Rating: 
Summary: Well worth the effort
Review: "The Pilgrim's Progress" is a classic Christian text written by John Bunyan. Written in an allegorical format, the two-part story focuses first on "Christian", then on his wife "Christiana" and sons. Convicted of their own sinfulness, the characters set out on the journey to salvation at the Heavenly Gate. Characters such as "Honesty", "Great-Heart", and "Faithful" aid the pilgrims on their journey, whereas they face trials from the Slough of Despond, Vanity Fair, and the Valley of the Shadow of Death.Getting through the book takes some work, less because of the story and more because of the depth of the allegory. Also, the dialogues between characters regarding salvation and righteousness often require a careful read. However, the story is exceptionally creative and thought-provoking, and the lessons that can be gleaned from it are timeless and worth the effort that needs to be expended. I recommend reading this one at least twice.
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Summary: THE REAL AND MORAL WORLDS EVERTED
Review: A letter to Marvin Minsky about this book: I urge you tolook at a remarkable book by the English Puritain John Bunyan(1628-1688), "The Pilgrim's Progress", which is one of the great evangelical Christian classics, though clearly that is not why it interests me and should interest you (although I AM interested in the puzzle that is the religious sense, which even the irreligious feel, and this book can give remarkable insight into that as well). Rather its fascination lies in the pilgrimage it depicts, or in the fact that human traits, vices, virtues, &c are PERSONIFIED as particular individuals who are their living and speaking epitome, and who are encountered along the way in revealing situations. Bunyan's hero is appropriately named Christian. Someone once wrote that "Christian's journey is timeless as he travels from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, meeting such characters as Pliable, Talkative, Giant Despair, Evangelist, Worldly-Wiseman, Faithful, Ignorance and Hopeful." At first this personification is merely amusing, even a bit annoying (as caricatures or truly stereotypical people can be); but after a while I found myself enthralled because I realized that the effect of this odd literary device was to give unmatched insight into the nature of such traits. The force of the whole thing comes from the fact that one journeys about in - literally INSIDE of - what is both a comprehensive and finite moral and psychological landscape (a "psycho-topography"), very much as though one were INSIDE the human mind and your "Society of the Mind" was embodied in the set of actors. This is more or less the opposite or an inversion of the 'real world' of real people, who merely SHARE those attributes or of whom the attributes are merely PIECES; in "Pilgrim's Progress", by contrast, the attributes are confined in their occurrence to the actors who are their entire, unique, pure, and active embodiment, and humanness, to be recognized at all, has to be rederived or mentally reconstructed from the essential types. The effect, for me, was something like experiencing a multidimensional scaling map that depicts the space of the set of human personality types, by being injected directly - mentally and bodily - into it by means of virtual reality technology. So Bunyan's book has something of the interest to a psychologist, neuroscientist, or philosopher that Edwin Abbot's "Flatland" has to a mathematician. I don't mean to overpraise "Pilgrim's Progress", of course; it was written for theological rather than scientific purposes, and has conspicuous limitations for that reason. But its interest to a student of the mind who looks at it at from the right point of view can be profound. - Patrick Gunkel
Rating:
Summary: Still the best
Review: I first read this book in High School and it is one of only two or three books that I have ever re-read. I am making plans right now to read it to my kids (right after we get through with the Chronicles of Narnia series). Though this book is old (published 1682) it is still one of the best descriptions of the Christian life available in either fiction or non-fiction form. The mental image that has stuck with me since the day I first read this book is of Christian coming up on the cross. "He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a Cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the Cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do so, till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more. Then was Christian glad with a merry heart. He hath given me rest by his sorrow and life by his death. Then he stood still a while, to look and wonder, for it was very surprising to him that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden." Unfortunately I have met some who won't read this book due to it's length and archaic language, and this is a great loss for them. Truly this is a book that warms the heart, rekindles our affection for Christ, and provides encouragement for us in our own journey to the Celestial City.
Rating:
Summary: It's not Dante's Inferno
Review: In contrast to Dante, Bunyan fills his allegory with real people, not just stereotypes - or even archetypes. Though his characters have names like "Honest," "Feeble-mind," and "Ignorance," they come across as real people given a nickname. The names apply to some extent, of course, but not to the point of making caricatures out of the characters.
This volume contains parts I and II of Pilgrim's progress. The first part concerns the journey of a pilgrim named "Christian," while the second describes the journey of his wife, Christiana. Both start from the City of Destruction and both encounter many of the same obstacles - the Slough of Despond, the Vanity Fair, the Castle Doubt - before reaching the gates of the Celestial City. Other than that, their journeys are rather different, for Christian travels on his own, with a bit of help here and there, and with one or another traveling companion, but his progress is almost entirely his own. Christiana, by contrast, travels as part of an ever growing company, who support one another and who are defended by one or two powerful champions.
You never lose sight of the allegory, but this work is not a mere tract. The story itself and the characters entertain - even today.
Rating: 
Summary: The Christian Walk
Review: In this classic work, John Bunyan paints a detailed picture of the Christian life/walk, giving true-to-life insights and experiences. The despair, sorrows, trials and temptations that a believer may face are depicted in an allegorical manner, as well as the hope, joy, and salvation found in Jesus Christ. The main character Christian (once named Graceless) sets out on a lifelong journey from the City of Destruction, where his family disowned him, and encounters many persons and difficulties along the way to the Celestial City (heaven). The characters he meets are given names that reflect their mindset or what temptation they bring. At times he stumbles and at times he perseveres, but all by the grace of God. The second portion of the book tells of the conversion and subsequent sojourn of the wife (Christiana) and children of Christian. The discussions of Christian in the first part and Christiana and her companions in the second part are very interesting, as they defend their faith and explain their purpose to those they meet along the way. The book is quite different from your ordinary novel, and has many interesting words of wisdom for the Christian life. Readers should be aware that some of the language is antiquated and has unfamiliar usages, so its a little bit of an adjustment to read.
Rating:
Summary: The Christian Walk
Review: In this classic work, John Bunyan paints a detailed picture of the Christian life/walk, giving true-to-life insights and experiences. The despair, sorrows, trials and temptations that a believer may face are depicted in an allegorical manner, as well as the hope, joy, and salvation found in Jesus Christ. The main character Christian (once named Graceless) sets out on a lifelong journey from the City of Destruction, where his family disowned him, and encounters many persons and difficulties along the way to the Celestial City (heaven). The characters he meets are given names that reflect their mindset or what temptation they bring. At times he stumbles and at times he perseveres, but all by the grace of God. The second portion of the book tells of the conversion and subsequent sojourn of the wife (Christiana) and children of Christian. The discussions of Christian in the first part and Christiana and her companions in the second part are very interesting, as they defend their faith and explain their purpose to those they meet along the way. The book is quite different from your ordinary novel, and has many interesting words of wisdom for the Christian life. Readers should be aware that some of the language is antiquated and has unfamiliar usages, so its a little bit of an adjustment to read.
Rating:
Summary: Classic
Review: Pilgrim's Progress is without a doubt one of the true classics of time--an allegory that has remained a best seller years after its introduction. My first introduction to Pilgrim's Progress was as a child in parochial school. I had to do a book report on it in 5th grade and ended up reading numerous times for various projects throughout grade school. The reader follows the main character--aptly named "Christian"--on his journey to the Celestial City. Along the way, Christian passes through the many trials of life, symbolized by intruiging characters and places along the way. An early temptation is the "City of Destruction", which Christian narrowly escapes with his life. The various characters are perhaps the most fascinating portion of the book--Pliable, Giant Despair, Talkative, Faithful, Evangelist, and numerous others provide the reader with a continual picture of the various forces at work to distract (or perhaps, encourage)Christian on his ultimate mission. Of course, the theology (for those of the Christian faith) of Pilgrim's Progress is a constant source of debate, the book is nonetheless a classic of great English writing. It's not a quick read--that's for sure--however, I certainly would recommend that one read it in its original form. Don't distort the beauty of the old English language with a modern translation.
Rating:
Summary: Journey to the Celestial City
Review: The first time that I encountered Christian and his pilgrimage was as a preface and a family favorite in the book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Unfortunately, it was not until twenty-something years later that I actually got around to reading the book itself. If I were you, I would not wait that long.
The first part of the current combined book appeared in 1678. Bunyan, a nonconformist Protestant minister who was imprisoned for preaching without a license, wrote at least the first part of the book in jail. The second part was first published in 1684. It is likely the most popular allegory ever written, and is still one of the best selling books of all time.
What makes it so popular? The obvious key to its popularity is its simple, crisp style. Even accounting for the language changes between the seventeenth century and now, it is not a struggle to read Progress and it flows well for the modern reader. Although the book is allegory, the characters are full of little realistic details that make them feel quite human. Incidentally, I was reading this book as I was walking some of the old pilgrimage trails of Europe and it was interesting to me how vivid and applicable his version of the pilgrimage experience is. The Slow of Despair rang remarkably true, as did characters such as Talkative and Mr. Worldly Wisdom.
The Oxford University Press edition is bound with a scholarly introduction which is, for a change, worth reading. It also came with explanatory notes and a glossary which were helpful for the modern reader who is not familiar with the everyday language of the period.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful theology, incomplete allegory
Review: The Pilgrim's Progress is perhaps one of the most enduring allegories ever written; it has set the form for several more recent works (Hannah Hurnard's "Hind's Feet on High Places," most notably). Bunyan's work was, for 18th century Christians, a companion to the Bible. The theology is a perfect example of Reformation thought, and were it not for a major flaw in the allegory, this work would be just about perfect.
Setting out from the City of Destruction, Christian makes his journey throughout many perils and temptations, eventually finding his way (through death) to the Celestial City, to live with Christ and the saints. Along the way he learns much about evading temptation, and much practical advise on escaping sin is given to the reader through his discussions with travelling companions Faithful and Hopeful.
However, by no means is Christian's journey representative of the Christian life as it is meant to be lived. Two stunning flaws stand out - first, that Christian in no way has any direct contact with Christ, until after his death; secondly, that Christian's life is devoid of relationships, outside of his two travelling companions.
These two realities of the novel are startling, especially given that the Christian life is, first and foremost, relational-primarily, the Christian lives in relation to God, and then in relation to his neighbor. The Christian is not an island; he is to evade the world, but love those in it. Bunyan entirely misses this key point.
Not only is the life Bunyan paints theologically incorrect, but it is entirely undesireable. It would be unimaginable for the Christian to live an entire life without, along the way, enjoying intimacy with Christ. Indeed, it is these moments of intimacy in spite of imperfection, which drive the Christian's soul onward. And it hardly needs mentioning that a Christian who, rather than reaching out and loving those around him, dismisses them as sinners and leaves them behind, is more reminiscent of Pharasitical hypocrisy, than Christian love.
If one is looking for a challenging allegory, they need look no further than Hannah Hurnard's "Hinds Feet on High Places;" its protagonist, Much Afraid, is throughout her journey often in direct contact with Christ, and her redemption comes not through death, but through Christ making her able to go out into the world and love. Though "Hind's Feet" is not as theologically rich as Bunyan's allegory, its practical application is far more uplifting, hopeful, and correct.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating
Review: This book is a true classic. John Bunyan spins a wonderful tale of the spiritual walk to heaven. The language may be a bit hard and it won't be that easy of a read, but it is definately worth the while! It is spiritually edifying and also quite captivating. A must read!!!
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