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Steve McQueen: The Salvation of an American Icon
Join Greg Laurie as he takes a cross-country drive in his 1968 Highland Green Ford Mustang 390 GT through the canyons of Malibu, the alleys of Hollywood, the wide and open roads of the Midwest, the streets of New York, as he traces the wooly geography of actor Steve McQueen's life, relationships, career and spiritual journey. This iconic muscle car was the vehicle McQueen drove in his most raucous and enduring film, Bullitt.
In the 1960s, McQueen was, according to box office receipts, the biggest movie star of his generation and one of the coolest men to ever walk the planet. Greg Laurie was a teen at the time and an ardent fan of ''The King of Cool,'' first mesmerized by McQueen in 1963's The Great Escape. Like millions of cinema fans, Greg developed a lifelong fascination with the actor. Now he has a chance to tell McQueen's story.
McQueen was a complex, contradictory man who lived the same way he drove his motorcycles and cars: fearlessly, ruthlessly and at top speed. After a lifetime of fast cars, women and drugs, McQueen took a surprising detour.
In this book, Laurie thoughtfully interviews members of Steve McQueen's family, friends, co-stars, associates, widow and pastor to tell of the dramatic life-change for the actor in the spring of 1979 - six months before McQueen was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
What were the critical steps that led McQueen to make such a life-altering decision? Perhaps more importantly, why is that part of his story so rarely told? This book answers these questions.
Greg Laurie will follow the seeds of Christianity that were sown throughout McQueen's improbable life where a Light finally shone into the darkness of his troubled life. These seeds miraculously germinated, allowing McQueen to see that redemption through Jesus Christ is a lasting truth more glittering and real than any magic of the entertainment industry.
In the 1960s, McQueen was, according to box office receipts, the biggest movie star of his generation and one of the coolest men to ever walk the planet. Greg Laurie was a teen at the time and an ardent fan of ''The King of Cool,'' first mesmerized by McQueen in 1963's The Great Escape. Like millions of cinema fans, Greg developed a lifelong fascination with the actor. Now he has a chance to tell McQueen's story.
McQueen was a complex, contradictory man who lived the same way he drove his motorcycles and cars: fearlessly, ruthlessly and at top speed. After a lifetime of fast cars, women and drugs, McQueen took a surprising detour.
In this book, Laurie thoughtfully interviews members of Steve McQueen's family, friends, co-stars, associates, widow and pastor to tell of the dramatic life-change for the actor in the spring of 1979 - six months before McQueen was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
What were the critical steps that led McQueen to make such a life-altering decision? Perhaps more importantly, why is that part of his story so rarely told? This book answers these questions.
Greg Laurie will follow the seeds of Christianity that were sown throughout McQueen's improbable life where a Light finally shone into the darkness of his troubled life. These seeds miraculously germinated, allowing McQueen to see that redemption through Jesus Christ is a lasting truth more glittering and real than any magic of the entertainment industry.
Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 2017
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About the author
Greg Laurie
294 books230 followersGreg Laurie is an American author and pastor who serves as the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, Harvest Corona in Corona, California Harvest Woodcrest in Riverside, California, Harvest at Kumulani in Kapalua, Hawaii, and Harvest Orange County in Irvine, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
July 23, 2017
This is a disappointing telling of the life of Steve McQueen.
The problem is not the subject matter for that is why I wanted to read it. Rather, the problem is in how the author chose to present it. Few people read the "Author's Note" even if it is at the beginning of the book, but I did. So I learned that the car trip that the author went on in the telling of McQueen's life DID NOT happen (pages ix and x). This calls into question all the meals eaten at all the restaurants, which calls into question all the in-person interviews (did Will Smither really say "Nice ride!" - page 65 - as they approached the "Bullitt" because I thought the car wasn't there), which calls into question all the in-person locations. I know Laurie states in the same "Author's Note" that everything but the road trip is true but so much of the book was the fake road trip that it taints the rest.
Laurie does not suffer from McQueen's desire for privacy for the reader is reminded numerous times of the large church Laurie pastors (the book isn't that long for the reader to forget the first time) as well as Laurie's other accomplishments and people Laurie knows. Add to that Laurie's fondness for repeatedly comparing his life to McQueen's (often the very same aspects were repeated again and again - both alcoholic mothers/absent fathers/stepfather abuse). Even the deaths of Laurie's and McQueen's mothers have to be looked at through the same lens.
Due to the number of pages that dealt with Laurie's life the book ends up being more Laurie than a book about Steve McQueen needs or should be. The reader will learn Laurie LOVES coffee, medicates with espresso, is bald, idolizes his "Bullitt" car, his procedure for writing sermons, and what he likes to eat. Interesting stuff if the reader wanted to know about Laurie but this is billed as a book about Steve McQueen. It seems like at least half of the book on McQueen would be gone if the Laurie stuff were removed.
The book also has the annoying side points repeating what is in the text. It was unnecessary as this isn't a textbook where the author would highlight important aspects. It was downright frustrating when the reader's eyes would fall on the bold points only not to read the actual text about it until the following page.
Finally, I found as a Christian too much emphasis was placed on when Steve made his decision to accept Christ. Informing the reader ONE time that it was BEFORE Steve was diagnosed with cancer is adequate and nice to know. However, the repeated emphasis makes it seem as if the author has some issue with those who are literally on death's door deciding to turn to Christ. (Hmmm, I'm thinking of the thief on the cross at this moment.)
The problem is not the subject matter for that is why I wanted to read it. Rather, the problem is in how the author chose to present it. Few people read the "Author's Note" even if it is at the beginning of the book, but I did. So I learned that the car trip that the author went on in the telling of McQueen's life DID NOT happen (pages ix and x). This calls into question all the meals eaten at all the restaurants, which calls into question all the in-person interviews (did Will Smither really say "Nice ride!" - page 65 - as they approached the "Bullitt" because I thought the car wasn't there), which calls into question all the in-person locations. I know Laurie states in the same "Author's Note" that everything but the road trip is true but so much of the book was the fake road trip that it taints the rest.
Laurie does not suffer from McQueen's desire for privacy for the reader is reminded numerous times of the large church Laurie pastors (the book isn't that long for the reader to forget the first time) as well as Laurie's other accomplishments and people Laurie knows. Add to that Laurie's fondness for repeatedly comparing his life to McQueen's (often the very same aspects were repeated again and again - both alcoholic mothers/absent fathers/stepfather abuse). Even the deaths of Laurie's and McQueen's mothers have to be looked at through the same lens.
Due to the number of pages that dealt with Laurie's life the book ends up being more Laurie than a book about Steve McQueen needs or should be. The reader will learn Laurie LOVES coffee, medicates with espresso, is bald, idolizes his "Bullitt" car, his procedure for writing sermons, and what he likes to eat. Interesting stuff if the reader wanted to know about Laurie but this is billed as a book about Steve McQueen. It seems like at least half of the book on McQueen would be gone if the Laurie stuff were removed.
The book also has the annoying side points repeating what is in the text. It was unnecessary as this isn't a textbook where the author would highlight important aspects. It was downright frustrating when the reader's eyes would fall on the bold points only not to read the actual text about it until the following page.
Finally, I found as a Christian too much emphasis was placed on when Steve made his decision to accept Christ. Informing the reader ONE time that it was BEFORE Steve was diagnosed with cancer is adequate and nice to know. However, the repeated emphasis makes it seem as if the author has some issue with those who are literally on death's door deciding to turn to Christ. (Hmmm, I'm thinking of the thief on the cross at this moment.)
July 7, 2018
"A mountain of contradictions? Mountain range was more like it."
Not exactly the standard showbiz bio -- author Greg Laurie (a pastor at a large So-Cal church) superficially covers "the King of Cool"'s movie career, but the accent is more on the actor's early and final years. The early years were a Depression-era childhood (w/ an alcoholic mother and no father), reform school, military service, and scraping by on the streets of New York City. The later years were when he all but walked away from films - after becoming the highest-paid Hollywood actor - to live a quiet, small-town life with his third wife. It was during this time McQueen turned to Christianity.
I'm a fan of McQueen (his films, not really his sometimes questionable personal life), so I'll pretty much read any book about him. In Salvation there were some nice moments and bits of new information from the numerous interviews, such as the revelation that McQueen has a half-sister.
Not exactly the standard showbiz bio -- author Greg Laurie (a pastor at a large So-Cal church) superficially covers "the King of Cool"'s movie career, but the accent is more on the actor's early and final years. The early years were a Depression-era childhood (w/ an alcoholic mother and no father), reform school, military service, and scraping by on the streets of New York City. The later years were when he all but walked away from films - after becoming the highest-paid Hollywood actor - to live a quiet, small-town life with his third wife. It was during this time McQueen turned to Christianity.
I'm a fan of McQueen (his films, not really his sometimes questionable personal life), so I'll pretty much read any book about him. In Salvation there were some nice moments and bits of new information from the numerous interviews, such as the revelation that McQueen has a half-sister.
October 11, 2017
Really didn't like the format of this book - a made-up road trip - because it was really hard to tell at certain points what was true and what wasn't. Also did not think it necessary for Greg Laurie to insert himself into every page...but maybe he didn't have enough content about McQueen to fill out a whole book? It was interesting, though, to hear about Steve McQueen's coming to faith in Christ. The details are sparse, but it does seem to be legit. McQueen had a really rough life, sought love and pleasure in all the wrong places - it's good to know that he finally found the light.
October 11, 2018
Although I was excited to receive this as a free download, it turned out to be a disappointing read. First, as other reviewers have noted, the allegorical road trips and meetups severely handicap the account. Where does the fiction end and the facts begin? Adding to the disappointment was the author’s constant references to his own life story. It’s difficult to not come across as unkind, but I had no interest in Laurie’s life story. At times, the author’s life overshadows that of Steve McQueen. Finally, the biography is Steve McQueen lite. The author was very selective in what he chose to relate.
On the positive side, I appreciated the strong case the author makes for Steve McQueen’s faith in Jesus Christ. That is certainly worth knowing. It is by far the most significant part of the book.
On the positive side, I appreciated the strong case the author makes for Steve McQueen’s faith in Jesus Christ. That is certainly worth knowing. It is by far the most significant part of the book.
October 24, 2024
A Life-changing Story of Faith
When you grow up never feeling loved, you spend your life trying to fill the emptiness inside of you. As a child, Steve McQueen was abandoned by his father and shunned by his mother. So, he tried to fill his emptiness with fame, money, sex, drugs, alcohol, and fast cars. However, all of these things just left McQueen emptier. Yet, by the grace of God, he found the answer to the emptiness when he found Jesus Christ. Greg Laurie brilliantly tells the faith journey of the king of cool. Along the way, he weaves in stories from his own life and reminds us that we, like himself and McQueen, are all sinners in need of a Savior. A must read, Steve McQueen: The Salvation of an American Icon is one of the best Christian biographies of the past decade.
When you grow up never feeling loved, you spend your life trying to fill the emptiness inside of you. As a child, Steve McQueen was abandoned by his father and shunned by his mother. So, he tried to fill his emptiness with fame, money, sex, drugs, alcohol, and fast cars. However, all of these things just left McQueen emptier. Yet, by the grace of God, he found the answer to the emptiness when he found Jesus Christ. Greg Laurie brilliantly tells the faith journey of the king of cool. Along the way, he weaves in stories from his own life and reminds us that we, like himself and McQueen, are all sinners in need of a Savior. A must read, Steve McQueen: The Salvation of an American Icon is one of the best Christian biographies of the past decade.
November 19, 2025
An Inspirational biograph of Steve McQueen.
After a hardscrabble childhood, he became one of the biggest movie stars of the 1960's. He descended into drugs and sex addiction, and then took a long break from Hollywood. He lived out in the desert, racing cars and motorcycles. Then, the cancer, and the conversion.
At some point, I wasn't sure it wasn't some kind of parody.
It's too bad Chad McQueen didn't do better in Hollywood. He had some talent.
After a hardscrabble childhood, he became one of the biggest movie stars of the 1960's. He descended into drugs and sex addiction, and then took a long break from Hollywood. He lived out in the desert, racing cars and motorcycles. Then, the cancer, and the conversion.
At some point, I wasn't sure it wasn't some kind of parody.
It's too bad Chad McQueen didn't do better in Hollywood. He had some talent.
November 16, 2018
I reviewed two biographies of Steve McQueen back to back. First, the one by Marc Eliot and the second Greg Laurie's The Salvation of an American Icon. Both had similar facts about his life but both took very different paths and highlighted very different data points. Eliot's book was primarily focused on the secular facts of Steve McQueen's life. For example, when recounting the success or failure of a movie, many facts were given about the gross earnings of that movie and the relationships between actors and directors. Laurie's whole premise was to trace McQueen's life through to the end looking for elements of Christian faith. I'll admit I was a bit skeptical of Laurie's book but was willing to give it a try. Laurie's approach was less about the cold facts of McQueen's life and more about the similarities the author had growing up in a difficult childhood compared to a similar childhood that McQueen experienced. While I don't doubt that Eliot's book contain many facts about McQueen's life, I was shocked to find a huge part of his life missing in his account: that being his faith in Jesus Christ. That just seems like such a big part of his life at the end from Laurie's point of view and based on his many interviews with people. Eliot's only mention of this aspect of his life was to mention that McQueen "began attending a church and praying a lot." Chapters were devoted to this period of McQueen's life in Laurie's book, while Eliot gave it a minor mention in a sentence. Both had elements of interesting history. Eliot had a lot more relationship dynamics with people in Hollywood, while Laurie's book focused more on the man McQueen.
October 22, 2018
An interesting exploration of the lives of two men - the subject (McQueen) and the author (Laurie). As much an autobiography of Laurie as a biography of McQueen, a lot of transference occurs between the emotions and experience of the author and what he assumes was shared by the subject. Even so, he shows considerable self-insight, while piecing together the life of his idol. This is another difficulty in the book - for a book that is deeply grounded in Christianity, the idolization of McQueen by the author strikes a dissonant note. Even though we know from the beginning that McQueen was ultimately born again, his character traits (particularly his tendency to live to extremes) are celebrated with the enthusiasm of a young child for a cool older kid. Finally, the road trip idea was a useful one, but the knowledge that it was fiction made the details of the book less believable. And why did we need to know the content of every meal that the author clearly didn't eat? That was odd.
July 20, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. I have long been a fan of Steve McQueen's movies, made when movies didn't have to have gratuitous sex and violence to be considered "good." I was ready to pick this book apart and find some discrepancies that would invalidate its truth, but Greg Laurie was careful in his research and his conclusions. I am convinced.
January 28, 2019
Mememememememememe!!!
No, not doing a vocal exercise, just being an egomaniac. Just like Steve McQueen. Just like Greg Laurie. Laurie inserted too much of himself in this book. The fictional road trip device was awkward and self-indulgent. (Larry Taunton wrote about the real road trip and the real relationship he had with Christopher Hitchens. That worked. This didn't.) While it was valuable to mention the similarities between his and McQueen's early lives, it wasn't necessary to make the book almost more memoir than biography. Laurie notes at one point that people who have had rough childhoods are prone to be self-centered. I can't recall if he indicated a cause-and-effect relationship, but I stopped to think about whether there might be one, and I concluded that there isn't quite. Rather, we're all born selfish, self-involved sinners. A bad upbringing will exacerbate original sin, feeding and training it by example and provocation to be even more monstrous, but it doesn't cause it. Rather, it fails to provide the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Who alone can cure it. This book reminded me that there's still much sin-sick self left in me that I need Him to cure.
This was a recent freebie from Christian Audio. Reader was fine.
No, not doing a vocal exercise, just being an egomaniac. Just like Steve McQueen. Just like Greg Laurie. Laurie inserted too much of himself in this book. The fictional road trip device was awkward and self-indulgent. (Larry Taunton wrote about the real road trip and the real relationship he had with Christopher Hitchens. That worked. This didn't.) While it was valuable to mention the similarities between his and McQueen's early lives, it wasn't necessary to make the book almost more memoir than biography. Laurie notes at one point that people who have had rough childhoods are prone to be self-centered. I can't recall if he indicated a cause-and-effect relationship, but I stopped to think about whether there might be one, and I concluded that there isn't quite. Rather, we're all born selfish, self-involved sinners. A bad upbringing will exacerbate original sin, feeding and training it by example and provocation to be even more monstrous, but it doesn't cause it. Rather, it fails to provide the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Who alone can cure it. This book reminded me that there's still much sin-sick self left in me that I need Him to cure.
This was a recent freebie from Christian Audio. Reader was fine.
December 4, 2018
I really loved this audio book. I know some people will say Greg overlaid too much of his own background onto Steve's. But that's OK. We all travel through journies. And theirs will be far closer than many.
He weaves the beautiful hope of the gospel. That when we drink from all those empty cisterns, eventually we will realise if we open our eyes that Jesus offers living water. This was Steve's journey.
The quote from the tape recorded at the end of his life, after Steve came to Christ and subsequently contracted cancer (with a body riddled with it) was particularly moving (OK it made me cry...) In fact I typed it out in full as I couldn't find it in its totality online.
"I really believe I have something - I think I believe, I'm pretty sure I believe, that I have something to give to the world as far as my relationship with the Lord, something I can teach to other people, something about a message that I can give. I don't know exactly where, but I've thought a lot about it when I'm by myself. I think that I should be here to do that... if not...and I've been in excruciating pain, and I've always tried to say that I've had faith and I never gave up. I now know that I've changed a lot. I used to be more macho. And now my ass is gone, my body is gone, is broken. But my spirit isn't broken. And my heart isn't broken.
I would like to think that I do have the determination to beat this thing. And they keep telling me that they think I can. But there is a chance that I might not. Every day I go through this thing where my friends tell me I'm not dying, and they say I should take morpheine and keep me happy because I get tired of the pain and I wish it would go away.
Even with my broken body, I want to go to Ketchum where i own a place. Move everything my planes, bikes and antiques, my wife all my animals, to start living again. That's what I'd like. And to try and be able to change some people's lives. To tell them that I know the Lord what I have to offer, what's happened to me."
He weaves the beautiful hope of the gospel. That when we drink from all those empty cisterns, eventually we will realise if we open our eyes that Jesus offers living water. This was Steve's journey.
The quote from the tape recorded at the end of his life, after Steve came to Christ and subsequently contracted cancer (with a body riddled with it) was particularly moving (OK it made me cry...) In fact I typed it out in full as I couldn't find it in its totality online.
"I really believe I have something - I think I believe, I'm pretty sure I believe, that I have something to give to the world as far as my relationship with the Lord, something I can teach to other people, something about a message that I can give. I don't know exactly where, but I've thought a lot about it when I'm by myself. I think that I should be here to do that... if not...and I've been in excruciating pain, and I've always tried to say that I've had faith and I never gave up. I now know that I've changed a lot. I used to be more macho. And now my ass is gone, my body is gone, is broken. But my spirit isn't broken. And my heart isn't broken.
I would like to think that I do have the determination to beat this thing. And they keep telling me that they think I can. But there is a chance that I might not. Every day I go through this thing where my friends tell me I'm not dying, and they say I should take morpheine and keep me happy because I get tired of the pain and I wish it would go away.
Even with my broken body, I want to go to Ketchum where i own a place. Move everything my planes, bikes and antiques, my wife all my animals, to start living again. That's what I'd like. And to try and be able to change some people's lives. To tell them that I know the Lord what I have to offer, what's happened to me."
September 16, 2017
I heard the author on The Eric Metaxas program. I was never enamored with Steve McQueen like so many others (boys and men, whatever). I like biographies and especially when there has been a transformation. Encouraging to realize how his life changed.
January 13, 2022
So so. Excellent and thorough research into the life of Steve McQueen explaining his troubling upbringing and subsequent troubled life leading ultimately to his turning to God to fill the void that fame could not fill.
However Laurie does this by simultaneously addressing his own past and looking for the similarities in their behaviors and reactions. My question is "Who cares?". Sorry if that seems abrupt but I didn't really want to know about Laurie's life. I also felt that there was not enough correlation between the lives of these two men. Laurie accepted Jesus at 17 and has been married once. McQueen turned his life over to God at the age of 49. He was divorced twice, then lived with another woman whom he married shortly before his death.
I learned a lot about Steve McQueen's personal life but this book was written in a very boring style.
However, Greg Laurie is a very successful ambitious pastor who oversees a large worldwide organization and has written many very popular books. So obviously most people do not share my opinion of his literary style. I recommend that you read some other reviews of this book that speak more highly of it than I do.
However Laurie does this by simultaneously addressing his own past and looking for the similarities in their behaviors and reactions. My question is "Who cares?". Sorry if that seems abrupt but I didn't really want to know about Laurie's life. I also felt that there was not enough correlation between the lives of these two men. Laurie accepted Jesus at 17 and has been married once. McQueen turned his life over to God at the age of 49. He was divorced twice, then lived with another woman whom he married shortly before his death.
I learned a lot about Steve McQueen's personal life but this book was written in a very boring style.
However, Greg Laurie is a very successful ambitious pastor who oversees a large worldwide organization and has written many very popular books. So obviously most people do not share my opinion of his literary style. I recommend that you read some other reviews of this book that speak more highly of it than I do.
December 31, 2022
Although this is a biography of Steve McQueen, and covers all of his bad-boy years from childhood on, it is at the same time a thinly disguised autobiography of the author. I like McQueen as an actor, and was young enough to be enthralled by his looks and devil-may-care lifestyle as well as his movies.
In the end, Greg Laurie turns his book into a full-on proselytization vehicle. I suppose I should have expected it, but although I'm a Christian, it disappointed me. Am I happy that McQueen became a Christian before he died? Yes, and it would have been a good biography (although with a lot fewer pages) had Laurie spent less time comparing his life to McQueen's - sometimes only as he imagined McQueen's to have been - at every possible opportunity. It might also have garnered more than three stars from me.
In the end, Greg Laurie turns his book into a full-on proselytization vehicle. I suppose I should have expected it, but although I'm a Christian, it disappointed me. Am I happy that McQueen became a Christian before he died? Yes, and it would have been a good biography (although with a lot fewer pages) had Laurie spent less time comparing his life to McQueen's - sometimes only as he imagined McQueen's to have been - at every possible opportunity. It might also have garnered more than three stars from me.
March 28, 2023
I would advise anyone to read this book it is quite an adventure of one man who turned to God and realized that his famous as he was was just like you and I the human being who realized that it's really important to have God in our lives.
September 13, 2020
I enjoyed this book a lot
It was a blessing to read this book and see how Steve came to know the Lord. Nice to some insight on Greg's life as well.
It was a blessing to read this book and see how Steve came to know the Lord. Nice to some insight on Greg's life as well.
August 6, 2017
I liked the actor, Steve McQueen very much. I also like the preacher, Greg Laurie so this biography was a good marriage for me. It was a detailed bio which I liked, giving insight into McQueen the man beyond his celebrity. It jumps around back and forth between Laurie's life and McQueen's. It was basically a good read but the editing was surprisingly weak. It is primarily written in Laurie's conversational style (which is good). It clumsily moves from Laurie's narrative of McQueen's life to his journey of research and his own life in comparison then to what he learned from visiting the people and places important to the star. The idea was good but it could have been a bit more organized and seamlessly transition more.
May 30, 2017
A fascinating look at the life of an American legend... and into the life of one of American's most popular pastors. While I knew I bit about McQueen's life, I was intrigued from the first chapter at the details that Laurie shared. McQueen is proof that the power and grace of God's love is available to all... and to those who receive? Well. Life is never the same... and McQueen experienced.
January 8, 2020
Really 3.5 stars.
I love Greg Laurie and I love Steve McQueen, and when I found out about this book, this moved to the top of my reading queue. Overall, I think this was a good book, and I think Laurie did a good job at writing. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect with the writing quality, since books written by preachers varies wildly in writing quality, but Laurie did a great job and proved that he has a talent at writing--assuming he didn't hire a ghost writer. So that was a great surprise.
The story itself is told through a fictional lens of Laurie taking a road trip in a journalistic role of sorts, going from site to site, talking to people who knew McQueen in his various stages of life. And ultimately Laurie is getting to the part of McQueen becoming a Christian later in his life. This was the part that I'm conflicted on, because I think this made the book better, but didn't quite hit the mark. Apparently the details of the story are true, but the trip--the literary device--was not true. Laurie made this clear at the start of the book, which I appreciate, but it made it unclear what was fiction and what wasn't--especially with the conversations with the people in McQueen's life. The story moved the narrative along, but it dragged, and it wasn't a particularly good story.
Overall, it's good. It's okay. Not really necessary to read. It's kind of like someone telling you in conversation, "Hey did you know Steve McQueen became a Christian later in his life?" And then trying to make a whole book about that simple point. The book didn't really offer anything more than that off-the-cuff statement did.
But still good. I'll definitely read more from Greg Laurie.
I love Greg Laurie and I love Steve McQueen, and when I found out about this book, this moved to the top of my reading queue. Overall, I think this was a good book, and I think Laurie did a good job at writing. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect with the writing quality, since books written by preachers varies wildly in writing quality, but Laurie did a great job and proved that he has a talent at writing--assuming he didn't hire a ghost writer. So that was a great surprise.
The story itself is told through a fictional lens of Laurie taking a road trip in a journalistic role of sorts, going from site to site, talking to people who knew McQueen in his various stages of life. And ultimately Laurie is getting to the part of McQueen becoming a Christian later in his life. This was the part that I'm conflicted on, because I think this made the book better, but didn't quite hit the mark. Apparently the details of the story are true, but the trip--the literary device--was not true. Laurie made this clear at the start of the book, which I appreciate, but it made it unclear what was fiction and what wasn't--especially with the conversations with the people in McQueen's life. The story moved the narrative along, but it dragged, and it wasn't a particularly good story.
Overall, it's good. It's okay. Not really necessary to read. It's kind of like someone telling you in conversation, "Hey did you know Steve McQueen became a Christian later in his life?" And then trying to make a whole book about that simple point. The book didn't really offer anything more than that off-the-cuff statement did.
But still good. I'll definitely read more from Greg Laurie.
May 4, 2021
Steve McQueen's story is a fascinating one and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about his life but I can't say that I enjoyed the way this book was written. I expected it to be a biography of Steve McQueen but the author tended to dwell more on his own experiences than McQueen's. I also didn't appreciate McQueen's life being paralleled with the author's life the whole way through the book, but I did like the fact that the author closely followed McQueen's faith journey and eventual conversion very closely. The movie The Great Escape is one of my favourite movies and I love the character Captain Virgil Hilts (McQueen) so it was nice to learn more about the actor of one of my favourite characters, but I've definitely read better books. In conclusion, this book is interesting for several reasons, but if you want a comprehensive biography of Steve McQueen I wouldn't recommend Laurie's book.
November 12, 2018
I found Laurie's book to be interesting and well written. Greg is a fan of Steve McQueen and illustrated many parallels of their lives. I found it inspirational that people can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to get their lives on the right track. God is all that matters in life and we can only get to God through Jesus. Everyone has a story and I enjoy hearing others share how they came to Jesus. If you are a Christian I think you will love the book. If you aren't, open your heart and take a chance that you will enjoy this testimony and possibly find your way to salvation. If you are looking for an in depth biography of Steve McQueen, this book is probably not what you are looking for.
May 14, 2022
I learned a lot about Steve McQueen’s life as Greg Laurie revealed a touching side of him that wasn’t known to the public, when he was at his peak as an actor; and the biggest heartthrob and macho man, of his fans.
I was very touched as I got to see into his spiritual “journey”. His search for peace, and ultimate discovery of God’s love for him by the end of his life gave me some closure, and I finished the book with a sense of joy for him, as I had gotten only a glimpse into his chaotic and unhappy private life that was projected to the public during his heyday.
I was very touched as I got to see into his spiritual “journey”. His search for peace, and ultimate discovery of God’s love for him by the end of his life gave me some closure, and I finished the book with a sense of joy for him, as I had gotten only a glimpse into his chaotic and unhappy private life that was projected to the public during his heyday.
May 4, 2018
Too much Greg Laurie. Sorry, wanted a book about Steve McQueen not about the man who wrote the book.
March 29, 2021
The 1st time I heard Greg Laurie was in New Zealand. I didn't know anything about him except that he was a pastor from southern California, where I grew up. I was a youth pastor now at the Shores Vineyard Churches, heard about the event last minute and invited a few teenagers from youth group. Two new girls who just started coming to church for the 1st time in their lives went. Switchfoot performed live, a sneak peak of of Mel Gibsons The Passion of the Christ could be seen. Since my favorite movie was Braveheart, with Mel as the director, I was blown away. Pastor Greg Laurie gave a phenomenal sermon that was anything but dull and boring as I feared the 2 girls would be repulsed and repudiated by the message. Instead they asked if I would walk up with them. They both accepted Jesus Christ.
I was so happy and I no longer felt homesick or missed California after that. The trip energized me and my faith in God.
When I lived in orange 🍊county to be a father, until I went to family court and faced the corrupt judge Donald Gaffeny, who sentences Life time restraining orders on dad's for speaking out against corruption and forces us to pay extortionate child support, child day care fees, hospital, monitoring fees, court fees, attorneys fees of $100k... I would take my son and we would walk out onto angels outfield stadium and my little boy at 3 years old would accept Jesus. I recorded it and made a movie about it thru Viva video... but they deleted it saying my video went against their community standards. I lost that video footage. But I will never forget that moment in my heart.
"It would haunt him until the end of his life. When you understand the devastation of effectively being rejected and unwanted by your father- you realize a clearer understanding of the trajectory someone's life can take."
Steve McQueen said in his last interview before his death, "When a kid doesn't have any love when he's small, he begins to wonder if he's good enough. My mother didn't love me, and I didn't have a father. I thought, 'well, I must not be very good.'"
pg99-100 Steve McQueen by Greg Laurie
His father walk out of his life at birth and was walked all over and abused by step-fathers.
"In many ways McQueen was running for his life," spoke Greg Laurie "looking for a father, because you see his dad abandoned him."
The man who would be called "The King of Cool" joined the U.S. Marines, got in lots of trouble, acted in movies like the Blob and The Great Escape, he rode motorcycles, surfed, sped in the fastest race cars, flew airplanes, went out with the most beautiful fashion models and became the highest paid movie star in the world.
When he was asked, "Do you believe in God?"
Steve Mcqueen would say, "I believe in me... I live for myself and answer to nobody."
I heard Greg Laurie preach at Anaheim Angels stadium, "A lot of people don't know this story." He tells of the time when "the King of Cool," met with Billy Graham who would say, “about three months before he knew he was ill, he had accepted Christ as Savior… reading his Bible and praying." Graham remarked, "He had undergone a total transformation." He finally found peace.
(http://billygraham.ca/stories/great-e...)
Steve McQueen died of mesothelioma, incurable cancer at the age of 50 in a hospital in Juarez, Mexico pointing to Billy Grahams Bible open at John 3:16 "For so God loved the world, that whoever believes in Him would have eternal life."
Steve McQueen once said,"When I believe in something, I fight like hell for it."
Dear son, I love you. You are good enough. You are prefect in dadda's eyes. I never abandoned you. I was alienated. I will never stop by fighting to be in your life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20iQX...
I was so happy and I no longer felt homesick or missed California after that. The trip energized me and my faith in God.
When I lived in orange 🍊county to be a father, until I went to family court and faced the corrupt judge Donald Gaffeny, who sentences Life time restraining orders on dad's for speaking out against corruption and forces us to pay extortionate child support, child day care fees, hospital, monitoring fees, court fees, attorneys fees of $100k... I would take my son and we would walk out onto angels outfield stadium and my little boy at 3 years old would accept Jesus. I recorded it and made a movie about it thru Viva video... but they deleted it saying my video went against their community standards. I lost that video footage. But I will never forget that moment in my heart.
"It would haunt him until the end of his life. When you understand the devastation of effectively being rejected and unwanted by your father- you realize a clearer understanding of the trajectory someone's life can take."
Steve McQueen said in his last interview before his death, "When a kid doesn't have any love when he's small, he begins to wonder if he's good enough. My mother didn't love me, and I didn't have a father. I thought, 'well, I must not be very good.'"
pg99-100 Steve McQueen by Greg Laurie
His father walk out of his life at birth and was walked all over and abused by step-fathers.
"In many ways McQueen was running for his life," spoke Greg Laurie "looking for a father, because you see his dad abandoned him."
The man who would be called "The King of Cool" joined the U.S. Marines, got in lots of trouble, acted in movies like the Blob and The Great Escape, he rode motorcycles, surfed, sped in the fastest race cars, flew airplanes, went out with the most beautiful fashion models and became the highest paid movie star in the world.
When he was asked, "Do you believe in God?"
Steve Mcqueen would say, "I believe in me... I live for myself and answer to nobody."
I heard Greg Laurie preach at Anaheim Angels stadium, "A lot of people don't know this story." He tells of the time when "the King of Cool," met with Billy Graham who would say, “about three months before he knew he was ill, he had accepted Christ as Savior… reading his Bible and praying." Graham remarked, "He had undergone a total transformation." He finally found peace.
(http://billygraham.ca/stories/great-e...)
Steve McQueen died of mesothelioma, incurable cancer at the age of 50 in a hospital in Juarez, Mexico pointing to Billy Grahams Bible open at John 3:16 "For so God loved the world, that whoever believes in Him would have eternal life."
Steve McQueen once said,"When I believe in something, I fight like hell for it."
Dear son, I love you. You are good enough. You are prefect in dadda's eyes. I never abandoned you. I was alienated. I will never stop by fighting to be in your life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20iQX...
September 5, 2020
Greg Laurie along with Marshall Terrill wrote a book about Steve McQueen. Steve’s name is the title of the book, and it is similar to the other biographies out there with one particular difference. That difference is revealed in the subtitle, “The Salvation of an American Icon.”
Greg Laurie is a pastor of church in Southern California, one he began more or less from scratch years ago; today it easily qualifies as a mega church. So why would a pastor want to write about Steve McQueen? I think there are three reasons. Greg and Steve shared similar childhoods: no dads, drunken mothers, terribly dysfunctional family life, so their upbringings were pretty much mirror images of one another. A second reason is the Greg is a huge fan of Steve McQueen’s. He even has Bullitt Mustang. However, the third reason is likely the most compelling; Greg wanted to tell the complete story of Steve McQueen’s life including his turning to Christ and becoming a born again believer. That’s the part that most biographies skip or gloss over and attribute it to some deathbed conversion. Greg’s book puts the lie to that.
The story is arranged pretty much in chronological order. It starts with Steve’s birth and ends more or less with his death. Throughout the book Greg will intersperse things from his own life that were very much like what happened in Steve’s life. It comes through that Greg understands Steve fairly well due to their similar experiences when young. As the twig is bent, the branch will grow. McQueen was who he was because of his hardships. There is one major difference between Greg and Steve, however; it is when they came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Greg’s transformation happened while he was in high school; Steve’s came when he was in his late forties but before his knew of his cancer.
The book has a trope that moves through most of it. Greg writes the story as a trip in his Bullitt Mustang to visit and interview many of those who knew Steve at various stages of his life. He acknowledges that it is a fictional trip, but it carries the story along quite nicely, especially in the early chapters of the book. The writing is clear, sometimes catchy for those of us who lived through the sixties. He says it was a trippy time. Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll play their part but not in an objectionable way in the book. Sin is clearly stated as such and not excused.
My personal reaction to this book was quite positive. I liked Steve McQueen, even saw him once at a motorcycle race at the Goleta airport when I was in college. One of my all time favorite movies is The Magnificent Seven; I own it and have watched it a few times over the years. It was great to read about his life, difficult as it was growing up, and it was nice to see his gentler side as expressed in various things he quietly did for others, sometimes anonymously. Steve McQueen was and still is an American icon. Read the book, and you will pleased to get a glimpse of a complicated man with a burden that was finally lifted.
Greg Laurie is a pastor of church in Southern California, one he began more or less from scratch years ago; today it easily qualifies as a mega church. So why would a pastor want to write about Steve McQueen? I think there are three reasons. Greg and Steve shared similar childhoods: no dads, drunken mothers, terribly dysfunctional family life, so their upbringings were pretty much mirror images of one another. A second reason is the Greg is a huge fan of Steve McQueen’s. He even has Bullitt Mustang. However, the third reason is likely the most compelling; Greg wanted to tell the complete story of Steve McQueen’s life including his turning to Christ and becoming a born again believer. That’s the part that most biographies skip or gloss over and attribute it to some deathbed conversion. Greg’s book puts the lie to that.
The story is arranged pretty much in chronological order. It starts with Steve’s birth and ends more or less with his death. Throughout the book Greg will intersperse things from his own life that were very much like what happened in Steve’s life. It comes through that Greg understands Steve fairly well due to their similar experiences when young. As the twig is bent, the branch will grow. McQueen was who he was because of his hardships. There is one major difference between Greg and Steve, however; it is when they came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Greg’s transformation happened while he was in high school; Steve’s came when he was in his late forties but before his knew of his cancer.
The book has a trope that moves through most of it. Greg writes the story as a trip in his Bullitt Mustang to visit and interview many of those who knew Steve at various stages of his life. He acknowledges that it is a fictional trip, but it carries the story along quite nicely, especially in the early chapters of the book. The writing is clear, sometimes catchy for those of us who lived through the sixties. He says it was a trippy time. Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll play their part but not in an objectionable way in the book. Sin is clearly stated as such and not excused.
My personal reaction to this book was quite positive. I liked Steve McQueen, even saw him once at a motorcycle race at the Goleta airport when I was in college. One of my all time favorite movies is The Magnificent Seven; I own it and have watched it a few times over the years. It was great to read about his life, difficult as it was growing up, and it was nice to see his gentler side as expressed in various things he quietly did for others, sometimes anonymously. Steve McQueen was and still is an American icon. Read the book, and you will pleased to get a glimpse of a complicated man with a burden that was finally lifted.
March 17, 2021
No doubt , Greg Laurie is a faithful man of God. Who was a friend of Billy Graham and He is a friend of many other faithful people around. His sermons are sharp and right into the point. If you have never listened to his preaching, I recommend you to give it a try.
Greg made a very courageous decision. One day when he was in front of his TV and changing the channels , He encountered with Steve McQueen’s documentary. He watched till the end of the story, but he didn’t see any mention of His Faith and salvation. Something inside him was shifted and somehow his steps ordered to gather all information from around.
Greg , himself was badly kicked by his life’s journey. His mum was an alcoholic and He never had a real dad to encourage him. I felt this book is about himself rather than Steve McQueen. Throughout the book , you read and read the comparisons between Greg and Steve’s life. By the end of book you know both story of Greg’s life and Steve’s life. I mostly enjoyed the last chapters , as I felt we got into real story , where, how he believed in Christ?
The book, repeatedly claimed that Steve McQueen ‘s gave his heart to Christ three months before his Cancer. In half of the book, I wanted put the book aside as the story went out of topic and comparison got hot and I wanted to read about Steve’s life not Greg! I felt book on cover image was misinfo , the book title should be like: “Greg Laurie And Steve McQueen Salvation Story”. Another , suggestion that could make the read easier for readers are” side notes” on each page. They were unbelievably annoying! How can we have side note for each page!? That can be tiring to read again which has been read on the page. The photos in the middle of the books are for both Greg and Steve ‘s. I felt the book is missing a good advice from a professional editor. There are also repeated sentences with changing the words. I liked the last three chapters as I said, that where the real story get started.
I love Greg’s heart, His turning story of coming to Christ , but if the cover page says ” Steve McQueen ” , the readers don’t expect to hear about others. Although, his story may be parallel of many other outside.
Steve dies with a lung cancer but He believed in Jesus Christ as His saviour ! He had Billy Graham’s bible in his hands while left this world. His last wife Barbara McQueen loved Him ver much.
I appreciated Greg to put a lot of effort on this book. To pass the story of salvation to everyone. The book ended with an invitation to everyone to accept the Christ.
Note : Although my review is on formatting and editor side , coming Steve McQueen to Jesus , is a joyful and happy story for me and others. And I am so happy Steve has been saved right before his departure and now He is on his loving arm of Heavenly Father.
Greg Laurie is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside and Irvine California.
My Goodreads rate on this book is 3 out of 5.
If you read this book , let me know
Dariush Youkhaneh
Published first on hh-high.com
Greg made a very courageous decision. One day when he was in front of his TV and changing the channels , He encountered with Steve McQueen’s documentary. He watched till the end of the story, but he didn’t see any mention of His Faith and salvation. Something inside him was shifted and somehow his steps ordered to gather all information from around.
Greg , himself was badly kicked by his life’s journey. His mum was an alcoholic and He never had a real dad to encourage him. I felt this book is about himself rather than Steve McQueen. Throughout the book , you read and read the comparisons between Greg and Steve’s life. By the end of book you know both story of Greg’s life and Steve’s life. I mostly enjoyed the last chapters , as I felt we got into real story , where, how he believed in Christ?
The book, repeatedly claimed that Steve McQueen ‘s gave his heart to Christ three months before his Cancer. In half of the book, I wanted put the book aside as the story went out of topic and comparison got hot and I wanted to read about Steve’s life not Greg! I felt book on cover image was misinfo , the book title should be like: “Greg Laurie And Steve McQueen Salvation Story”. Another , suggestion that could make the read easier for readers are” side notes” on each page. They were unbelievably annoying! How can we have side note for each page!? That can be tiring to read again which has been read on the page. The photos in the middle of the books are for both Greg and Steve ‘s. I felt the book is missing a good advice from a professional editor. There are also repeated sentences with changing the words. I liked the last three chapters as I said, that where the real story get started.
I love Greg’s heart, His turning story of coming to Christ , but if the cover page says ” Steve McQueen ” , the readers don’t expect to hear about others. Although, his story may be parallel of many other outside.
Steve dies with a lung cancer but He believed in Jesus Christ as His saviour ! He had Billy Graham’s bible in his hands while left this world. His last wife Barbara McQueen loved Him ver much.
I appreciated Greg to put a lot of effort on this book. To pass the story of salvation to everyone. The book ended with an invitation to everyone to accept the Christ.
Note : Although my review is on formatting and editor side , coming Steve McQueen to Jesus , is a joyful and happy story for me and others. And I am so happy Steve has been saved right before his departure and now He is on his loving arm of Heavenly Father.
Greg Laurie is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside and Irvine California.
My Goodreads rate on this book is 3 out of 5.
If you read this book , let me know
Dariush Youkhaneh
Published first on hh-high.com
February 6, 2019
Join Greg Laurie as he takes a cross-country drive in his 1968 Highland Green Ford Mustang 390 GT through the canyons of Malibu; the alleys of Hollywood; the wide and open roads of the Midwest; the streets of New York; as he traces the wooly geography of actor Steve McQueen’s life; relationships; career and spiritual journey. This iconic muscle car was the vehicle McQueen drove in his most raucous and enduring film; Bullitt.; In the 1960s; McQueen was; according to box office receipts; the biggest movie star of his generation and one of the coolest men to ever walk the planet. Greg Laurie was a teen at the time and an ardent fan of “The King of Cool; " first mesmerized by McQueen in 1963’s The Great Escape. Like millions of cinema fans, Greg developed a lifelong fascination with the actor. Now he has a chance to tell McQueen’s story.
McQueen was a complex, contradictory man who lived the same way he drove his motorcycles and cars: fearlessly, ruthlessly and at top speed. After a lifetime of fast cars, women and drugs, McQueen took a surprising detour.
In this book, Laurie thoughtfully interviews members of Steve McQueen’s family, friends, co-stars, associates, widow and pastor to tell of the dramatic life-change for the actor in the spring of 1979 – six months before McQueen was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
What were the critical steps that led McQueen to make such a life-altering decision? Perhaps more importantly, why is that part of his story so rarely told? This book answers these questions.
Greg Laurie will follow the seeds of Christianity that were sown throughout McQueen’s improbable life where a Light finally shone into the darkness of his troubled life. These seeds miraculously germinated, allowing McQueen to see that redemption through Jesus Christ is a lasting truth more glittering and real than any magic of the entertainment industry."
McQueen was a complex, contradictory man who lived the same way he drove his motorcycles and cars: fearlessly, ruthlessly and at top speed. After a lifetime of fast cars, women and drugs, McQueen took a surprising detour.
In this book, Laurie thoughtfully interviews members of Steve McQueen’s family, friends, co-stars, associates, widow and pastor to tell of the dramatic life-change for the actor in the spring of 1979 – six months before McQueen was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
What were the critical steps that led McQueen to make such a life-altering decision? Perhaps more importantly, why is that part of his story so rarely told? This book answers these questions.
Greg Laurie will follow the seeds of Christianity that were sown throughout McQueen’s improbable life where a Light finally shone into the darkness of his troubled life. These seeds miraculously germinated, allowing McQueen to see that redemption through Jesus Christ is a lasting truth more glittering and real than any magic of the entertainment industry."
June 20, 2019
A Review of the Audiobook
Published by Christianaudio.com in 2017.
Read by John Pruden.
Duration: 7 hours, 2 minutes.
Unabridged.
In the 1960's to the 1970's, Steve McQueen (1930-1980) was the epitome of "cool" in Hollywood. Movies like The Magnificent Seven, Bullitt and The Great Escape made him one of the most sought-after actors in the world.
But, there was a long back story to Steve McQueen and his tragic death due to cancer had a surprising twist for a man who seemed to be out to take as much out of life as possible.
Greg Laurie, a super-successful California pastor (who I had never heard of, but his Wikipedia page is something else) decided to investigate a rumor that Steve McQueen became a Christian before his death. He decided to be methodical and investigate McQueen's life from its beginning in Beech Grove, Indiana to its end at Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
McQueen was born at St. Francis hospital in Beech Grove, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. His family struggled from the very beginning and he never knew his father. His mother struggled with substance abuse and often brought home "boyfriends" who abused both Steve and his mom.
The author grew up with similar struggles (single mom who moved a lot, abused a lot of different substances and brought unsavory men into the household) and he uses this similar background as a starting point of the book. In reality, this book is both a biography of McQueen and an autobiography of Laurie. I found both of their lives to be interesting and Laurie's observations about his own experiences growing up shed light on Steve McQueen's life as well.
Laurie follows McQueen from...
Read more at: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2019...
Published by Christianaudio.com in 2017.
Read by John Pruden.
Duration: 7 hours, 2 minutes.
Unabridged.
In the 1960's to the 1970's, Steve McQueen (1930-1980) was the epitome of "cool" in Hollywood. Movies like The Magnificent Seven, Bullitt and The Great Escape made him one of the most sought-after actors in the world.
But, there was a long back story to Steve McQueen and his tragic death due to cancer had a surprising twist for a man who seemed to be out to take as much out of life as possible.
Greg Laurie, a super-successful California pastor (who I had never heard of, but his Wikipedia page is something else) decided to investigate a rumor that Steve McQueen became a Christian before his death. He decided to be methodical and investigate McQueen's life from its beginning in Beech Grove, Indiana to its end at Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
McQueen was born at St. Francis hospital in Beech Grove, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. His family struggled from the very beginning and he never knew his father. His mother struggled with substance abuse and often brought home "boyfriends" who abused both Steve and his mom.
The author grew up with similar struggles (single mom who moved a lot, abused a lot of different substances and brought unsavory men into the household) and he uses this similar background as a starting point of the book. In reality, this book is both a biography of McQueen and an autobiography of Laurie. I found both of their lives to be interesting and Laurie's observations about his own experiences growing up shed light on Steve McQueen's life as well.
Laurie follows McQueen from...
Read more at: https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2019...
October 15, 2020
Saw this book somehow on my iBooks app on my iPhone; it was very reasonably priced & looked to be a very interesting read. What?? Steve McQueen--the King of Cool--had come to faith in Jesus near the end of his life? How did that happen? And was the cancer diagnosis he got a year or so before he died what pushed him into the arms of the Lord? Or was it something else? I was hooked and wanted to know more, as I've always loved Steve McQueen's acting--and his love of fast cars & motorcycles, and just speed in general. Well, I won't throw any spoilers in--you'll have to read the book for yourself. But, I will say, it was a very engaging & enlightening read.
The author, megachurch pastor Greg Laurie of So Cal, writes from a very sympathetic perspective, as his & McQueen's lives paralleled each other's in many ways. Both had tough childhoods, father issues, and were brought up by alcoholic mothers. Both went to some sort of reformatory school.
McQueen went into acting somewhat on a lark--with encouragement from his first wife--and went on to become the biggest, hottest, highest-paid Hollywood star of his day. He lived a hard life, though, and struggled with depression and mood swings, as well as a stormy & tumultuous love life--mostly his own fault. But God wasn't finished with him yet and it was fascinating to read how the Hound of Heaven drew McQueen to faith in Christ as his Lord & Savior, using some of the most unlikely people & situations to do so.
Bought from iBooks and read on my iPhone--which was a pleasant enough experience that I need to do more reading on it (though I usually use it for my audiobooks).
The author, megachurch pastor Greg Laurie of So Cal, writes from a very sympathetic perspective, as his & McQueen's lives paralleled each other's in many ways. Both had tough childhoods, father issues, and were brought up by alcoholic mothers. Both went to some sort of reformatory school.
McQueen went into acting somewhat on a lark--with encouragement from his first wife--and went on to become the biggest, hottest, highest-paid Hollywood star of his day. He lived a hard life, though, and struggled with depression and mood swings, as well as a stormy & tumultuous love life--mostly his own fault. But God wasn't finished with him yet and it was fascinating to read how the Hound of Heaven drew McQueen to faith in Christ as his Lord & Savior, using some of the most unlikely people & situations to do so.
Bought from iBooks and read on my iPhone--which was a pleasant enough experience that I need to do more reading on it (though I usually use it for my audiobooks).
August 12, 2022
“Steve McQueen: The Salvation Of An American Icon” is an inspirational look at “ the King of Cool” an American movie star who lead a reckless life with fast cars, motorcycles, women, sex and drugs, struggling to fill the emptiness in a heart torn apart in childhood by the abandonment of his father, and an alcoholic, neglectful mother. Yet diagnosed with cancer, married for the third time to a model half his age, he discovers the transforming love of Jesus Christ, ending the emptiness that held him captive.
Greg Laurier, senior pastor and author in a cross-country drive in 1968 through the hills of Malibu, alleys of Hollywood and streets of New York explores the life, relationships, career and spiritual journey of this movie legend who fascinated his fans with movies like “The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven and The Towering Inferno”. Well-developed, the author gives the portrait heart with his personal touch as he makes connections to similarities in his own difficult childhood. Fascinating with Greg Laurie’s interviews with Steve McQueen’s friends, co-stars, widow and men of God like Billy Graham and Mel Knovak these insights keep you captivated from beginning to end.
Touching as this hardworking, disciplined, demanding and temperamental movie star struggles with satisfying the emptiness in his troubled life, the book is also filled with the promise of discovery, and hope for the future in the birth of Steve McQueen’s faith before his death. It is well-worth reading.
Greg Laurier, senior pastor and author in a cross-country drive in 1968 through the hills of Malibu, alleys of Hollywood and streets of New York explores the life, relationships, career and spiritual journey of this movie legend who fascinated his fans with movies like “The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven and The Towering Inferno”. Well-developed, the author gives the portrait heart with his personal touch as he makes connections to similarities in his own difficult childhood. Fascinating with Greg Laurie’s interviews with Steve McQueen’s friends, co-stars, widow and men of God like Billy Graham and Mel Knovak these insights keep you captivated from beginning to end.
Touching as this hardworking, disciplined, demanding and temperamental movie star struggles with satisfying the emptiness in his troubled life, the book is also filled with the promise of discovery, and hope for the future in the birth of Steve McQueen’s faith before his death. It is well-worth reading.
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