James 24:7

I read a lot of books.  I even say that I read for a living and that preaching, teaching and writing are just by-products of that.  Sometimes I wonder if I have some sort of reading sickness.

Having said that I'll cut to the chase:

Eric Metaxas' book Amazing Grace is the most inspiring book I have ever read. 

If you are only looking to answer the question of whether you should read Amazing Grace or not..well read no further. 

You can take my recommendation to the bank... or the bookstore. You will not be disappointed.

Mr. Metaxas takes one of the most inspiring figures in world history as his subject and does a splendid job of telling us his story.  

A great story + a great storyteller = a great read.

The book is detailed without being academic.  Mr. Metaxas has done excellent work in identifying his readership.   While I suspect that are other works that are heavier on scholarship (in terms of contributing to Wilberforce scholarship), I cannot imagine that there is a better work to introduce the non-specialist to Mr. Wilberforce.

Although there are a few spots where the text bogs down a bit with details (as in the description of the Clapham group), Mr. Metaxas' joins you at just the right moment with a "these-details-are-almost-ridiculous" aside.

Which takes me to another point...this guy is funny.  Mr. Metaxas writes with great wit and creates a work that is both informative and entertaining.  I was introduced to the author's wit when I first opened the book to look at some of the pictures.  In the caption beneath a rather bloated Lord Frederick North, Mr. Metaxas writes that Lord North was a "...spheroidal figure, pictured before achieving final circumference..."   His description of Issac Milner, who played a significant role in Wilberforce's conversion to Christ, is wonderful.  He describes him as "...Stephen Hawking, Dick Cavett and Andre the Giant all rolled into one."

Mr. Metaxas description of Wilberforce's conversion fairly lifted me off of my chair.  His care in creating just the right tension as he described Wilberforce edging his way toward Christ shows incredible restraint.   I was left breathless with joy when Wilberforce finally surrendered to His Lord.

The section dealing with the final passage of the legislation outlawing the slave trade in the British Empire (after years of struggle!) is a jubilation.  I felt as if I was right there with the members of Parliament with tears streaming down my own cheeks as we celebrated the raw courage and pit-bull-tenaciousness of Mr. Wilberforce.  (I suspect even Mr. Wilberforce's political enemies had to stand and cheer his resolve.)

I hope you are catching my drift here. I loved this book and recommend it to you without reserve. 

And as for Mr. Metaxas... He seems such an affable guy that I'd like to say he's my new best friend.  However he seems to stay pretty busy and lives in New York City - and I just don't do New York City. So I will content myself to admire him from afar and recommend this marvelous book to everyone.

(Mr. Metaxas is a humorist, a poet, and a celebrated author of children's books and videos.  His generous web site is a great place to visit.  While you are there read his eulogy for NBC news man, David Bloom, who died in Iraq. It's wonderful.)