Once Blind: The Life of John Newton

There are no cited sources and historical accuracy seems doubtful (2010-06-23) : 2/5
Overall I have not enjoyed this book (I'm 70% complete) because it claims to be non-fiction but there is no documentation of sources. I don't think I've ever read a non-fiction book that relies so heavily on detailed conversations or thoughts of the characters to advance the story (it reads like a fiction novel). Pair that with the fact that there are absolutely NO sources cited (?!?!) and I conclude that this book falls under that category of historical fiction. As far as I can tell the book purports to be be non-fiction (from reading the cover, introduction etc). If you care about accuracy when reading about the life of a significant historical figure then choose another book. I regret purchasing this book.
Story of grace (2010-02-25) : 4/5
It is a great story about the life of John Newton. I was interested in his relationship with William Wilberforce. This helps explain it. I think it explains more than the movie Amazing Grace.
Terrific page turner and eye opener (2009-02-25) : 5/5
Kay Strom never disappoints! Her narrative non-fiction biography of John Newton takes the reader deep into the pathos of a boy, then a man, whose anger separates him from what he most longs for: acceptance. This is more than the story of a slave-ship captain turned preacher. More than the events leading up to the penning of "Amazing Grace." Once Blind opens up the pages of history and reveals the dark heart of humanity. Then, in keeping with Kay's passion to speak for those without a voice, she jumps right into the issue of slavery today. Yes, it's worse than what Newton and his colleagues lobbied parliament and spoke out against in the 1700s. If you don't believe, it, read the book!
More of a novel than a biography (2009-01-13) : 4/5
Once Blind is more of a novel about John Newton's life than his biography. The line is blurred between what the author has added in herself and what is factually true. That being said, this book has been a page turner with a rude awakening as to what the slave trade of the 18th century was actually like, and a perfect example of a God that will not let any of His children out of his grasp no matter how hard we struggle to get away.
Interesting take on Newton's life. (2008-09-06) : 4/5
Several years ago I read The Infidel by Joe Musser (B&H 2001) and enjoyed it very much. It was a novel - rather than a biography - based on John Newton's life. Once Blind is very similar to The Infidel so both authors had obviously studied up on John Newton's life, though they had slightly different takes on the details. Once Blind was an easy read, though I found the symbols used to illustrate cursing like... #@(%& quite distracting at times. There was also an occasional point of view issue, but other than those minor things, I really liked the story. The fact that I finished it says a lot considering most books of the books I start never get read through to the end. At any rate, this biography was a nice review of John Newton's life and the comparison to modern day slavery issues at the end is worth considering. There is even a section that talks about how you can become a modern day abolitionist.

I also appreciated how the author used excerpts from some of Newton's sermons to make points in the story. Some scenes were pretty descriptive of the horrors of slavery, but nothing the average reader would get ill over. The details were not too graphic. At any rate, Once Blind is a worthwhile read and I definitely recommend taking the time to read it.