The Daily Telegraph Book of Hymns

Here are the full original texts of 150 of the best loved hymns in the English language. Each is accompanied by a fascinating commentary, giving biographical details of the author (such as the Calvinist creator of Rock of Ages who once calculated that the average human sins 2,522,880,000 times); notes on the circumstances in which the hymn was written; and variant versions. Each hymn is prefaced by an urbanely written and agreeably subjective commentary with a wealth of anecdotes and a few ribald parodies. This charming book should also be required reading for all those responsible for choosing hymns in church. Ian Bradley writes with wit, elegance and charm and is quite exceptionally knowledgeable about his subject.

Ian Bradley is Reader in Practical Theology and Church History at the University of St Andrews, a minister in the Church of Scotland and a prolific author &broadcaster.