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This is confusing. The version of the book on wikisource is totally different from that discused in this article. It even includes sections about nineteenth century Christian Martyrs —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Liarliarliar ( talk • contribs) 29 March 2006.
I've uploaded a few more copies of Foxe's original woodcuts on the Commons. One of them is the title page of the first English-language edition, which I think should perhaps be used here as an illustration. - Jmabel | Talk 03:19, 9 August 2008 (UTC)
This article is somewhat slanted in tone, which is probably difficult to avoid given the polemic nature of the original source material. As one example, the description of the publication as occuring "after a brutal period of religious oppression" implies that repression ended, instead of switching to Catholics after Elizabeth inherited the throne.
I've made a number of small changes to try and provide a more neutral attitude. —Preceding unsigned comment added by StephenMacmanus ( talk • contribs) 05:31, 3 September 2008 (UTC)
The article is slanting towards a defense of the author, which is not consistent with NPOV. For example, it includes these statements in the same paragraph:
In addition, the article treats accuracy and objectivity as identical, which is not the case. It correctly cites Mozley indicating the work wasn't a forgery and contains details of actual events. However, these facts don't obscure the intention to present a specific point of view in favor of the dissenters. This viewpoint is an inseparable part of the work. As the 2009 Encyclopedia Britannica states in the author's article, a "polemic account of those who suffered for the cause of Protestantism".
John Foxe's personal honesty is not in question. But, he did work within a specific point of view which he successfully presented, and the result "helped shape popular opinion about Roman Catholicism for at least a century." (The 2009 Britannica again).
Obscuring or downplaying this aspect of the book is uninformative.
I've reworded the "Evaluation and Perspectives" section accordingly. StephenMacmanus ( talk) 02:43, 14 January 2010 (UTC)
These sentences are difficult; "Nevertheless, Foxe who had left England poor and unknown, returned only poor. He had gained "a substantial reputation" through his Latin work." Maybe one or the other sentence could be altered, or they could be joined as, "Nevertheless, Foxe, who had left England poor and unknown, had gained "a substantial reputation" through his Latin work by the time he returned." JehoshaphatJIJ ( talk) 11:41, 19 April 2010 (UTC)
The WIKI link makes it appear that 'The Book of Martyrs"' is an alternative title for Acts and Monuments. It's not, and John Foxe specfically denied it in his second edition: 'I wrote no such book as is called a 'Booke of Martyrs' (1570 AM. 691). It's not correct to say "'The Book of Martyrs" by John Foxe,"...he would have been dismayed. I recommend that the linking page titled 'Acts and Monuments' be deleted, since it has no info, and a new link made to 'The Acts and Monuments', which does contain info. I was letting this go, but I've another related article pending that will need more reliable info on AM. Signed, dgg (I'm not sure how this signature thing goes.) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Docdev ( talk • contribs) 09:20, 20 October 2011 (UTC)
The WIKI article on 'Foxe's Book of Martyrs' demonstrates one of the problems deriving from conjoining the author and the book. It misunderstands and misassigns attributes and effects of the text to the author, and the reverse. Even scholars as experienced as Prof. Patrick Collinson and Dr. Thomas Freeman fall into the trap of attributing to the intention of the author, effects of his text, a danger that I am not alone in highlighting.
It is not helpful to have such mythic, generalized conclusions asserted as historical fact, and on so little evidence, really. If the author of this article wants to salvage and improve what they've got, I have a couple of suggestions that might work. Otherwise, once I figure out how to do it, I would recommend deletion of the article. Most of what it says of historical value is contained also in the 'John Foxe' article, which is a more coherent and useful account. Docdev ( talk) 23:22, 7 November 2011 (UTC)
It is unclear where the quotation in the section "Objectivity" actually begins and therefore whether one may change "who" to "whom," as proper usage would indicate. Rozsaphile1 ( talk) 20:10, 3 January 2012 (UTC)