Amazing Grace: The Inspirational Stories of William Wilberforce, John Newton, and Olaudah Equiano

by Paul McCusker

The Radio Theatre production of Amazing Grace provides a prequel view to events featured in Amazing Grace, the movie. It offers listeners a more in-depth and personal story of each of the main characters―William Wilberforce (an evangelical Christian politician), John Newton (author of “Amazing Grace”), and Olaudah Equiano (slave turned quaker merchant)―three men instrumental in overthrowing the slave trade. The original Radio Theatre drama will bring out the essential spiritual elements in each story and show how the efforts of each man turned the tide of public opinion.

Genres: Christian, Audiobook

6 pages, Audio CD

First published December 18, 2006

About the author

Paul McCusker is a writer of many different kinds of things. You may know him from Adventures In Odyssey and Focus On The Family Radio Theatre. Or the Father Gilbert Mysteries. Or the Augustine Institute audio dramas Brother Francis: The Barefoot Saint of Assisi and The Trials of Saint Patrick. Or plays like The First Church of Pete's Garage and Catacombs. Or C.S. Lewis projects like The Chronicles of Narnia audio dramas or The Annotated Screwtape Letters. Or the film Beyond The Mask. Or lots of other dramas, novels, scripts and lyrics. He simply can't make up his mind what he likes to write.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Mayberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Radio Theatre needs to put out more of these radio dramas because they are absolutely incredible! I loved hearing all three of these stories and how they were all tied together. I wish that the stories were longer but appreciated more backstory of familiar historic names. Very hard to listen to at times as slavery is horrendous but still powerful, moving, and very well done! I can't wait to share these with my kids when they are older!

[Inspiration Station · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was hard to listen to at times for the hatred and violence placed upon slaves, so I would recommend for adult ears. It was very eye-opening and gave me appreciation for those who helped stop the slave trade.

[Adam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Post-listen review-

This is one of those cases where it's not the material it is the presentation that makes this book bad. All three peoople spoken about here are significant personalities in history and surrounding the slave trade in particular.

However, I find it very difficult to take it seriously when to make you know that the characters are in France they say "Oh what a delicious pastry this is. Ah here is a letter. Only it's in French." And then have someone read it out loud in a stitled made up half-French sounding accent.

Also, I had some issues with the order of presentation here. They have Olaudah Equiano's story last and his has some of the most intersting material and was only one disc long while William Wilberforce and John Newton got two whole discs a piece. The major subject of the Wilberforce and Newton discs were about their religious conversion and how those conversions in some way contributed to the downfall of the slave trade in England.

I have nothing against their conversions and am sure they took place but in those two sections it was painted as if you were either a Christian who did not believe in slavery or an atheist who did. And if you stopped being an atheist, you immediately stopped supporting slavery. There was no room for gray areas for anyone in these sections and as we know from history there were plenty of Christians who were fine with slavery and plenty of atheists who abhorred it.

The Olaudah Equiano section was much more able to admit the gray areas but it was kept exceedingly short and was mostly him debating, not really that much reenactment of his actual life. If they had done a little better with this section I would have given it two stars.

Another thing that I am not sure of is if this audio is actually a translation of the film with the same name or just the stories of some of the people in it. When I looked closer at the box it just said it was "inspired by" the film so I suspect that Focus on the Family (the production company) is trying to pull a fast one by convincing you that it is the movie. Regardless, the people in the audio are interesting however.

And then there was the bonus disc...

Now that was laughably bad. It was intended to sell more radio theater dramas, comedies and original series. The first thing they say on that disc is "Before there were Hobbitts, there was the wardrobe" referring to the Tolkien books and the C.S. Lewis classic The Lion, the With and the Wardrobe. The problem, of course, is that Hobbits came about in 1937 and C.S. Lewis' book was printed in 1950. So Hobbitts actually didn't come first and what is supposed to be wrong with Hobbitts anyway?

Then the disc had several tinny and terribly acted excerpts of great books including Little Women and Anne of Green Gables. I like those books and, man, I would not listen to those versions.

Finally on that disc, they had an original series that was supposed to be some kind of edutainment thing for tween kids. Apparently if you are late for church it may be because the Statue of Liberty is missing and if you listen to five hours of adventures with these people, ummm something happens though I am not sure what.

Then I just have to point out the slogan they have to promote these dramas because I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at their very serious delivery of the sentence, "Some of the best drama your ears have ever seen!"

Pre-listen review-

The next audiobook at the library. However it is not exactly an audiobook because it is a "radio drama". I wanted sort of to watch the movie but then people told me it was dull so i am guessing this will be dull.

[Evelynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Focus on the Family is amazing with audio dramas! I especially loved the William Wilberforce story. The Olaudah Equiano and John Newton stories were amazing too, but I just loved the little bit of humor in the story of Wilberforce. The other two were very dramatic and serious, so I'm glad I listened to Wilberforce's story last (I listened to them out of order). The only thing I was disappointed with was that they didn't continue the story of William all the way to the abolishment of the slave trade; they left off where Amazing Grace (the movie) starts. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good audio drama!

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprised I am finding this in Goodreads, it's another CD set of a program originally produced for radio. Basically sounds like a full movie production, but told in a way you don't need the pictures. The three stories here are amazing, especially the first one about the man who wrote the song Amazing Grace, and whose life ranged from working on a slave trade ship to becoming a preacher and abolitionist. The other stories are also about those who fought to end the slave trade.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked hearing the stories of each of these men; I didn't know many details about them previously and it did a good job telling the stories of their lives. I was disappointed that each story was so short though - it would have been interesting to hear some of the gaps they left out. But, I realize it was made for radio so it can't be too long.

[Dionne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving all of Focus on the Family's Radio Theatres but this is my favorite so far. Since the movie I know quite a bit about William Wilberforce but didn't know much about John Newton or Olaudah Equiano.

[Rachel L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting, though not appropriate for younger children (especially the John Newton set).

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a book on CD, but it wasn't. It was more a dramatization of the lives of Newton, Equiano and Wilberforce. Nevertheless, I thought it was thoroughly entertaining and well-done.