Judging by the cover, it looks like the Goth Bible.
A Swedish advertising executive has published "Bible Illuminated: The Book," which is the New Testament packaged like a glossy magazine -- chock full of professional photographs that are anything but what you'd expect to find in an illustrated Bible:
Scenes from post-Katrina New Orleans. Headshots of Angelina Jolie, Bono, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa. A veil-covered African mother holding a child (illustrating the story of Mary and Jesus). A four-page spread of an animal slaughterhouse in Nigeria. A man pumping gas. An anti-globalization protester in a clown nose. And an Indian woman giving birth to her first child.
It's edgy, to say the least. And thought-provoking. And, I admit, really hard to put down.
NPR has an image gallery of some of "The Book"'s photos.
Publisher Dag Soderberg says he wanted to make a new format for the Bible that's more palatable for younger people and others who might be ashamed of displaying their Bibles. These folks, he says, worry the volume is "too connected to church" or would make visitors uncomfortable with a Bible sitting on the coffee table. The Illuminated Bible sold swiftly when it was released in Sweden in 2007.
A recent Wall Street Journal article discusses how Bible publishers are putting out volumes targeted at different audiences. An excerpt:
The modern era of niche marketing began in the 1980s, when Bible publishers hit upon the idea of appending commentary aimed at particular audiences, such as women or teens. They highlighted the verses most likely to appeal to those groups and wrote volumes of supplemental material -- study notes, prayers, even advice-column-style questions and answers.That format proved wildly popular; these days, you can buy Bibles tailored to alcoholics, archaeology buffs, fans of Japanese comics and any number of other interest groups. The Soul Surfer Bible, aimed at teen girls, sprinkles tips on catching a good wave, lists of surfer slang such as "tubular" (meaning, more or less, awesome) and life lessons about hope, faith and hard work into the traditional Biblical text. The Golfer's Bible draws on passages about steadfastness and contemplation to advise duffers on their swings. The Japanese Manga version retells biblical stories in comic-book form, complete with sound effects like "Biff!" and "Pow!"
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