jedidiah Tritle

TAN Books recently released an “ultra-soft leatherette” large-print edition of their Douay-Rheims (DR) Bible. While this edition is certainly not without its defects, it is overall a well-done product that satisfies the need for a large-print Douay-Rheims that doesn’t feel clunky.

The book measures in at almost exactly 9 ½ by 6 ½ in., with a thickness of 1 ½ in. For comparison purposes, the size is comparable to the Great Adventure Catholic Bible, though just a hair thinner. It would easily fit in a backpack, computer bag, satchel, etc., unlike some of the large-print editions available from other publishers such as Loreto or Baronius.

The exterior of the Bible uses a soft faux leather (“leatherette”) similar to the cover of TAN’s standard size leatherette DR. The cover has a nicely imprinted design around the edges, similar to the large-print NABRE published by Catholic Bible Press. “Holy Bible” is beautifully stamped on the cover and spine (along with the other standard inclusions such as translation, publisher, etc.). Interestingly, the spine includes five raised hubs, which is a nice addition.

Most importantly, the binding is sewed. The gilding is comparable to other Bibles from TAN Books, and I haven’t noticed any flaking. The liner is paste-down, as one would expect. And, while this Bible is relatively floppy, it’s not quite as floppy as TAN’S burgundy leatherette DR. This could simply be due to the fact that the cover is thicker than cover of their standard-size printing. Uniquely in TAN’s Bible lineup, this edition is printed with three ribbons, each with a thickness of just over ½ cm. All in all, the exterior design of this edition is the nicest I’ve seen from a TAN Bible. If you’re a Douay-Rheims reader, this could be a great candidate for your daily reader!

To me, the interior is the biggest weakness of this edition. With the exception of the larger font (which measures in at just a smidge under 10pt.), there just isn’t anything new or exciting offered here by TAN Books. It’s the same 1899 edition of the Douay-Rheims, with the same typos, and the same formatting (double-column, verse-by-verse, etc.). Like TAN’s other Bibles, the paper has the feel and smell of a newspaper, and the font (both black and red) isn’t particularly bold—though I certainly wouldn’t consider it to be faint or unreadable. The print-consistency is notable throughout. In the past, I’ve had TAN Bibles whose red letters ranged from an unreadable pink to a dark crimson. In this edition, I’ve noticed that both the black and red letters are printed consistently throughout. I would prefer the font to be a touch darker and bolder for better legibility. But, if you own the standard-size printing of TAN’s DR, and you’re just looking for a larger printing, this is exactly what you’re looking for.

Overall, I think any DR reader who is looking for a large-print edition that isn’t a hardback or the size of a brick would appreciate this edition. The font isn’t as legible as Loreto’s, which—in my opinion—has the best text-formatting of any currently-printed Douay-Rheims Bible. But the TAN edition is perfectly readable for me (I usually prefer 10pt. font or larger). The quality isn’t as sophisticated as Baronius Press’s standard- or large-print DR. But, it’s much easier to slip in a backpack or satchel. To me, it’s the current “Goldilocks” of Douay-Rheims Bibles. It’s neither too large nor too small. And for you, if the Douay-Rheims is your primary or ancillary translation of choice, it might be just right!

I want to conclude this review with some pastoral notes on the translation. It is my [limited and anecdotal] experience that Bishop Richard Challoner’s 18th century revision of the Douay-Rheims Bible continues to hold a strong place in the hearts and minds of many of the Catholic Faithful. It is often the vernacular translation read at Masses celebrated according to the 1962 Missal, as well as the translation found in most Latin-English hand-missals used by the Faithful there in attendance. Its venerable phrases can be found painted in Church apses throughout the English-speaking world, and they can be heard whenever the Rosary is prayed aloud. Sometimes, the particularities of the Latin Biblical tradition are surprising and even exhilarating! Come on, who doesn’t prefer a whistling of a gentle air to a still small voice? (3 Kings 19:12 in the Douay-Rheims; 1 Kings 19:12 in most modern translations) I digress. Point is: I cringe when the Douay-Rheims is dismissed as being archaic and useless, and its readers characterized as reactionary and nostalgic. Despite its textual or linguistic shortcomings, the DR is the language of prayer and devotion for many Catholics, it’s part of the “received” Biblical tradition of the Latin West, and I think it will continue to hold a place in the hearts and minds of many—just as the KJV does in the lives of so many English-speaking Christians, regardless of its textual basis or archaisms.

On the other hand, the DR has its manuscript and translational weaknesses, and it certainly shouldn’t be glorified as the “only” or even the “most” accurate translation of the Scriptures into English. Did St. Jerome have access to manuscripts unavailable to modern scholars? Most likely. But guess what? We don’t have access to any original manuscripts of St. Jerome! The 8^th century Codex Amiatinus is the best-preserved and oldest codex of the Vulgate available, though the post-Tridentine publications of the Vulgate preferred to use later Medieval codices. So, the Douay-Rheims is hardly a perfectly preserved window into the late 4^th century. Rather, it is a very literal 18^th century revision of a late-16^th and early-17^th century translation of a sloppy late-Medieval recension of St. Jerome’s Vulgate. And, even the extant texts of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic to which it was “diligently compared” have all been superseded by better critical editions since the 18^th century. That doesn’t make it a bad or untrustworthy translation by any means, but let’s not pretend that it’s the final word on the Word.

That being said, the Douay-Rheims still has a place in the life of the Church, even if primarily for devotional reading. It has certainly edified me in the past, even if it isn’t my “go-to” translation—that honor is generally reserved for the RSV-2CE, though I’ll poke around in the NRSV and NABRE from time to time. If a well-bound, large-print Douay-Rheims is what you’re in the market for, this might be worth purchasing. While I prefer the Loretto publication, primarily due to the highly-readable font and layout, this is certainly one of your best options currently for the Douay-Rheims. And, if you prefer a soft cover in a large-print format, this is your option. It’s pricey, but this is a great publication from TAN. Have a blessed Holy Week!