"Genuine Leather" used to refer to pigskin leather, and it could be quite nice. I have a 22-year old Bible made of "genuine leather" of the pigskin sort that still looks really good even with heavy use. That is NOT the kind of leather used for this ESV Study Bible. "Genuine leather" now indicates the lowest quality leather product however vaguely defined. Think low-quality and cheap. Sadly, that's what the cover of this ESV Study Bible is. Its cover is made of a very thin leather-ish layer stretched over flexible board of some sort. If you bend it back at all, the "leather" cover even gets a permanent crease. (My copy came with a crease in the cover already.) I've had terrible experiences in the past with "genuine leather" watch-bands and belts all "made in China" that cracked within months of use. So, I generally avoid "genuine leather" products. But, when I saw the "retail price" of this Bible listed as $99, I thought it must be a better quality "genuine leather" cover. I couldn't have been more wrong. I'm very disappointed. Maybe it's an okay Bible for around $50. The contents are great. Crossway does give a life-time guarantee, and if the cover starts cracking, I may exchange it eventually. At over four pounds, this Bible will spend most of its time on a desk and the cover won't get the workout that my everyday Bibles get. It may hold out okay. Had I known about the poor quality of the cover though, I would have opted for the Hardcover ESV Study Bible at half the price. At least it can stand upright on the bookshelf.

I received this as a gift, so I bought another to give away. One of the best study bibles ever. Wonderful sections on history, context, and commentary notes. Concordance could be a little more robust. Overall, a great way to study God's word in-depth.

I purchased the Crossway ESV Study Bible in burgundy and labeled as Genuine Leather. The translation is great, the notes are thorough and helpful, the Bible is weighty (literally) with content and commentary. However, the leather binding is the worst example of "Genuine Leather" I have ever seen. It's paper thin and feels like it will last about 2 weeks. There is nothing on the binding or turn-in to indicate the type of leather or identification (something unusual for Genuine Leather Bibles). The only indication that it is "Genuine Leather" is the small cardboard partial cover it came with. I'm suspect that this is not Genuine Leather as I've had Bonded Leather Bibles that look and feel better than this, and I should have been more weary for the price it was sold. My wife purchased the ESV Key Word Study Bible from AMG Publishers, in Genuine Leather (also from this website), and the difference in quality is significant. Great content, but don't expect it to last.

I've had this bible for about 1 year. This study bible is PACKED with so much information. The articles and additional resources available is a fantastic tool to help develop a more biblical understanding of

doctrine, teaches on world religions and cults, as well as numerous ethical issues that concern our culture/society today. The introduction to each chapter is detailed and lengthy which I find fascinatingly informative. This bible allows you to go as deep as you want in your studies. Not to mention it's a beautiful looking bible. The cover is soft and smooth. Pretty heavy but it doesn't stop me from carrying it around to church and bible study. Also serves a dual purpose for saving myself a seat ;) This bible was worth every penny.

This takes the guess work out of some very difficult books of the Bible. It is easy to read and understand.