He has won both the somerset maugham and william heinemann awards, and he lives with his family at sissinghurst castle. The making of the king james bible, king james bible tagged adam nicolsons gods secretaries. Adam nicolson is the son of writer nigel nicolson and grandson of the writers vita sackvillewest and sir harold nicolson. In seize the fire, adam nicolson, author of the widely acclaimed gods secretaries, takes the great naval battle of trafalgar, fought between the british and francospanish fleets in october 1805, and uses it to examine our idea of heroism and the heroic. Adam nicolson is the author of the bestselling new york times notable book gods secretaries. Gods secretaries by adam nicolson is a narrative in praise of one of the most gorgeous literary achievements of the english language.
It have often heard it said that the king james version of the english bible is the version that created the modern english language. Jun 23, 2008 i was taught that the kjv was an inferior translation because it was derived from earlier translations instead of the latin and greek texts. Both an enduring work of scholarship and a fascinating read, whose bible is it. It is a popular book as popular books used to be, a breeze rather than a scholarly sweat, but humanely erudite, elegantly written, passionately felt, and jauntily unfootnoted alas. Possible clean exlibrary copy, with their stickers and or stamps. Adam was educated at eton and at magdalene college at cambridge, and he became a travel writer and won the somerset maugham award for frontiers, a book about a journey through eastern europe. He is winner of the royal society of literature s ondaatje prize, the somerset maugham award, the w. Adam nicolson audio books, best sellers, author bio. Adam nicolson is better known for sea room and nature writing but what a. Dominic silla it have often heard it said that the king james version of the english bible is the version that created the modern english language. In god s secretaries, adam nicolson gives a fascinating and dramatic account of the accession and ambition of the first stuart king. John lee has read audiobooks in almost every conceivable genre, from charles dickens to patrick obrian, and from the very real life of napoleon to the entirely imagined lives of sorcerers and swashbucklers. Gods secretaries audiobook, written by adam nicolson.
This was the england of shakespeare, jonson, and bacon. It is a successful account of how diverse personalities, european history, and. Adam nicolson, 5th baron carnock, frsl, fsa born 12 september 1957 is an english author who has written about history, landscape, great literature and the sea he is noted for his books sea room about the shiant isles, a group of uninhabited islands in the hebrides. Gods secretaries adam nicolson 2 stars gods secretaries adam nicolson 2 stars. He was educated at eton college and magdalene college, cambridge and has worked as a journalist and columnist on the sunday times, the sunday telegraph and the daily telegraph. Dec 06, 2019 according to gods secretaries author adam nicolson, the king james bible is the only great work of literature ever produced by a committee.
Adam nicolson introduces his book god s secretaries. Why homer matters by adam nicolson, john lee, audio cd. If you are a fan of the king james bible, you will enjoy nicolsons book. The second title, the actual making of the kjv, gets short shrift in favor of a third topic which is england in the early period of. Gods secretaries nicolson gives a fascinating and dramatic account of the era of the king james bible and its translation, immersing readers in an age whose greatest monument is not a.
According to gods secretaries author adam nicolson, the king james bible is the only great work of literature ever produced by a committee. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of gods secretaries by adam nicolson. Author adam nicolson discusses his landmark new book, gods secretaries. The making of the king james bible audiobook by adam nicolson. Englishspeaking world more than even shakespeare is. The virtues we may all believe to be part of the english culture honesty, affability, courtesy, liberality each of these has their source in gentry life cultivated over five hundred years.
Aug 02, 2005 god s secretaries by adam nicolson is a narrative in praise of one of the most gorgeous literary achievements of the english language. Bestselling and awardwinning writer adam nicolson tells the story, almost day by day, of the year in the late 1790s that coleridge, wordsworth, his sister dorothy and an evershifting cast of friends, dependents and acolytes spent together in the quantock hills in somerset. God s secretaries a net of complex currents flowed across jacobean england. God s secretaries the making of the king james bible. One of the most amazing works of english prose ever produced, the king james bible was. Nonfiction returns us to the pleasures of the classroom and refreshes our stock of. The making of the king james bible by adam nicolson at indigo. The making of the king james bible by adam nicolson. Dive deep into adam nicolson s god s secretaries with extended analysis, commentary, and discussion. What luthers german translation did for the german language, the kjv did for the english. Gods secretaries 2001, a work of religious literary history by english author adam nicolson, focuses on jacobean english society during the development of the king james bible, which was the product of more than 50 translators who worked.
Nov 06, 2004 gods secretaries is not an apology for the kjvo perspective. In the mideighties, nicolson founded toucan books, and he has also done journalism at a number of publications. The making of the king james bible 2003 is not actually a playbyplay description of the process of creating this biblical translation. Elizabeth i, queen of england has finally died in her querulous old age. After reading adam nicolso ns book, gods secretaries. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Adam nicolson is a prizewinning writer of many books on history and nature, including sea room, the new york times bestseller god s secretaries, and the acclaimed why homer matters. Each week, our editors select the one author and one book they believe to be most worthy of your attention and highlight them in our pro connect email alert. The making of the king james bible adam nicolson, author. Sep 04, 2005 its how adam nicolsons last book, gods secretaries.
Adam nicolson introduces his book gods secretaries. It has been said that a camel is a horse designed by a. The making of the king james bible, brad windhauser, king james bible. Adam nicolsons recreation of this context is beyond praise. Jacobean england was both more godly and less godly than it had ever been, and the entire culture was. He was educated at eton and magdalene college, cambridge. I concur with that, and might go a little further its the only great work of any kind ever produced by a committee. Few primary sources remain to give a glimpse into the formation of one of the most famous pieces of prose in the english language. British travel writer nicolson sea room, 2002, etc. He has won both the somerset maugham and william heinemann awards, and he lives with his family at sissinghurst. The making of the king james bible by nicolson, adam and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The making of the king james bible how information is handled as i plowed through this book and as i blogged about it, i can understand how, from a certain point of view, it looks like im. Nicolsons book examines the intriguing question of how the. In gods secretaries, he brings off a brilliant freehand portrait of an england more rich yet insecure, more literate yet.
Hes wearing a gray suit, white shirt, and striped tie. Mar 31, 2014 author adam nicolson discusses his landmark new book, gods secretaries. After reading adam nicolsons book, god s secretaries. Adam nicolson stands behind a small podium in a library and addresses an unseen audience. Gods secretaries the making of the king james bible by.
God s secretaries by adam nicolson is a narrative in praise of one of the most gorgeous literary achievements of the english language. Gods secretaries explains how a work so closely tied to a particular time and place can become a classic piece of literature. Adam nicolsons most popular book is god s secretaries. Adam nicolson has 47 books on goodreads with 17834 ratings. He lives on a farm with his family near burwash, england.
Gwen ifill talks to adam nicolson about his book god s secretaries, an indepth look at the work that went into translating the king james bible. It was a product of jacobean england, an era that also gave us shakespeare. Through it all, nicolson is engaging without being trivial and erudite without being obscure, which makes gods secretaries a must read for anyone interested in history. Adam nicols on is the author of seamanship, god s secretaries, and seize the fire.
A net of complex currents flowed across jacobean england. This is the prejudice i held when i picked up gods secretaries to read the tale of how the king james bible came to be. May 01, 2003 the book has 2 titles, and this may be the problem. Needless to say, i am less ignorant now that i have read nicolsons book. Adam nicols on is the author of seamanship, gods secretaries, and seize the fire.
Jun 26, 2007 nicolsons work contains illuminating comparisons of our own era and language to the era of the king james bible, comparisons that are as thoughtful as they are wistful. His books include sissinghurst, gods secretaries, when god spoke english, wetland, life in the somerset levels, perch hill, restoration, and the acclaimed gentry. We get glimpses of a few personalities and some interesting asides here and there on historical figures. Adam nicolson writes a celebrated column for the sunday telegraph. This book is about the creation of the king james bible, but has some interesting insights on authority, ecclesiology. The king james bible remains the most influential bible translation of all time. He has won both the somerset maugham and william heinemann awards, and he lives with his family at sissinghurst castle in england. There should be plenty to fill a 400 page book on gods secretaries alone. In brief, this is a book worth your time for a good read. The making of the king james bible has 4 available editions to buy at half price books. He was born in 1957, the son of the author nigel nicolson and grandson of harold nicolson and vita sackvillewest. Adam nicolsons most popular book is gods secretaries. Adam nicolson is the author of seamanship, gods secretaries, and seize the fire. The making of the king james bible, brad windhauser, king james bible, word of god.
Adam nicolson has been both a publisher and a travel writer, and is the author of many awardwinning books, including the recent sea room, about life on the shiant isles. Nicolson gives us more a history of the time from which the king james bible emerged. Adam nicolson takes the ingenious approach of indirectly investigating the bible through an exploration of the people, events, and society surrounding its. Much of that process remains unknown because the documents have been lost, and what is known today had already been covered in academic publications.
Gods secretaries mere orthodoxy christianity, politics. Jul 01, 2006 thinking of your experience with, how likely are you to recommend to a friend or colleague. Adam nicolsons riveting new book concentrates on fourteen families, from 1400 to the present day. The making of the king james bible, i have a deepened appreciation for the majesty, the richness, the musicality, and the exactness of this beloved english translation of. A network of complex currents flowed across jacobean england. Nicolsons prose sings like a siren and his knack for opening up the story within the facts unsurpassed. The truth is that the kjv is good enough for any english speaker, more majestic than any other version, and that it is a foundation of the englishspeaking world more than even shakespeare is.
Very minimal writing or notations in margins not affecting the text. This book is about the creation of the king james bible, but has some interesting insights on authority, ecclesiology, and history. Adam nicolson on his book gods secretaries oct 02, 2004. Be the first to ask a question about gods secretaries. Part of the university of toronto bookstore reading series. Adam nicolson writes books on history and the landscape. Adam nicolson on is the author of seamanship, god s secretaries, and seize the fire.
But the delights of this book were the little details. Preface out of many good ones, one principal good one adam nicholson in his book gods secretaries compares the result to a mosaic, or to a musical composition of extraordinary richness and resonance. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Adam nicolson s books include the new york times bestseller god s secretaries, sea room, sissinghurst, and seamanship. Adam nicolson takes the ingenious approach of indirectly investigating the bible through an exploration of the people, events, and society surrounding its formation. The making of the king james bible, i have a deepened appreciation for the majesty, the richness, the musicality, and the exactness of this beloved english translation of the bible. He is winner of the somerset maugham award and the british topography prize and lives on a farm in sussex. Among his honors are the somerset maugham award, the w. Adam nicolsons book gods secretaries is about the makers of the king james bible. Hes in his late forties, cleanshaven, with receding gray hair.
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