Saturday, May 03, 2014

15. The Pilgrim's Progress in Modern English by John Bunyan





This is my fourth or fifth time reading this. The first time I read it in the children's version to my kids, the second and third time I read it in the English of the time it was written for two different classics lists, then I taught it to a British Literature Class I led (but not sure I read the whole thing that time), then I read it in this Modern English version for my current Book Dames Book Club. Whew!

I loved this version, and it might be a better place to start for people. John Bunyan quotes Scripture throughout the book, and I love that this version has all the cross-references in the footnotes. This is a classic that everyone should read. I wish I had the time to quote some things from it. I have quotes from when I studied it for the Well-Educated Mind, but I have not transferred them from my old computer to my new one. I need to do that before I lose all of them forever. 

This time something did strike me about the book. Christian was not accompanied by the Holy Spirit in His journey. There was no direct contact with God. Consequently he was often left without guidance and guessing. God always guides! That is the thing that is missing from Pilgrim's journey! We are never alone in our journey!

Book Jacket for: The pilgrim's progress [CD/book]

I am also listening to the final chapter (of part I). It is the Blackstone Audio version. The narrator is excellent!


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