The Return of the NASB PSQ
The original edition of Schuyler’s Personal Size Quentel is back, and it’s just as lovely as ever.
I started Bible Review Blog by going on a quest to find the perfect ESV small Bible, and while I kept all four of the Bibles I reviewed in that series, the Personal Size Quentel from Schuyler is easily the one that I find myself reaching for the most. For me, the combination of the PSQ’s size, page design, and aesthetic beauty adds up to a Bible that is “just right.”
Schuyler first introduced the Personal Size Quentel in 2017 with an NASB edition, followed soon after by ESV, NKJV, and NIV editions. As the name suggests, the PSQ is a smaller version of the Quentel, Schuyler’s flagship reference Bible. What’s really cool is that each edition of the PSQ has identical pages numbers and an overall layout as its larger sibling in the Quentel series, so owning and using both in tandem is extremely practical.
That original NASB Personal Size Quentel has been sold out for a while now, and fans have been anxiously waiting for Schuyler to do a new printing of this groundbreaking design.
That wait is over.
NASB Personal Size Quentel – Overview
The new NASB PSQ is available exclusively from EvangelicalBible.com in a handful of unique bindings. The Bible you see pictured here is the Antique Marble Brown Goatskin edition. For those of you familiar with the previous NASB PSQ, this Bible is almost entirely the same except for the fact that it contains Schuyler’s new presentation pages.
As far as size goes, the NASB PSQ has a 4.7” x 7.1” trim size and is right at 1.5” thick when you include the cover. It has a comfortable 8.5pt type size, a full set of Schuyler’s maps (the best Bible maps there are, in my opinion), and ten pages of lined note paper in the back. The only significant difference between the PSQ and the Quentel (other than size, of course) is that it does not contain a concordance.
This Bible uses the 1995 text of the NASB translation, complete with the standard formatting features (italics, small caps, asterisks, etc.).
FEATURES
• Edge-lined goatskin (leather lined)
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Art gilding
• Two ribbon markers
• 28 GSM Indopaque paper
• Line Matching
• Cross-references
• Schuyler Bible Maps
• Lined note paper
• 4.7” x 7.1” trim size
• 1.5” thick
• 8.5pt type size
• Matching page numbers/format as the full-size Quentel
Judging A Book By Its Cover
Let’s face it… first impressions matter, and despite the age-old saying, we absolutely can judge a book by its cover. In that sense, this new NASB PSQ is very impressive. The first thing I notice is the lovely texture and softness of the antique marble brown goatskin, followed quickly by more subtle touches like the perimeter stitching, raised spine hubs, and the Jerusalem cross imprinted into the front cover. When I flip open the cover I find a leather liner with gold gilt line, and an elegant red-under-gold art gilding on the page edges. In terms of the exterior aesthetic touches, this Bible is a knockout.
Moving inside, this Bible continues to impress. Schuyler worked with world-renown typesetter 2K/DENMARK on the Quentel series. Their primary goal was to create a highly legible Bible, and they certainly succeeded. The 8.5pt type size of the PSQ is crisp and clear, making it feel much larger than it is. It helps that the text is line matched, and I’m quite pleased with the 28 GSM paper, which feels more opaque to me than other Bibles I own with 32 or 36 GSM paper.
I also really enjoy the page layout of the PSQ. With cross-references across the bottom of each page, the two-column text has plenty of room to breath. I like that the cross-references are there when you need them without being in the way when you don’t (I’d love to see a scientific study on use of cross-references… my instinct is that a very small percentage of people actually use them with any regularity). The subtle use of red in chapter numbers, headers, cross-references, and page numbers (see photos above) is the kind of small design choice that makes a huge difference in the overall readability of the page.
Welcome Back
I think what’s most impressive about the new NASB Personal Size Quentel is that it remains true to the original. This shows us that Schuyler is confident in the design and doesn’t feel the need to mess with a good thing. In a world where everything is always changing, that kind of consistency is refreshing.
Bottom line:
The new NASB PSQ is a Bible of the utmost quality that is a joy to read.
NEXT WEEK: my first review of a KJV Bible – the 53C from R.L. Allan
BUYING THIS BIBLE*
• The NASB Personal Size Quentel is available exclusively at EvangelicalBible.com, starting around $175.
*Pricing and Availability subject to change.
About Tim Wildsmith: “I’m a pastor, writer, and musician from Nashville, where I live with my wife, Becca. I have always loved a Bible that is beautifully designed, well-crafted, and practical, and I’m convinced that finding a Bible you love and enjoy reading will make you want to spend more time with it.” Click here to read the full bio.
