When
Crossway announced the rubber-bound TruGrip ESV, I jokingly
referred to it as the "glow in the dark" Bible, only
to have Crossway webmaster Stephen Smith tell me that there was
a
real glow in the dark ESV in the pipeline, the TruGlo. In spite
of my initial skepticism, I liked the TruGrip. Sure, it's bright
and youth-oriented, but it also lays flat when you open it. When
I finally handled one, I found that the rubber cover feels nice,
too. If only the TruGrip were available in non-radioactive colors,
I told myself, I might even use it.
Well, the TruGlo has arrived in the mail, and it combines what I
liked about the TruGrip with a more conventional hardcover binding.
Yes, it glows in the dark, but the color palette is attractive and
the binding lays flat. Because it's a small hardcover, the TruGlo
is easy to hold open in one hand for reading. I predict that the
TruGlo ESV is going to be popular with readers looking for an inexpensive,
compact edition of the ESV that feels good in the hand.
The
interior of the TruGlo is the same as Crossway's other compact editions.
While some people find the text of this setting too small, I happen
to like it. The goal of a Bible this small is portability, and you
naturally sacrifice type size to achieve this goal. The compact
ESV is a Bible you can slide into a satchel and forget about until
you need it. Of course, with the TruGlo, you'll open your bag to
reveal a subtle glow.
Some
of the most interesting developments in Bible design and binding
these days are happening in the youth-oriented market. The selling
point of the TruGlo is, of course, its luminescence, but to be honest,
I like it in spite of that feature. This isn't just a novelty edition.
By offering a compact Bible with a sewn binding and hardback cover,
Crossway has introduced a truly useful reader's edition of the ESV.
I forsee getting quite a bit of use out of the TruGlo.
The
interior of the TruGlo is the same as Crossway's other compact editions.
While some people find the text of this setting too small, I happen
to like it. The goal of a Bible this small is portability, and you
naturally sacrifice type size to achieve this goal. The compact
ESV is a Bible you can slide into a satchel and forget about until
you need it. Of course, with the TruGlo, you'll open your bag to
reveal a subtle glow. 
Some
of the most interesting developments in Bible design and binding
these days are happening in the youth-oriented market. The selling
point of the TruGlo is, of course, its luminescence, but to be honest,
I like it in spite of that feature. This isn't just a novelty edition.
By offering a compact Bible with a sewn binding and hardback cover,
Crossway has introduced a truly useful reader's edition of the ESV.
I forsee getting quite a bit of use out of the TruGlo.