John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken lands on the shelves of my shop, where it will be found in my Biography section.
London: Continuum, 2007, (First Edition) Hardback in dust wrapper.
Contains: Black & white plates;
From the cover: John Newton had one of the most colourful and influential lives of the eighteenth century. In his youth as a slave trader and a slave ship captain, his early adventures included being flogged as a deserter from the Royal Navy and imprisoned to an African slave master. During a storm at sea he was converted and became an ordained clergyman. The two closest friendships of his life were with William Cowper the poet, and William Wilberforce. With Cowper he wrote some of the most famous and enduring hymns in the English language, most notably Amazing Grace.
Newton became and remains a hero of the Evangelical revival. He was a formative influence on Charles Simeon and on William Wilberforce, with whom he campaigned vigorously for the abolition of slavery. Ranked by historians with Wesley and Whitefield, his influence in the political sphere was as strong as it was within the Christian Church.
Jonathan Aitkens brilliant new biography uses a great wealth of unpublished material, notably Newtons diaries and correspondence with Wilberforce, to produce a fitting testament to the remarkable story of John Newton.
Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Dust wrapper very slightly rubbed at the edges. Light ding to the top edge of the upper board. Text complete, clean and tight.
Green boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. [XIX] 308 pages. Index. Bibliography. 9½” x 6¼”.
BookLovers of Bath 