# "Wide as the Waters" or "In the Beginning"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wide-as-the-waters-or-in-the-beginning/166712>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 5, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wide-as-the-waters-or-in-the-beginning/166712 "2003-04-05T19:02:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wide-as-the-waters-or-in-the-beginning/166712/1 "2003-04-05T19:02:07Z")

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Two books came out a couple of years ago on the development of the Authorised Version of the Bible in England: _Wide as the Waters_ and _In the Beginning_. I’m interested in the topic, but I’m not sure I want to read both just at the moment.

Has anyone read either or both and have any recommendation which I should read?

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**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wide-as-the-waters-or-in-the-beginning/166712/2 "2003-04-06T01:52:12Z")

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I’ve read \* Wide as the Waters. \* I didn’t particularly like it. I thought there was too much emphasis on the biographies of the men involved in the creation of the KJV, and not enough information on the editing, translation and selection processes. I wouldn’t recommend it unless your interest lies in the people who put the KJV together.

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wide-as-the-waters-or-in-the-beginning/166712/3 "2003-04-06T15:31:36Z")

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Actually, that might work for me. I find biography an easy way to get into historical topics that I don’t know much about.