We sing our hymns with little thought as to the circumstances in which they were composed. Faith Cook, in this excellently produced book, relates, often with graphic detail, the lives and compositions of men and women who captured the Christian faith in verse. Each chapter bears an interesting title that is the key to the particular hymn writer’s style or life, starting with ‘distant voices’, the time from Ambrose in the fourth century to the enlightened Isaac Watts (1674-1748).
The bulk of the book is given to the lives and work of people we know by name, and whose hymns we love to sing, such as Charles Wesley and John Newton. The person’s life is summarised in relatively short chapters with extracts from their poetry. The pioneering work of Isaac Watts sits alongside the eloquent pen of Mr Wesley. Joseph Hart’s penitent poetry and John Newton’s ‘Amazing Grace’ contrast with James Montgomery’s enthusiasm as he ‘filled his notebook with verses, to the despair of his teachers’. Horatius Bonar loved the children as did Cecil Frances Alexander, whereas William Cowper often despaired of himself and his spiritual state. A few modern writers – Timothy Dudley-Smith, Vernon Higham and Graham Kendrick are just three of the seven in the last chapter.
The mood changes as the history, and the writers, combine to give an interesting book to read and a reason to give thanks to our God for the talents these Christians were, and are, given. We have come to expect great things from Faith Cook, and this book does not disappoint us. The easy style and attention to detail, where that is necessary, is presented to us in convenient length chapters, which encourage us to read more.

Peter King, Hailsham
Grace Magazine
December 2005