Review of William Wilberforce by Kevin Belmonte

Author: Kevin Belmonte 

Pages: 128pgs

Publisher: New Leaf Publishing

Price: 11.10

Genre: Church History/Biography

Quick Summary:

I received this book from New Leaf Publishing to review.

Kevin Belmonte is one of the foremost scholars on the life of William Wilberforce. Belmonte’s knowledge of Wilberforce is so respected that he was a leading consultant on the recent Hollywood movie Amazing Grace. This book is touted as a “comprehensive historical overview”. As described on the back cover it is great for middle aged and high school students but I am a seminary student and I was thoroughly engaged.

In case you are unaware of William Wilberforce, he was an abolitionist that was the leading figure in ending the slave trade and even slavery in England. He was also a man that was passionate about God. In fact his passion for Jesus is what drove his passion to end slavery. This book is the story of the man and his consuming passion to end slavery.

What I Liked:

If you appreciate John Newton (as do I) then you will enjoy the amount of face time that Newton gets in this work. It is amazing the influence that Newton had upon his generation. As you would expect, there is also much to learn in this book about Newton. Belmonte writes in a compelling fashion that highlights the key points of Wilberforce’s life. The pictures throughout this book are phenomenal. I greatly enjoyed the read and I am certain this would be a great resource for getting a middle school or high school student interested in the topic at hand.

What I Disliked:

I really enjoyed reading this book so there is not much to say negatively. I think it serves its purpose well as an introduction to Wilberforce. The only critique I have is that at times it seemed that the chapters were a little disconnected from the larger story. But nothing that is overly distracting. It still greatly serves its purpose.

Should You Buy It?

If you are interested in Wilberforce then is a great place to look. I wanted it for the connection that Wilberforce has to John Newton. I thought the pictures would be really interested and that it would be a fun read. I was not disappointed. If you have a teenager that likes history or is studying something in this genre this would be a good pick up .

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars