Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #173185 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 440 pages

Chaim Bermant, The Observer
"Daniell is searching and erudite without being ponderous, and his book is not only a superb guide to Tyndale's work, but to the cultural and religious ferment which inspired it."

J. Enoch Powell, Times Higher Education Supplement
"A massive contribution to the history of the Reformation in England. It is novel and important in its focus upon the language of the English scriptures in the formative period and in its long-range perspective."

Eamon Duffy, The Times
"Daniell's book is full of good things. It is written with verve and total commitment to its subject. It establishes beyond doubt the centrality of Tyndale's achievement as a translator."

Customer Reviews

Simply the best - thank you for writing this book Mr Daniell
This is so clearly written and in an engaging style that it is difficult to reconcile it being written by such a highly regarded academic. I enjoyed this book as much as any biography I have ever read. It gives an amazing insight into the development of ideas and faith that formed in England and the United Kingdom, how it came about and why this tiny country had such an impact on the world.

A biography and more than a biography
A paperback edition of a 1994 publication to mark the quincentenary of Tyndale's birth and the first major study since Mozley's biography in 1937. With a useful summary of the state of Hebrew knowledge at the beginning of the 16th century in England ('virtually unknown') and the rest of Europe ('gathering pace'), Daniell affirms Tyndale as a remarkable Hebrew scholar, who mastered Greek and six other languages, distinguished himself a theologian, and in translating the Bible not only laid the foundations for the KJV but also demonstrated his capacity to write good English.

Attention to his non-biblical books is covered alongside OT, NT and Matthew's Bible and Daniell's scholarly but popular style tells a fascinating story of his sufferings and the ecclesiastical polemics of his day with intrigue and heresy, charge and counter charge.

The Introduction refers to the purchase of his Worms 1526 NT by the British Library for a million pounds as 'the only complete survivor of Tyndale's original print-run', the only other extant copy already in the BL being incomplete, but fails to note the discovery of a third copy in 1996 in the Wuerttemberg State Library, claimed to be 'the only really complete copy' because it has the title page which is absent in the other two.

A great book
St Thomas More is a man who is still remembered today and is the subject of plays and films. William Tyndale was his opponent. It was Tyndales ambition to translate the bible into English. To do this he learnt Greek and Hebrew. It is said that as he left England he told a cleric that if god spared him to do his work " even a boy driving the plough shall know as much scripture as you." Tyndale did not complete his work but his new testament and his first five books of the old testament formed the basis of the King James Bible. His translation contains phrases of sublime beauty which have become part of the language. (For example "the sale of the earth" and "there were Shepherds abiding in the fields".)

Tyndales achievement in making a bible available in English has been of enormous importance in the history of England and America. The family bible was a proud possession of families, it was a tool by which children could be taught to read and write. On Sundays families could read it to sustain their faith and to learn.

At the time Tydale undertook his project it was illegal in England to have a vernacular copy of the bible. He had to travel to Europe to undertake his work. Tyndale was in life a kind man who never advocated violence and was regarded as of high character even by his enemies.

He has in modern times been largely forgotten. Ironically his enemy Thomas More is nowadays remembered rather than Tyndale. The book by Daniell illustrates why this is ironic. More was in reality a much less sympathetic character. He was involved in the suppression of the bible, the arrest and punishment of heretics and strongly advocated execution of his religious opponents.