A Pilgrim's Progress

By John Bunyan and Geraldine McCaughrean

Book Overview

'I had a dream last night... large enough to fill the rest of my life.' This retelling of John Bunyan's classic story is filled with drama, excitement and adventure. On his journey of a life-time to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1585676381
• ISBN13: 9781585676385
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Overlook Press, The
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 1.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.8" x 11.3"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grade 4 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

A 1678 Christian allegory written by a violator of the Conventicle Act of 1664. the brat‑book retell

A 1678 Christian allegory written by a violator of the Conventicle Act of 1664. Part I vs. Part II — Some editions include both; others print only Part I. Original 17th‑century text vs. modernized spelling — Language may be fully original, lightly updated, or fully modernized depending on the publisher. Illustrations can distract — Some artwork enhances the allegory; some competes with it. Reader preference matters. Know your annotator — Notes can clarify, interpret, or editorialize; different editors take very different approaches. Abridged vs. full text — Children’s editions and devotional condensations exist alongside complete unabridged versions. Facsimile vs. retype set — Certain printings reproduce the original page layout; others use modern typesetting for readability. This work has never gone out of print. I decided to read “The Pilgrim's Progress” as it has a reputation as a classic and has been forced down the throats of many a student. There have been some attempts to update this work; however, that is like candy coating a bad taste. How do we know that the update did not transliterate the original from Old English? There have been attempts to add pictures for people having problems concentrating. “And what is the use of a book," thought Alice, "without pictures or conversation?” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Annotations can be helpful; of course, you need to know the annotator and see others. Annotations can also be distractions. I can see why it is forced. Aside from being a tad dated in writing style and a tad verbose, it can get on your nerves, as most of it is just a bunch of Bible quotes that served the purpose of the writer, John Bunyan. I have to confess that I only made it through the first part of the book before I realized that the rest was going to be the same. Now, other than having a reputation for being the first English-written novel, I can see no value in spending time reading it. Possibly I need a course on why I should want to read this book. But if you just take it off the shelf, you will just put it back.

A Pilgrim's Progress

I had been looking for a "children's" edition of Pilgrim's Progress, and this one is excellent! The pictures are somewhat updated and clear, readily identifiable by children. This was exactly what I was looking for.