In this collection of essays, thirty scholars from diverse disciplines offer their perspectives on the genius of the King James Version. In part 1 the essayists look at the KJV in its historical contexts--the politics and rapid language growth of the era, the emerging printing and travel industries, and the way women are depicted in the text (and later feminist reponses to such depictions). Part 2 takes a closer look at the KJV as a translation and the powerful precedents it sets for all translations to follow, with the essayists exploring the translators' principles and processes (with close examinations of "Bancroft's Rules" and the Prefaces), assessing later revisions of the text, and reviewing the translation's influence on the English language, textual criticism, and the practice of translation in Jewish and Chinese contexts. Part 3 looks at the various ways the KJV has impacted the English language and literature, the practice of religion (including within the African American and Eastern Orthodox Churches), and the broader culture.--From publisher's description.