Christians who have longed for a more readable literal Bible translation will find much to praise in the English Standard Version. The ESV's translation team of over 100 members has admirably attempted to preserve the stylistic variety of biblical authorship and ease of reading (at the eighth-grade level) despite the word-for-word translation, which historically has resulted in a choppier text flow. Bible study aficionados will appreciate the short introductions to each book, an extensive center column cross-reference system, full-color maps, and a 14,500-entry concordance. The hardcover edition includes the basic Bible frills: a presentation page, as well as marriage, birth, and death registries. There are some luxurious touches as well. The free, prepackaged CD-ROM has the ESV text, KJV Bible for comparative study and use with Strong's Concordance, Nave's Topical Bible, the Crossway Classic Bible Commentary, and others. These extra bonuses are a good incentive to take the English Standard Version for a test drive. --Cindy Crosby