Steve Turner
STEVE TURNER is a highly-regarded performance poet and music journalist who has made his name as one of the country's leading children's poets with collections such as The Day I Fell Down the Toilet, Dad You're Not Funny and I Was Only Asking. Steve Turner is also a renowned rock biographer, having written biographies on many big names including The Beatles ( A Hard Day's Write), Johnny Cash ( The Man Called Cash), U2 ( U2 Rattle & Hum) and Marvin Gaye ( Trouble Man).
Steve's books for Lion, Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton, Slavery and the World's Most Enduring Song and Cliff Richard: The Biography have received much critical acclaim. Amazing Grace traces the life of the song, alongside the life of its writer, John Newton and his involvement with the campaign against slavery. Steve also looks at the many recording artists - such as Elvis Presley, Rod Stewart and Destiny's Child - who have covered the song during their careers and how they have helped to shape, spread and develop the song over the past two centuries.
Praise for Amazing Grace
‘Turner pens an informative biography of the man who wrote Amazing Grace and a comprehensive chronicle of the hymn’s journey to cultural iconhood… A sensitive and thoughtful take on a much-loved song.’
Kirkus Reviews
‘Steve Turner is a tough-minded poet with an ear for the psalms, and eye for the miracles in the mundane, and an understanding of how despair can break the ground for joy to take root. The story of Amazing Grace is just that.’
Bono of U2
‘This carefully crafted and finely probed book will stand as the definitive look at what is perhaps the most popular hymn in American history.’
Publisher’s Weekly
Praise for Cliff Richard: The Biography
'What is so good about this book is that none of the gossip is too touchy to dwell on. Although this is an authorised biography, all the innuendos are confronted head on. There are a lot of fine anecdotes. Turner's sympathetic, sagacious and highly enjoyable book tells you everything you ever wanted to know about Cliff. Turner's Cliff Richard is refreshingly human, though not without his faults.'
The Sunday Telegraph
'Well researched, pleasantly written, and shows an almost Kitty Kelleyish ear for good quotes.'
Independent on Sunday