Amazing Grace

The Life of John Newton and the Surprising Story Behind His Song

By: Bruce Hindmarsh, Craig Borlase

Narrated by: Alan Irving, Bruce Hindmarsh, Craig Borlase

Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Amazing Grace, a biography that reads like a novel, reveals John Newton's dramatic, and at times traumatic, story of sin and salvation and ultimate conviction to speak out against slavery. His story speaks to the brokenness within us all and our need for God's amazing grace.

Amazing Grace is a rags-to-riches story that charts the many ways a young man squanders opportunities and experiences misery and poverty, only to unexpectedly rise to a level of respectability and privilege. This dramatic retelling of his life story, which feels like a novel, is a tale of romance, in which young love sparks wild and impulsive actions, only to be followed by years of seemingly hopeless longing, before eventually being crowned by a long and happy marriage. Lastly, it is a story of grace of a youth who rejects God repeatedly, loses himself in a downward spiral of unbelief and immoral behavior, only to be rescued by divine mercy that reaches deeper than he could ever have imagined.

Newton's story is shocking, and Amazing Grace does not try to airbrush or excuse his faults. There are glaring contradictions in the life of a ship's captain who retreats to his cabin to study his Bible and write tender love letters to his wife while hundreds of slaves lie in chains in the hold below. But the profound lessons from his life are applicable to us today, helping us to:

• Struggle well when life doesn't match up to expectations.
• Be honest and open about our stories that are shameful or just too hard to resolve.
• Understand that God's work in our lives is ongoing.
• Seek a deeper, more personal faith, awakening to the gospel message and the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Since John Newton's death, every generation has found a way of connecting with his story. Today is no different, for in these days of extreme polarization when beliefs about race, church, and politics have all become deeply divisive in society, we need grace more than ever. We need stories that talk about the human condition, stories that are soaked in the relentless love of God and his forgiveness of sins.

©2023 Bruce Hindmarsh and Craig Borlase (P)2023 Thomas Nelson

Enjoyed the story but a bit too macabre

This story is definitely worth the listen. John Newton’s story is a profound example of God’s Grace. While I enjoyed the story and the narration it left me feeling more melancholy than inspired. There’s lengthy time spent on the tragedies, not only in John Newton’s life (which are understandable since the book is about him), but also the tragedies and sufferings in the lives of those around him. I regret to say I finished this book feeling more depressed than encouraged. Having said this I still will recommend this book to anyone interested in the life of John Newton or Christian history.

Great Inspirational Biography

Amazing Grace, by Bruce Hindmarsh and Craig Borlase, is a powerful and inspirational book about the life of John Newton, former slave trader who learned firsthand the horrors of the English slave traffic in the 1800s. This biography is captivating. I found it so interesting, I recommended it a dozen times before I finished the book.

It “carries strong” all the way through.

John Newton’s transformation from ship captain to church pastor shows how God worked on Newton’s heart and even led him to write, “Amazing Grace,” probably the most famous hymn in the world.

The book’s portrayal of Newton as pastor, author, and key advocate to make the slave trade illegal in England, juxtapose his earlier life at sea, and are equally fascinating.

God’s Amazing Grace is the ultimate message of this book, and can well encourage others.