The Pilgrim's Progress (Penguin Classics)

The Pilgrim’s Progress is a classic that mirrors the life and struggles of the Christian faith. I’ve read the book, but this was my first experience with an audiobook, Pilgrims Progress: Updated, Modern English, narrated by Mark Christensen. What fun! I laughed and journeyed with the voices of Pliable, Obstinate, Mr. Feeble-mind, Piety, Mr. Worldly Wiseman, Evangelist, Despondency, Mr. Honest, and Giant Despair! Several of the voices reminded me of people I’ve met during my travels, and it was comical how their faces appeared in my imagination and made the classic tale more relevant.This powerful and allegorical novel has become more meaningful with each reading and listening experience. Like an onion, the more exposure and study time I spent with the text, the more I uncover, the more profound meaning or underlying doctrinal beliefs spur my thinking in various directions, depths, and possibilities.I appreciated the main character, Christian, who carried his burden for most of his life. He left family, friends, and comfort to follow Evangelist and God’s leading toward Heaven. He held his burdens longer than others who grew up in the Christian faith. Still, Christian’s faith and determination carried him onward throughout the narrative and journey of The Pilgrim’s Progress. God’s redemption and love brought His follower to the end—The Celestial City—because Christian followed God and stayed on His path. What a glorious day!

I've had the classic original version for many years. My husband wanted the updated version with modern English. This is marvelous. It's a beautiful book from cover to cover. This allegory of salvation is priceless. It's the journey we all must take if we are to have an eternal home with the Lord. After the Holy Bible, this is the most popular and most read book in history. A must-read for ALL!

This review is for ISBN-13: 978-0882707570By all means, this is the edition to buy. I bought this one, AND another edition which was Bunyan's latest edition upon his death in 1688 (13th edition, I believe), and there really is no comparison.I am an extremely well-read individual, and tackle very tough reading projects to ascertain truth. But when it comes to this story, the modern English translation and all the accompaniments of this edition, make it a sure winner.I read the old and the modern translations side by side. Only somebody bordering on masochism would want to read the old English version. Ok, maybe that was a bit extreme, but reading the old English lost everything that this modern English translation has not.The story reads excellent, and has a tremendous outline of references at the end of each chapter corresponding to the numbered footnotes on various words and sentences throughout the story. I love reading this story with my bible open and referencing the scriptures to see how they line up with the story. I know the bible very well, and do not look up a lot of the scriptures, but many of them are very good. Especially when Pilgrim is speaking with the Interpreter (chapter 5, I believe). The conclusions Bunyan drew from the bible might very well be controversial (can a person lose his salvation and end up damned?). Bunyan's book had me looking hard at the Word, and repenting to God for lukewarmness, and slothfulness in my own life. I appreciate this book more than I can say.This edition also comes with an audio CD on various excepts of the book which I did not expect. I have not listened to it yet.Also, this edition has illustrations throughout. I love these. It really helps a reader to get immersed in the story.Now, regarding the story itself: I find the story to read at an age level that is young. Maybe even grade school. But in no way would I allow that to alter my regard for this writing. In fact, it maybe the very thing that makes a person GET what they are supposed to get from it. Instead of appealing to our intellectual egos, the book forces you to just get the truth, the story, and deal with your own life in light of God's Word. It helps to strip off any false coverings, I think.I have since bought 3 more copies and am giving them out to friends and family this Christmas.

An old story of the Christian walk personified. Our hero journeys through the Christian life, getting bogged down in and overcoming the obstacles, taking wron turns, believing the wrong people, etc. But all Christians pass through the Christian life doing these same things for we face the same adversary and the same world, and live in the corrupted temple of flesh. It is not new, but it is shown in the light of day, personified in the story of one man's Christian walk a long time ago. You will see your own spiritual battles from a different and enlightening viewpoints. It is particularly encouraging when you recognize our hero facing things at some stage of his Christian walk that we are facing today in our present Christian walk and we start making comparisons. We see Christian values such as persistence, discernment, and getting back up after falling down to rejoin the race before us. This book exposes much about the nature of humanity, God, Satan, the world and the new Christian nature from God.The language is not modern English but the picture it paints is not obscured by that. I think it adds character to the story rather than hindering it. Your mileage may vary.I believe (subject to verification) that this story is in the public domain due to its age. Some books are just better in print than on screen. The Bible for one and this for another, though your opinion may be different.

This is a true classic, read and enjoyed by Christians and those of other faiths or no faith. An amazingly well told/well written allegory, full of profound insight and Christian truth.