Wilberforce
About this audiobook
Born in Hull in 1759, William Wilberforce was destined to become one of Britain’s most influential statesmen, having been influenced himself by men like Whitefield, Wesley, and, most of all, John Newton. Chiefly remembered as the reformer who campaigned for the abolition of the slave trade in England, he was at the heart of British politics for over forty years during the inflammatory times of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.
Wilberforce introduced his first antislave-trade motion in the House of Commons in 1788 with a speech that lasted three-and-a-half-hours, appealing to the dictates of conscience, the principals of justice, and the law of God. The motion was defeated but Wilberforce continued his campaign until the slave trade was abolished and went on to fight against slavery itself right up to his death. Just as he died on July 29, 1833, Wilberforce was informed that Parliament had finally agreed to the emancipation of slaves.
Drawing on a vast array of previously unpublished manuscripts, John Pollock faithfully records Wilberforce’s fight as one of the most courageous and vital political battles in history and presents a full picture of the man: “exciting, lovable, delightful, with faults which must have maddened his friends.”
About the author
John Pollock, a Cambridge-educated clergyman, is the author of countless biographies and the official biographer of Billy Graham. He has written accounts of Wesley, Shaftesbury, Whitefield, Kitchener, Hudson Taylor, Wilberforce, John Newton, Moody, and others. He lives with his wife in Devon, England.
Frederick Davidson (1932–2005), also known as David Case, was one of the most prolific readers in the audiobook industry, recording more than eight hundred audiobooks in his lifetime, including over two hundred for Blackstone Audio. Born in London, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and performed for many years in radio plays for the British Broadcasting Company before coming to America in 1976. He received AudioFile’s Golden Voice Award and numerous Earphones Awards and was nominated for a Grammy for his readings.
