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The Pilgrim's Progress

by John Bunyan

3.96 · Rating Details · 64,714 Ratings · 1,825 Reviews

Often rated as important as the Bible as a Christian document, this famous story of man's progress through life in search of salvation remains one of the most entertaining allegories of faith ever written. Set against realistic backdrops of town and country, the powerful drama of the pilgrim's trials and temptations follows him in his harrowing journey to the Celestial Cit ...more

Paperback, 324 pages

Published February 10th 2003 by Dover Publications (first published February 18th 1678)

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Apr 23, 2012 Paul Bryant rated it really liked it

Shelves: novels, godreads

In the dawn of the day Reader began his quest for the Great Denoument with a glad heart, his countenance suffused by the Joy of Literature Yet Unread and unburthened by Mercantile Drear. He knew he should soon pass threw Goodreads City which was said to be very Malevolent yet still he feared not and sang out hymns and epithalamions addressed to the Archangels Proust, Joyce and Bolano which should look over him as he ventured. Eftsoons, he met with Mr Worldly Wise, who thrust at him pretty volume ...more

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Sep 01, 2007 Paul rated it liked it · review of another edition

I read this book during my second deployment to Iraq as well and it took me quite a while to finish it. I had seen this book referenced often and I wanted to read it on my own. The overall consensus is that it is a very compelling book and will pull at your soul's emotional strings with its simplicity and candor. But also there were three major hurdles to finishing this book--for me, at least:

It was first published in 1678 so it is not an easy read. The diction is alien to me, but also one does I read this book during my second deployment to Iraq as well and it took me quite a while to finish it. I had seen this book referenced often and I wanted to read it on my own. The overall consensus is that it is a very compelling book and will pull at your soul's emotional strings with its simplicity and candor. But also there were three major hurdles to finishing this book--for me, at least:

It was first published in 1678 so it is not an easy read. The diction is alien to me, but also one does not fall into the parlance of Mr. Bunyan's time as easily as even the made-up language of A Clockwork Orange. Here is an example of the text: "Mercy. Then said Mercy, I confess my ignorance: I spake what I understood not: I acknowledge that thou doest all things well." Yikes. Also, the original was not written like a screenplay so it is at times confusing who is speaking to whom. Luckily, the Penguin Classics version marks all dialog with the speaker as a preface in italics.

Secondly, the allegory is very simple. The characters names are the likes of: "Mr. Great-Heart, Mr. Timorous, Mr. Feeble-Minded, the Giant Despair," etc. The situations that all the characters face are definitely unique, but not so riveting as a result of surprise. This barrier for me though is acceptable: the stark simplicity of the journey actually increases the voracity of Bunyan's words. The story is not for the sake of story-telling; the allegory actually need not be so imaginative in this case.

Finally, and this may seem superficial, but Bunyan's poetry skills are pretty awful. The poem opens with a long bit of rhyming poetry that almost made me quit reading. Ironically, the poem is an apology of Bunyan's allegorical shortcomings. I still didn't enjoy reading the poems. I actually found myself skipping even the shortest attempts at rhyme in the plot by the first 30 pages of the book. I find it interesting that Bunyan's prose can be so powerful that he felt the need to attempt ABAB style poetry in his work. Maybe he felt the need to counter the beautiful epic style of John Milton's Paradise Lost (published first about 12 years before TPP). I don't know, but either way--it is a serious barrier.

Bunyan earns most of his Paul Dollars (approximately worth 5 Shrewt bucks or 1000 Stanley Nickles, for you Office fans) in the transcendence of the story into the heart of the Christian reader. I felt Bunyan's soul guiding Christian through his pilgrimage. At the beginning of the story when Christian tells his plans to his family, they chastise him and mock him--after ignoring him of course. As he finally departs alone, his family and neighbors snub him and hurl curses from both sides of the road. This forces Christian to "put his fingers in his ears" and run as quickly as possible away from the City of Destruction. You can't help but be captivated by Christian's steadfast loyalty to his mission: going to Heaven, or the "land beyond the river that has no bridge."

Here are some examples of Bunyan's greatest words:

"No man can tell what in combat attends us but he that hath been in the battle himself." (Page 113) after he fights the demon Apollyon.

In reply to Christan's query, "tell me particularly what effect this [a vision of Christ) had upon your spirit," Hopeful answers with conviction that almost wrought me with tears:

"It made me greatly ashamed of the vileness of my former life, and confounded me with the sense of mine own ignorance; for there never came thought into mine heart before now that showed me so the beauty of Jesus Christ. It made me love a holy life, and long to do something for the honour and glory of the name of the Lord Jesus. Yea, I thought that had I now a thousand gallons of blood in my body, I could spill it all for the sake of the Lord Jesus." (Page 125)

Awesome.

This book was a good spiritual book for me at this time in my life. I recommend it for anyone who wishes to keep the fire of their faith burning.
...more

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Mar 17, 2008 Ryan rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: classic-fiction, religion-theology, fiction, owned-books

So you know when you hear that Citizen Kane is the best movie ever because of how revolutionary it was during its time period, and then you watch it and you realize that the key phrase is "during its time period"? Well, reading Pilgrim's Progress is likely to leave many with the same feeling. No doubt one of the greatest modern religious texts in terms of what it provided for early Puritans (an easy and concrete representation of their theology and daily living practices), it leaves a little to ...more

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Dec 11, 2014 Mike (the Paladin) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, classics, christian-theology

I have a few versions of this on my shelves from the nicely bound hard back to paper backs I can hand out (you know "loan").

This is (as I'm sure most already know) an allegorical journey depicting the struggles of living the Christian life. John Bunyan was a Baptist imprisoned when it was against the law to be a be Baptist. He was imprisoned for (aprox.) twelve years for refusing to convert to Anglicanism (Church of England)...this sort of thing by the way is the reason for the first amendment, ...more

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Oct 19, 2014 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 17th-century-work, puritan-work, fiction, own, favorite-books

The Pilgrim's Progress is a wonderful work written by a 17th-century Puritan, John Bunyan, from his prison cell in a time of persecution.

J.C. Ryle wrote of this book, “I do not doubt that the one volume of Pilgrim’s Progress, written by a man who knew hardly any book but his Bible, and was ignorant of Greek and Latin, will prove in the last day to have done more for the benefit of the world, than all the works of the schoolmen put together.”

The Pilgrim's Progress is a wonderful allegory of th The Pilgrim's Progress is a wonderful work written by a 17th-century Puritan, John Bunyan, from his prison cell in a time of persecution.

J.C. Ryle wrote of this book, “I do not doubt that the one volume of Pilgrim’s Progress, written by a man who knew hardly any book but his Bible, and was ignorant of Greek and Latin, will prove in the last day to have done more for the benefit of the world, than all the works of the schoolmen put together.”

The Pilgrim's Progress is a wonderful allegory of the beginning, progression, and conclusion of the true Christian life. Rich in Biblical theology, it tells the story of the trials, temptations, and triumphs of a man named Christian in his pilgrimage from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City and eternal life. Many of the events we read include universal tales about human struggles through hardship with which anyone can identify.

Some of the places through which we follow Christian in his pilgrimage include the Delectable Mountains, Hill of Difficulty, Palace Beautiful (an allegory of the local Christian congregation), Slough of Despond, Doubting Castle, Valley of Humiliation, Hill Clear, Vanity Fair, Valley of the Shadow of Death, By-Path Meadow, the dangerous Enchanted Ground, River of Death, etc.

Sin makes this world a dry and weary land. The road to the Celestial City is always an ascent (Psalm 24:3). However, the Lord Jesus Christ is a place of shelter and refuge. He is the Shelter from the storm of affliction and rain.

The Pilgrim’s Progress encourages me that by God’s grace, albeit whichever valleys through which I may pass, whatever slough into which I may have fallen, whatever rivers to ford, or whichever Hill of Difficulty I may climb in my journey … my Guide is ever watchful, my Deliverer unfailing, and He is indeed faithful in keeping and persevering His people till they arrive home at the Celestial City—that glorious, Heavenly City built not by the hands of man—whose Maker and Builder is God.

Every Christian can learn and be encouraged by the Biblical instructions from this story. ...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Ian Dami Im rated it liked it

Shelves:

A Response to Paul Bryant's Review:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Mr. Honest

Then it came to pass a while after, that there was a post in the town that inquired for Mr. Honest Paul Bryant.

So he came to the house where he was, and delivered to his hand these lines: “Thou art commanded to be ready against this day seven-night, to present thyself before thy Lord at his Father’s house.

“And for a token that my message is true, all the daughters of music, even the mothers of invention, shall ...more

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May 20, 2016 Alex rated it it was ok

Shelves: rth-lifetime, 2015, novel-a-biography

Pilgrim's Progress is basically a takeoff of Don Quixote, with two delusional assholes wandering around being dicks to people, but it plays its jokes closer to the vest. The dreaming narrator seems unconscious of the fact that the pilgrims are both jerks. I suppose it's possible that they're not supposed to be jerks at all, but...no, that can't be right.

It starts with a guy named Christian abandoning his family to wander off in search of a magical city. "His wife and children...began to cry aft ...more

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Apr 09, 2016 Kelly rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian

It was such a joy re-reading this literary masterpiece. I believe that I enjoyed it even more than my first read years ago. I'm amaze at how such simple words are able to penetrate and resonate to the very fabric of my soul. I truly feel refresh and energize. I need to make ( a mental note ) to re-read this at least once a year, as I think that it's content is valuable to green and season christians alike.

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Mar 31, 2011 K.D. Absolutely rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: 501 Must Read Books, 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Shelves: classics, 1001-non-core, 501, religion

Fascinating allegory about man’s search for salvation. The fact that this was first published in 1678 by John Bunyan (1628-1688) and its message still rings true up to now makes this an appropriate read for those who believe in life after death. The only problem is that if you hate classics, then you will find this a struggle to read. Methinks however, that if you like novels with pilgrimage as theme (Paolo Coelho’s Pilgrimage is a good example) or those even crusade adventures like Lord of the Fascinating allegory about man’s search for salvation. The fact that this was first published in 1678 by John Bunyan (1628-1688) and its message still rings true up to now makes this an appropriate read for those who believe in life after death. The only problem is that if you hate classics, then you will find this a struggle to read. Methinks however, that if you like novels with pilgrimage as theme (Paolo Coelho’s Pilgrimage is a good example) or those even crusade adventures like Lord of the Rings, Sword in a Stone, etc., you might find this interesting. Just substitute Celestial City as the destination instead of Mordor (LOTR) and salvation (instead of excalibur (Sword in a Stone) and they are all just the same banana.

The story is divided into 2 parts. The first part has Christian, the father, who dreams one night of a book saying that he will die in pain if he does not find salvation. In that dream, a man called Evangelist has told him that salvation can be found in Celestial City. In the morning, he asks his wife and children if they want to accompany him. They refused. So Christian was joined by two of his neighbors, Obstinate and Pliable but later, the first one goes back. Then soon after experiencing the Slough of Despond, Pliable goes back too to the town where they originate. What follows is the story of Christian’s journey and the people he meets along the way: Help, Worldly Wiseman, Formalist, Hypocrisy, Discretion, Piety, Prudence, Charity, Goodwill, Interpreter, Shining Ones, Apollyon (the devil), Faithful, Talkative, Mr. By-ends, Demas, Giant Despair, Diffidence, Temporary, Ignorance, Flatterer, Atheist, and Hopeful.

Since the first part is about the father, the second is about his family taking the same route to Celestial City. Christian’s wife, Christiana and their sons: Matthew, Joseph, Samuel and James, change their minds and follow Christian to the Celestial City. However, maybe not to bore the readers, there is almost a new set of characters and adventures that Christian in Part 1 did not meet or go through: Sagacity, Mercy, Interpreter, Ill-Favored Ones, Reliever, Mr. Great-Heart, Watchful, Grim, Mr. Brisk, Mercy, Matthew, Dr. Skill, Maul, Mr. Brisk, Old Honest, Mr. Fearing, Gaius, Giant Good-Slay, Heedless, Too-Bold, Mr. Feeble-Mind, Mr. Ready-to-Halt, Mr. Mnason, Contrite, Valiant-for-Truth, Standfast, and Madam Bubble,
I still remember the board game called Snakes and Ladders. This novel is similar to that. Among the characters listed, there are those who are snakes (Apollyon, Obstinate) and there are those who are ladders (Mr. Great-Heart, Help, Faithful, Helpful). The names are obvious so you can figure for yourself.

The use of these terms as names instead of fictional names seems to obviously indicate their roles in the journeys. However, I think it adds to the book’s charm and it makes it an easy read even after 4 decades since its first publication.

Being an allegory, however, it hardly elicited any faith-awakening emotion from me. It is more of an adventure or a fable intended for children. It is just fascinating to be exposed to a 17th century work that deals on faith. Then of course, learning that it had strong influences on the succeeding writers like Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, E. E. Cummings, Alan Moore makes this a worthwhile read. ...more

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Sep 01, 2007 Stephen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: literature

simply amazing. There is a reason why many literary critics consider this the best Christian book/read next to the Bible. This book although not a difficult read compared to other literary classics will definitely challenge you with its many allegories and metaphors of the Christian life. For anyone who thinks the Christian life is a soft cushy way needs to read this book.

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Dec 11, 2012 Jonathan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: personal-favourites, classic-literature, childhood-book, 1001-books-to-read-before-you-die, fantasy, faith

I'd wanted to write this review a while ago. However since I can't write it then I'll have to write it now.

The Pilgrim's Progress is one of the most famous examples of allegory and also one of the most popular books ever published. I've heard that at one time it was as common to find this book in a home as a copy of The Bible.

This was one of those books I was introduced to as a child. You probably think I was an odd kid, reading books like this at 8 or 9 years old. And you'd probably be right. ...more

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Sep 29, 2009 Emily rated it did not like it

Shelves: fiction, classics, religion

This isn't easy for me to do, but I admit it. I give up. I can't make myself slog through this anymore.

I picked this up as part of my ongoing project to read classics I've somehow missed out on in the first 31 years of my life. Also, an old friend listed it as one of her 20 Most Memorable Books on facebook, so I was expecting to be moved. Or instructed. Or touched. Maybe that was part of the problem. But I've had it out from the library for 6 weeks, renewed it once already, the due date is loomi ...more

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Jan 18, 2011 C. rated it liked it

Shelves: own-or-access, philosophy-ethics-religion, may-i-say-blah

I must say that I struggled rather with this book; I continually procrastinated from picking it up, and even when I actually got around to reading it, it was frankly pretty boring. Nonetheless, I'm sure it's a much better book than I give it credit for; context is all, so don't come back to me with essay-length descriptions of the circumstances under which it was written (I already know. I can and do read. Also I possess a brain) I did not like this book and this review explains why. That is all I must say that I struggled rather with this book; I continually procrastinated from picking it up, and even when I actually got around to reading it, it was frankly pretty boring. Nonetheless, I'm sure it's a much better book than I give it credit for; context is all, so don't come back to me with essay-length descriptions of the circumstances under which it was written (I already know. I can and do read. Also I possess a brain) I did not like this book and this review explains why. That is all.

I was brought up in the Catholic tradition by a devout but sensible mother; baptised, reconciled, communioned, confirmed. I passed from insincere observance to a vague agnosticism to an indignant atheism to general indifference, but I am still surrounded and informed by the Catholic church and its way of thinking. The thing about institutionalised Catholicism is that it's a rather insincere beast; it's entirely ok with conspicuous wealth (e.g., the Vatican), moral lassitude (e.g., the Vatican) and deliberate and systematic misreadings of the Bible and all its teachings (e.g. the Vatican). What I like about Catholicism, though, is most of the non-Vatican Catholics. God, in their mind, is pretty much ok with non-literal interpretations of the Bible and therefore also with other things that both the Bible and the Vatican is decidedly ambivalent about: evolution, contraception, homosexuality, the female half of the human race, and so on.** My mother is cette espèce de Catholique; without any angst, she comfortably manages to simultaneously be a devout Catholic, an excellent biochemist and a generally tolerant human being.

Naturally, the content, philosophy and aesthetic of The Pilgrim's Progress is somewhat at odds with Catholicism, and even more at odds with the mostly liberal-democratic, secular society in which I have lived my entire life. I railed against this book with every fibre of my being for the entirety of its length. This, to me, only vaguely resembles what Christianity or any religion is about. Its Puritanical fire-and-brimstone approach was completely unfamiliar to me and impossible to identify with or distance myself from. Christian leaves his wife and family to languish in the City of Destruction; he blunders his way blindly and stupidly through any number of obvious religious allegories; he unquestioningly laps up the ideology of every character named with a virtuous adjective; he chastises with intolerance and narrow-mindedness anyone who deviates even slightly from his dogmatic beliefs. His obsession with reaching eternal glory in the Celestial City is characterised by a disturbing veneration of objects such as "crowns of gold", the very same objects that whose worship he despises in people not in heaven. This to me is an egregious misreading of religious texts (not that I've read the originals; so shoot me), not to mention blatant hypocrisy.

(Maybe, like in the Bible, Bunyan's being metaphorical about the crowns of gold and all that. But I don't think so. Bunyan was the uneducated son of a tinsmith - whatever virtue this book has comes from the power his vivid imagination invested in the tired old idea of pilgrimage, not the sophistication of his intellect. This book is all about taking religious metaphors and making them real, concrete. The crowns of gold are meant literally. Maybe he was just really stupid and/or deluded by faith? I think it's possible.)

There is no discussion in this book; every conversation involves either one person proselytising and the other person agreeing vehemently, or one person proselytising and the other disagreeing and then being condemned to Hell (quite literally) with no explanation. Two is the maximum number of people possible in a conversation, even if the third would have to be deaf and blind for this to make sense. Usually characters lay out their confusing and arbitrary-seeming opinions in the form of lists. Names are given according to whichever characteristic Bunyan wants to highlight about a character: ignorance, sloth, avarice, whatever. None of this is makes good literature or profound philosophy; what it makes is a load of crock.

Reading criticism was not helpful. Unlike with Don Quixote, the only criticism I found was not of a high standard, and tended to wax lyrical about how great it was without going into any real detail about why. I was totally unable to identify with any conception of this work as a masterpiece of artistic and philosophical exposition. I was also bored and disgusted by George Bernard Shaw's likening of Bunyan to Nietzsche, and his disparagement of Shakespeare in comparison as "a fashionable author who could see nothing in the world but personal aims and the tragedy of their disappointment or the comedy of their incongruity". This, Mr. Shaw, I cannot agree with - Shakespeare writes for always and everyone; Bunyan writes one single narrative expressing a single, narrow view of life.

There are good things here, though: mainly his prose, which is excellent in the way the Bible is excellent - possibly because a lot of the best parts are cribbed from the Bible - the valley of the shadow of death, for example. By the waters of Babylon I lay down and wept as I remembered Zion... poetry doesn't get much better than the Bible, especially when set to music (mmmmmm, polyphony). Bunyan's prose is very simple - he uses short words, but they have a fantastic rhythm. This is the opening of the book:

As I walked through the wilderness of the world, I lighted on a certain place where was a den [jail], and I laid me down in that place to sleep, and as I slept I dreamed a dream. I dreamed, and behold I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back...

LIfe, life, eternal life! There's power here, in these words, and in the very nature of the allegory. The sheer simplicity of making literal all those metaphors! And yet, how striking the result. In small doses. When I consider it carefully. The dramatic and tragic qualities of Christianity are, I believe, one of its redeeming features. Anyone who has, for example, been to the tenebrae mass at a big cathedral will know what I mean, or even a decently-done funeral or memorial service. (I sing in a cathedral choir; I read a book during the sermons and don't take communion or say any of the prayers, but it's educational all the same.)

So I suppose in the end I'll give this book three stars, which seems a bit strange, but although I really hated it I also kind of love it. ...more

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Apr 16, 2015 Lise Petrauskas rated it liked it

Shelves: bloom-western-canon, philosophy-religion-psychology, the-novel-a-biography, 2015

Oh, Pilgrim's Progress, how glad I am that I have finally read you and that I'll never have to read you again. Thank you for being shorter and easier to read than I was expecting. Little Women (obvious references) and The Lord of the Rings (not so obvious), both books I've loved since childhood, came to mind as having been heavily influenced by you in different ways.

The value in this book lies, for me, in the fact that it gives me some insight into the culture and history of the literature that ...more

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Nov 25, 2014 Adam rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1500-s-1700-s, prose

The Pilgrim's Progress, or Christianity for Dummies by John Bunyan.

So... John Bunyan was a crazy and apparently exceedingly stupid man who wrote one of the most popular books ever in the Western literary tradition. I write of this book, obviously. The book's popularity and even its status as a Historically Important Classic is a harsh reminder of how immensely stupid and crazy humans, generally, are and always were. Because this book's status is such a harsh reminder of that fact, it's basically The Pilgrim's Progress, or Christianity for Dummies by John Bunyan.

So... John Bunyan was a crazy and apparently exceedingly stupid man who wrote one of the most popular books ever in the Western literary tradition. I write of this book, obviously. The book's popularity and even its status as a Historically Important Classic is a harsh reminder of how immensely stupid and crazy humans, generally, are and always were. Because this book's status is such a harsh reminder of that fact, it's basically the most depressing thing you could ever read, if you have some level of intelligence.

Of course, the book is not a novel really, but an allegory, and it does indeed have Historical Importance, if you're one of those insufferable fucks who think we should give the remotest semblance of a shit about the several hundred year old ramblings of a lunatic. It has Historical Importance because it's part of the English Puritan literature of the time and basically is relevant w/r/t that theology and its various dimensions and how this is, although batshit stupid even for the time, important, maybe, to understanding the progress of the arts and what not at the time, and how this fits into the rise of culture post-Middle Ages etc.

Except, you know, allegories had existed for a long-ass time before this thing reared its ugly head, and some of them were complex and balanced and literate and so on, including those in, uh, the Bible. Plus, there was a lot of very good literature before this came out, including in the religious tradition (see Milton, see Donne, and see others), so this thing's brutal awfulness is really inexcusable as "of the time" or whatever. No, it's just bad.

I opened this review/rant by calling this Christianity for Dummies, which is basically what it is. True, its explicit Protestant theology was different and what not, and this probably mattered a long time ago. But it reads, and probably has read for a long time, as Christianity for Dummies. You see, Bunyan's allegory can't even be called thinly-veiled. It's basically one insufferable lecture/sermon. I guess on a technicality it qualifies as an allegory, but it has to be the most ham-fisted and ridiculous allegory I've encountered. Here's a list of characters, which aren't really characters as such I suppose, because basically the names cover the whole deal; unlike other allegories, where a character may represent something or quality, here the names are it, there is no actual representation: Christian, Evangelist, Help, Worldly Wiseman, Hypocrisy, Discretion, Piety, Prudence, Charity, The Interpreter, Faithful, Talkative, Mr. By-ends, Hopeful, Giant Despair, Diffidence, Temporary, Mercy, Mr. Great-heart, Old Honest, Mr. Fearing, Mr. Feeble-mind, Valiant-for-truth.

"Oh, but it's of the time, Adam. Sure compared to anything written after it that's just hilarious and sad and not even endearing and after ten pages just infuriating, but it's of the time."

Shut the fuck up, strawman. Compared to most things written before it, again, including the fucking Bible itself, which most of this is a simplified rehash of with the slight narrative frame of A Man's Journey to Salvation, it's also just totally insanely stupid and infuriating.

But besides the fact that this is just terrible when it comes to any formal criteria, it's also just impossible to read if you're a non-believer or even anything resembling a modern Christian. The intensely spelled-out lessons here are either the worst ones you could choose from the Bible, or the product, ironically, of years of stupid Catholic theologians' bullshit, or they are, more rarely, really of the time in that they're newfangled Protestant things that still lie coiled at the heart of the darkest and most unpleasant aspects of contemporary Western culture.

But even if I didn't find this whole thing morally disgusting on nearly every level, it's just horrifically bad. It's shit allegory, shit fiction, shit everything. Written in prose bad even for the time, because you know, there was other prose written at the time. Take a look at it. It's not this bad.

And get this: nobody needs to read this today. Nobody. You can just, uh, talk about it, if you need to cover it and its content for historical purposes in the study of literature. There is absolutely no reason to actually read the thing because it has absolutely zero literary quality, or relevance, or importance. Here's everything you need to know about The Pilgrim's Progress, or Christianity for Dummies: it's real stupid, anything in it that's remotely interesting is in the Bible, or in books about the Bible, or about Christianity, that are far better than this, and it's just a hideously boring thing written by a lunatic, though it's popular because some people need to read things like this to dangerously simplify and remove any quality and intelligence from old myths and allegories, and write them anew in a supremely bullshitty manner. To the extent that this is Historically Important, that importance is in knowing about it and what the deal is with it. But you shouldn't actually read it, unless you're a masochist.

And really, I'm not the kinda guy who thinks you should never read old books. I just named Milton and Donne as two examples of near-contemporaries of Bunyan who are, uh, good writers, and as such still relevant in a literary sense, and who also are relevant in a historical sense, but much more so than Bunyan. Because this book has no relevance in a study of the history of allegories, in the study of the history of the novel, or poetry, or anything other than the persistent and sad idiocy of human beings, who have taken it upon themselves to translate this thing to more than a hundred languages, and also to still talk about a complete piece of shit like this centuries after it was written, instead of doing something real Christian like helping others, doing something real literary, like reading almost anything else, or doing something better and more important with their basic human existence, like just talking to another person, or just sitting still and doing nothing. ...more

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Apr 22, 2015 David Sarkies rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: People who haven't read it

Recommended to David by: A book club

Shelves: christian

7 things you probably knew about Pilgrim's Progress
22 April 2015

Well, I will have to thank the Classics of the Western Canon discussion group for selecting Pilgrim's Progess for this month's read because otherwise it would have continued to sit on my shelf until such a time as I got around to reading it. Okay, I probably don't follow the readings of many of these groups as closely as some do, but they can be good to spur me on to reading a book that I probably wasn't thinking of reading at the ...more

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Apr 22, 2015 Lotz rated it it was ok

Midway upon the journey between my home and work did I open the case of my kindle, and in that case I did there find a kindle. Then, I turned this kindle on and lo! what there did I find? The Pilgrim’s Progress. And so mine eyes began to read the screen. Thus, I did set upon another journey at that time, traveling from the beginning of the book to the end. And there I did find many new acquaintances.

My first companion I came upon was Mr. Amusement. But he quickly left me, and then did Mr. Boredo ...more

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Mar 19, 2016 Brian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, christian, to-re-read, 2016, religious-literature

I first heard of this book in Bible college. Today Christianity offers many opposing viewpoints and brings confusion and arguments to many. To those who hunger for and seek truth I understand the difficulty. I had my own journey and had to fail and become desperate before I found the real thing. This book gives clear and concise guidance on the Christian faith and makes it fun and exciting, as we follow a man's dangerous journey to escape the destruction of his own city and journey to the celest ...more

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Feb 24, 2016 Shantelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-bookshelf, books-ive-reviewed, speculative-fiction, books-i-read-in-2016

This great classic, The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, was actually different than I expected. After reading the "children's version" for school when I was younger, I was picturing something decidedly more lighthearted and adventurous. But nonetheless, this was a good read!

In this book, John Bunyan describes his dream, where he sees a man named Christian living in the City of Destruction, with a great burden on his back. The poor man must figure out how to escape doom and find the way to the This great classic, The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, was actually different than I expected. After reading the "children's version" for school when I was younger, I was picturing something decidedly more lighthearted and adventurous. But nonetheless, this was a good read!

In this book, John Bunyan describes his dream, where he sees a man named Christian living in the City of Destruction, with a great burden on his back. The poor man must figure out how to escape doom and find the way to the Celestial City. He meets various people among the way, some helping, and some hindering his progress; and encounters many a trial and tribulation.

I love the idea, this allegorical picture of the Christian's life. In The Pilgrim's Progress, we see symbolic pictures of facing temptation; being led away from the Bible's truth by worldly knowledge; falling into depression and despair; and also getting revived by godly fellowship; and being released from our burden of sin by accepting the forgiveness Jesus Christ grants. It's quite profound. I especially loved the chapter where the man Christian walks through "the valley of the shadow of death", facing all sorts of goblins and demons. It's fearful, and Christian is bombarded by all manner of darkness; but it has a certain beauty ... knowing we walk not alone in the darkness, and God will bring us through. I also loved the ending, where inside the Celestial City is glimpsed and what life will be like there spoken of briefly. How glorious! I felt it was a wonderful picture of heaven.

Things I didn't like as much. Compared the shorter versions I read before, this one was a bit too dark and even depressing at times. There wasn't any humor or lightheartedness. And sometimes it felt a bit like a "fire and brimstone" sermon; be very, very careful, lest you fall! It gave this feeling like you could loose you salvation if you make a mistake. But our actions, good or bad, don't save us. Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, that He died to save us from our sins, is our salvation! And I don't think that you can just slip away. You're in God's hands now. And nothing can snatch you from them. When we make mistakes or go astray, I believe God leads us back to Him. Gently. Firmly. Rebukingly even. But He doesn't forsake us. And each day, as we seek Him, we learn to love Him more, and come nearer and nearer to Him.
Also, the feeling that life is horrid and we must be weary travelers until we die and reach heaven. To a certain extent, that is true! But life is also a gift. We can choose joy and choose to see beauty each day. There are lovely things like family, and friends, and marriage, and new life, and doing the things we're passionate about. God put us here for a reason and gave us a gifts and people for a reason. But it is truly the suffering, and trials, and temptations, and persecution will come if we are wholeheartedly following Christ. Because the Enemy is against us.

I don't know if it was at all John Bunyan's intention for some of the story to come across that way, but it just felt like it here and there. But so you know, I do believe the theology and overall message is Biblical. It's just that certain times, things could come across a bit "doom and dismay".

In the end, The Pilgrim's Progress is a profound picture, showing the spiritual battle in a fantastical way. There were some scenarios I especially connected with, like: "Wow! What an interesting way to put that!" It almost helps you see your struggles more clearly - in a new way. A hopeful way even. To see that there is a way out. That the road can be hard, but that is to be expected, and God knows and He's there! And to realize that Satan often attacks those that are drawing nearer to God. You are not alone. You are not falling. Simply seek the face of the Lord and follow His way! ^_^

Oh, a sadness, this version of The Pilgrim's Progress didn't have Christiania's story! It ends with the character Ignorant being taken away from the gates of the Celestial City; and says nothing of Christian's wife or children. When I was younger, that was my favorite part of the story! Christian's family joining him in heaven! Is that actually part of John Bunyan's original work, or just something someone added on??

Anyway, overall, it was a thoughtful read! I enjoyed it, especially since this version had lovely illustrations! *smiles* A good book for Christians to read and discuss! ...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Jan-Maat added it · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, british-isles, religion, 17th-century

We used to sing He who would true valour see at my secondary modern school. In fact it was the only song we'd ever sing in school assemblies. We'd sing it in dire, dirge like manner, deep in the Slough of Despond of that Vanity Fair of adolescent school days and not like the hero who was ready to march through the Valley of the Shadow of Death to take on hobgoblins, hypocrites and the demands of life after the dreaded Eleven Plus.

Bunyan was active in the period of the Republic and the Restorati ...more

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Jan 19, 2009 Tara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I just read this for the second time. It is really an amazing story. Through various characters that the pilgrim, Christian, and later his wife, Christiana, meet in their journies, we are introduced to various aspects of our own character and how those traits can help or hinder us in life's journey. The journey/story can get tedious at times, and while the story doesn't have the drama or excitement of a C.S. Lewis book, I find that John Bunyan's understanding of the scriptures in the 17th centur ...more

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Sep 21, 2015 Mary Kate rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

One of my favorite books!!!

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Dec 26, 2015 El rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 17th-centurylit, 1001-books-list, the-novel-project

(I read this book as part of a reading project I have undertaken with some other nerdy friends in which we read The Novel: A Biography and some of the other texts referenced by Schmidt.)

It took me from Aug 6 to today to read the first half of the book. And then I read the second half of the book in one sitting.

Here's the thing - this is not a good bedside table book. Aside from its soporific quality (because it's boring), it really needs to be read in big gulps at a time instead of small sips ov (I read this book as part of a reading project I have undertaken with some other nerdy friends in which we read The Novel: A Biography and some of the other texts referenced by Schmidt.)

It took me from Aug 6 to today to read the first half of the book. And then I read the second half of the book in one sitting.

Here's the thing - this is not a good bedside table book. Aside from its soporific quality (because it's boring), it really needs to be read in big gulps at a time instead of small sips over long periods of time. There are no breaks really along the way, so you put it down for a while and pick it up and you're on a page that starts with Talkative saying... something... and there's a period of disorientation. What's happening? Where are we? Are they dead yet?

It's a slog.

This book is referenced so often in the world that I figured I should read it eventually; most popularly it comes up quite frequently in Little Women, a book I read when I was like 12 or 13 years old. It made an impression on me at the time as far as I can remember it now this many years later. It meant a lot to those March girls, didn't it, and it sort of opened up a whole new world for me - a world where people have a lot of faith and interest in spiritual/religious readings. That was not a world I grew up in. But then I also didn't grow up in a world wherein I was easily at risk for contracting scarlet fever.

The first book was printed in 1678, exactly 300 years before I was born. That's pretty trippy when you think about it. The story involves Christian (hello, hit me over the head one more time with your crazy allegory, Bunyan) and his pilgrimage. Yes. It's pretty straight forward. As an allegory goes it seriously couldn't be less subtle. He encounters a lot of folk along the way and they have irritatingly allegoric names like Talkative, Good Will (not Hunting), Interpreter, Faithful, Hopeful, and a slew of others. They all have long, drawn-out conversations about this and that other thing, and holy shit, it is boring.

The second book was printed in 1684 and this story involves Christian's wife (whom he left behind when he was all "Pilgrimage!" before) and their four sons. I just want to point out first of all that Christian's wife's name is unimaginatively Christiana. I mean, really. Bunyan. Buddy. WTF.

Christiana is basically like "Hmm, pilgrimage? Okay, let's do it" because it really worked out well for her husband. She goes off on a similar adventure, and she and the boys meet a bunch of other people along their way like Great-Heart, Honest, Feeble-mind, Bat-Eyes, and Ready-to-Halt. They also have some conversations about some things, the boys all marry a variety of ladies will equally ridiculous allegorical names, and then the story is over.

I suppose I could say I'm happy to have read this because of all of the references in other literature I will now totally understand (...no, I won't... unless I happen to run into someone named Mnason in the real world), but I didn't enjoy one moment of reading this. There are some okay pieces of the story, and these were the parts where I would pretend I was reading Lord of the Rings and not some insanely stupid allegory.

Honestly, I thought more about LOST throughout reading this, because Jack's dad was named Christian. And LOST was a lot more fun to experience than this book.
...more

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Jun 10, 2015 Dana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

10 Stars. Mt favorite book of all time! I think my favorite scene in the book was when Christian visits the Palace Beautiful (which is a picture of the Church).

"Now I saw in my dream, that thus they sat talking together until supper was ready. So when they had made ready, they sat down to meat. Now the table was furnished with fat Things, and with Wine that was well refined; and all their talk at the Table was about the Lord of the Hill; as namely, about what He had done, and wherefore He did wh ...more

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Mar 09, 2015 Schuyler rated it it was amazing

One editor at a writing conference admonished her students to be careful not to attempt to copy the Bible exactly in their writing. The Bible is complete and perfect, and it is foolish to try to copy it too closely; you'll only make a less powerful knock-off.

Perhaps Pilgrim's Progress could be the one excusable exception. :)

The story is rich and true; it never dragged for me but once, and even that didn't take long to get through. Bunyan writes like a father to his children, or a shepherd to hi One editor at a writing conference admonished her students to be careful not to attempt to copy the Bible exactly in their writing. The Bible is complete and perfect, and it is foolish to try to copy it too closely; you'll only make a less powerful knock-off.

Perhaps Pilgrim's Progress could be the one excusable exception. :)

The story is rich and true; it never dragged for me but once, and even that didn't take long to get through. Bunyan writes like a father to his children, or a shepherd to his little flock--mixing admonishment and comfort in good measure. I felt a deep love as I read this book, but that love never diminished the holiness of God or the gravity of our struggle against sin.

The illustrations in the house of the Interpreter were some of my favorite scenes, both in Christian's journey and in Christiana's. They explained the gospel life of the Christian simply and clearly, from the man with truth upon his lips, to the robin with his crumbs, to the fire burning against the wall (my favorite). In the last scene, one man was pouring water on the fire to try to quench it, while another stood at the back of the fire secretly pouring oil upon it to make it grow:
The Interpreter answered, This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of His grace, maintains the work already begun in the heart; by the means of which, notwithstanding what the devil can do, the souls of His people prove gracious still. And in that thou sawest, that the man stood behind the wall to maintain the fire; this is to teach thee, that it is hard for the tempted to see how this work of grace is maintained in the soul.
I loved Faithful for as long as he and Christian were together, but I loved Hopeful as well, for his bright and cheerful spirit. He tempered Christian's gravity as they drew closer to the Celestial City, and they were a comfort to one another in affliction. And Hopeful, though rather the lighter and flightier of the two, was the most confident in crossing the dark river, in spite of Christian's greater intellectual knowledge.

Both Christian and Christiana's stories were equally good, but I loved how Christiana's half expanded to include people of weak names who persevered to the kingdom of God: Feeble-mind, and Ready-to-halt, and Much-afraid and Despondent. The passage about Fearful making it to the Celestial City in spite of his halting and worrying was particularly beautiful.

Particularly convicting in the last half was the passage where Christiana and Mercy were assaulted outside the Interpreter's house. After their rescue, they were told that they would have been given more help if they had been bold enough to ask. Christiana asked why they were not given a helper if the Lord knew they would need it, and the Reliever's reply was incredible:
Reliever: It is not always necessary to grant things not asked for, lest by so doing they become of little esteem; but when the want of a thing is felt, it then comes under, in the eyes of him that feels it, that estimate that properly is due, and so consequently will be thereafter used. Had my Lord granted you a conductor, you would not neither so have bewailed that oversight or yours, in not asking for one, as now you have occasion to do. So all things work for good, and tend to make you more wary.
It was certainly a convicting reminder to be more bold in petitioning the Lord for grace and help in time of need.

I started to laugh in Christiana's half during the times when Great-heart violently and valiantly rid the giants of their heads :) His gusto and delight in making an end of them made me think of a certain young fellow that is soon to be released to the public. Bunyan does not make light work of the enemies of the gospel. He kills them by various violent means, and had more guts to condemn them then our modern all-inclusiveness. I appreciated how he always had the good characters plead with their enemies to accept the Lord's grace. If they joined the cause of Christ, well and good--if not, then there was no cause to regret them.

There is so much to learn and ponder and love in this book. I will leave you to discover it for yourself, and close with this final thought:

"'Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:38) And truly, that living water flowed out from the heart and pen of John Bunyan. ...more

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Jun 11, 2014 Joe Cassada rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I read it again, for the first time. I wish all Christians would read this book - and read it regularly. And don't settle for those abridged versions or those versions that leave out the second part. Bunyan wrote two parts to the book: one about Christian, and the other about Christiana (Christian's wife). The second part is very helpful in adding some detail and explanation to the first. So be sure to to get a version with parts 1 and 2. Lamentably, many publishers today seem to leave out part I read it again, for the first time. I wish all Christians would read this book - and read it regularly. And don't settle for those abridged versions or those versions that leave out the second part. Bunyan wrote two parts to the book: one about Christian, and the other about Christiana (Christian's wife). The second part is very helpful in adding some detail and explanation to the first. So be sure to to get a version with parts 1 and 2. Lamentably, many publishers today seem to leave out part 2.

Again, with The Pilgrim's Progress, as with other books written during the 17th century, the language is antiquated, so many will struggle. I'm too much of a purist to settle for these abridged and modern English versions. The less editing, the better, in my opinion.

This is a book that will not entertain so much as it will challenge. It is ill-suited for passive reading, as you would any work of fiction, but rather should be approached meditatively - read, ruminate, repeat.

Bunyan's Pilgrim is best enjoyed by Christians who are well acquainted with the Bible, most others will probably not find all the "Easter eggs" the author has hidden in the text. But anyone can read this and profit, and a non-Christian can read it and be presented with the Gospel.

Preachers especially need to be as familiar with this story as they are the pop-culture pap that is so abundant. Bunyan's delightful allegory is as rich as a diamond mine in its abundance of illustrations of vital Christian doctrine. It's also helpfully pastoral, as it explains through story-telling the struggles of many Christians. We see in the allegory the importance of vanquishing guilt, of diligence in guarding our assurance of salvation, of entering the Valley of Humiliation properly, etc.

I'd like to find a leather-bound edition, with little editing and with both parts 1 and 2. My volume is tattered and yellowed. But along with my Bible and Baxter's The Reformed Pastor, this book is one I have resolved to read annually, or at least biennially. ...more

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Feb 08, 2014 John rated it really liked it

I first read Bunyan's masterpiece in college. It was lost on my youth. Being groomed by some thoughtful literature professors who had an allergic reaction to allegory I found the book dull on every level. I thought it was trite, preachy, simplistic, and didn't connect with it on an emotional level.

I picked up the book again because of a nagging suspicion that it was me, not Bunyan that failed in our first meeting. I'm so glad I did.

As much as any book, Bunyan's story impacts the way one should I first read Bunyan's masterpiece in college. It was lost on my youth. Being groomed by some thoughtful literature professors who had an allergic reaction to allegory I found the book dull on every level. I thought it was trite, preachy, simplistic, and didn't connect with it on an emotional level.

I picked up the book again because of a nagging suspicion that it was me, not Bunyan that failed in our first meeting. I'm so glad I did.

As much as any book, Bunyan's story impacts the way one should read PP. Born in 1628, receiving only a simple education and trained in his father's profession as a tinkerer, Bunyan lived a reckless youth as a soldier until he came to faith by hearing what he felt was the voice of God calling him to abandon his life of sin for a life with Christ.

Earnest in his faith, Bunyan became a powerful Puritan preacher who within ten years was imprisoned by the government for the threat he posed to the state-sponsored Anglicanism. It was in a prison cell the Bunyan penned what would become one of the most widely read books ever printed.

Back to the book itself: one of the keys to appreciating this book well is to appreciate what Bunyan is and isn't doing with the allegory. He's not creating complex, multi-layered modern characters. The plot of the book is likewise thin and not something that is going to stir a great amount of interest or attachment.

What Bunyan is doing is creating a cast of allegorical characters who, if you allow them, pull back the layers of your heart and challenge you to consider the work of Christ (at times with surprising and tremendous theological depth and precision), the purpose God has for us in this life, and who we are called to be. Bunyan's plot serves the same purpose. The situations illuminate seasons of life and trials every mature Christian can resonate with.

I found the book tremendously incisive, convicting, and hopeful. And beyond the style and language, the characters actually feel quite contemporary and timely. I would heartily recommend the book to any Christian-- especially those who have walked with Christ for some length of time. I hope Bunyan is as encouraging to you as he was to me. ...more

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Mar 01, 2015 Steven rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, religion, british

Grand and visionary Christian allegory that is more like Lord of the Rings than the Bible.

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Apr 29, 2008 Arpana rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I read this as a kid and loved it. Then I read it as an adult.
What a freaky load of old schizoid tosh.

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Sep 02, 2015 Anca Apostol rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I didn't take it as a handbook of (or for the pursuit of) classical Puritanical beliefs, but rather as a work of fiction which might allow me to pry open a dimension of faith, and even history, previously unknown to me. I started reading it, trusting that the effect Bunyan's work had had on many generations must stem from either its stylistic value or the bundle of information (from a religious p.o.v or not) it contains. The pace and the apparent uneventfulness, indeed, may seem tedious at first ...more

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About John Bunyan

John Bunyan, a Christian writer and preacher, was born at Harrowden (one mile south-east of Bedford), in the Parish of Elstow, England. He wrote The Pilgrim's Progress, arguably the most famous published Christian allegory. In the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August.

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