King James Bible Exhibition at UW Ends Wednesday

October 29, 2012 — Wednesday, Oct. 31, is the last chance to see a national traveling exhibition of the origins, creation and impact of one of history’s most influential books at the University of Wyoming Coe Library.

“Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible” not only highlights the dramatic tale behind the making of this great book, but also includes its influence on English and American literature, and its multifaceted impact on culture and society to the present day.

The exhibition provides a chronological narrative that focuses on the human side of this major cultural landmark and explores the book’s social, cultural, literary and religious influence over four centuries, from Handel's “Messiah,” Melville's “Moby Dick” and Toni Morrison's “Song of Solomon” to the reading of Genesis -- in the King James Bible version -- by astronauts orbiting the moon.

For more information, call (307) 766-3279 or visit http://www-lib.uwyo.edu/ and click on the Manifold Greatness link under “Dusty Shelves” for event details.

Photo:
On Christmas Eve, 1968, the three Apollo 8 astronauts read aloud from the creation account in Genesis, using the King James Bible text, while orbiting the moon. A global audience estimated at half a billion heard and watched their live television broadcast, making it the most-watched broadcast in history at that time. (NASA Photo)