The Art Spirit by Robert Henri....written in 1924 Henri's book is easily one of the great, inspirational as well as educational, books. While written for the painters art the "Spirit" revealed in this book applies to all artistic disciplines.
I do not know about the "bible" slant but this book illustrates, with detailed comprehensible instructions, every system known to sculpture excepting perhaps bronze casting and Andy Goldsworthy's megaliths for a future time.