Statesman and Saint: The Principled Politics of William Wilberforce (Leaders in Action)

This book was new - just as advertised. I haven't read it myself, but purchased as a gift for my cousin and good friend to enjoy and be uplifted. Eric Metaxas has written a longer biography, entitled "Amazing Grace," but this shorter, more simple volume seemed just right for my purposes.

I found this book to be a great source in helping my students understand the implications of the French and Haitian Revolution on the sugar revolution as well as the work of the abolition movement in Europe particularly England.

Wilberforce is one of my heroes. I love it when people help make him better known.

excellent book about this great saint

Thanks the book came as described.

The strength of this biography is its coverage of Wilberforce's means of greatness, namely his deeply held personal faith. Wilberforce is most famous for his tireless work to end the British slave trade, which he accomplished, but should also be remembered for persevering another 25 years for the full emancipation of all British slaves. In addition, his monumental work on the reformation of manners still remains a classic treatment of living a life of faith in every facet of life. Wilberforce maintained that it was not enough to act like a Christian on Sunday and to keep up appearances of morality; instead, he believed that one's faith must permeate every area of life and that faith preceded great deeds and sustained a humble spirit in the face of success. In addition, this biography deals with areas of personal struggle and criticism as faced by Wilberforce and how he overcame them with humility and determination. All in all, this is a fine biography and is also a shorter read than several other Wilberforce biographies on the market. The reader interested in Wilberforce may also like Kevin Belmonte's book, Hero for Humanity, since it is written in a more narrative style and reads like a story of Wilberforce's life. For a technical treatment of Wilberforce, one may want to consult John Pollock's, Wilberforce.

Wilberforce is a monumental figure. Vaughan does a good job of portraying many of the qualities that made Wilberforce the moral giant that he was. However, I would have appreciated a more straightforward biography than a thematic approach based on Wilberforce's virtues and leadership skills.