Pilgrim's Progress (Parts One and Two)

Great book for the kids

Good text, but not the easiest format. Too big

If you like an up to date version of this classic tale, this is it! The author of this new version has really taken care that the text doesn't "sound" too modern. Lots of explanations when new words, differing from the original, are chosen, as our language as definitely changed in emphasis. One example of this, was feeble-minded, which is derogatory in our days, but in Bunyan's day, it only indicated a weak, vulnerable person.In the chapters, biblical references are numbered and quoted at the end of each chapter. it is really lovely to be able to read this with your bible (usually when I read the quote in the bible, I would read further on too!) It is a truly uplifting presentation of Bunyan's tale of a Christian's journey.It's also good that both part of the journey are there, 1. Christian's terrifying and comforting journey; the second part is devoted to Christian's wife and children's journey and is just not a repeat of Christian's story. Christiana's add different aspects of a Christian's characteristics from a woman's point of view. There is a little discussion about women in the bible which is quite validatory to women. Bunyan shows that there were many women who were followers and supporters of Christ. They provided food and lodging for the Lord. I like this added touch.I read this when I woke up during the night and couldn't sleep. I found it therapeutic, and referred often to the bible to follow the texts fo the quotations. A good experience!

Ever since I heard the story of Pilgrim's Progress as a child almost 60 years ago, I have wanted to read the original to understand what an allegoric book written some 350 years ago would be like. It is billed as one of the all-time most read books in the English language. I was curious.It was exactly as I expected. It tells the story of a man who sets out on a journey to the Celestial City and of his adventures on the way. He encounters difficulties. He struggles in the Slough of Despond and gets captured by Giant Despair and imprisoned in Doubting Castle and undergoes all manner of other tests. On the other hand he gets assistance from Evangelist, Hopeful and Faithful who sustain his resolve to attain his goal. The allegory is very thin and it is clearly the journey through Life of a man seeking to attain the promises made in the Bible to Man. It could be described as the first Fantasy Adventure novel, and as a child that is exactly how the story was told to me.However John Bunyan really meant this book to be used as a religious teaching tool and also packed the book with lots of theological argument between Pilgrim and those fellow travelers he met on the way. I did not enjoy that aspect of the book at all. Despite a small interest in the subject I found the debate tedious and banal in the modern context.I was surprised how relatively easy to read and understand I found the 350 year old language. I expected it to be more tedious. It was not the language, but the content I found I got bogged down with.I set out to satisfy my curiosity and achieved that, but if the book had been much longer than about three hours, I doubt if I would have lasted the pace.

This is a delightful book from the 'parchment' cover to the list of unusual phrases at the back. The paper is thick, ivory coloured and tactile. The typeface is classic, with titles in fancy script, and story illustrated by those classic nineteenth century line drawings.I haven't read Pilgrim's Progress before, and some of the sections are a little heavy, but the names and the locations are a hoot! They follow the Christian's story and trials he'll face on the way. As for the book, there are lots of extras - most sections have biblical references, and at the back is an explanation of the sections, timeline and places from John Bunyan's life as well as dictionery and phrases. Fascinating and good for uncertain Christians, and looks good on the coffee table.

This is a fantastic book! There are a number of free pdf versions around on the internet which I found difficult and hard going to read. However this particular version is brilliant and although most of the text probably follows what could well be described as an out of date style of writing and grammar nothing has been lost - the message is clear. The supporting notes in the margins and cross references to Biblical texts are most helpful. There are a few sections that have to be read a number of times in order to gain an understanding of what John Bunyan meant but once the meaning has been grasped all should be clear. This is probably because some of the text uses proverbs that were in common use in the 16th and 17th centuries. Well worth the money and worth reading. I've not read many books that I couldn't put down but this is one of them!

I got this after reading The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes, as I realised that it had been a huge influence on so many minds, indeed being the only book other than the Bible that was permissable in many households. It is worth reading just for that, but what I gleaned from it was something intuitive about the nature of fundamentalist thinking; we had our own home-grown fundamentalism in this country back in the day and this is a good insight into the kind of thinking that powered it, and doubtless powers many modern day fundies esp in the States.