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Find some books!Book Review : The Pilgrim's Progress
By James Jeffery
Apart from the Bible, The Pilgrim’s Progress is one of the only book I have multiple different editions of. In many ways, this is not surprising, because for two centuries since its original publication in 1684, The Pilgrim’s Progress was the best-read book apart from the Bible. The prince of preachers, Charles H. Spurgeon, is said to have first read it at age six, and then went on to read it over 100 times in his life. There’s no question that The Pilgrim’s Progress is a literary masterpiece that belongs in every Christian home.
The Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory of the Christian life. The story follows the journey of a man named Christian, who ventures from The City of Destruction (representative of life without Christ) to the Celestial City (the New Creation). It graphically depicts the many trials and tribulations believers face on their pilgrimage to heavenly city and is relatable for believers of every age.
What follows are three new and improved features of this updated edition of The Pilgrim’s Progress.
1. Modernised English
Arguably the greatest obstacle with reading older editions of The Pilgrim’s Progress is the archaic vernacular. The challenge for an editor is maintaining the contents and flow of Bunyan’s story, whilst making it accessible and comprehensible for contemporary readers. C.J. Lovik achieved this goal in the publication of this edition.
As Lane T. Dennis, President of Crossway Publishing writes in the foreword:
“With this as the objective, the text of this edition has only been lightly edited. Thus the intention of both the editor and the publisher has only been to update highly archaic words and awkward sentence structure, while retaining the beauty and brilliance of the original story. Likewise, the intention of this edition has never been to simplify or to change Bunyan’s original story, but to let the story unfold with all the power, truth, and remarkable creativity of the original.” (p. 12)
Here are a couple of examples to show the difference:
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“Wherefore at length he brake his mind to his wife and children; and thus he began to talk to them: “O, my dear wife,” said he, “and you the children of my bowels, I, your dear friend, am in myself undone by reason of a burden that lieth hard upon me” (p. 13) |
“So he began to share with his wife and children what was on his troubled mind; and this is what he told them: “Dear wife and children, I am greatly troubled by this bur- den that torments me and grows and weighs so heavily upon me.” (p. 19) |
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“Then did Christian address himself to go back; and Evangelist, after he had kissed him, gave him one smile, and bid him God speed; So he went on with haste, neither spake he to any man by the way; nor if any asked him, would he vouchsafe them an answer.” |
“Then Christian asked to go back to the way leading to the narrow sheep gate, and Evangelist, after he had kissed him, gave him a smile and bid him Godspeed. So Christian went on with haste. He spoke to no one as he quickly returned to the path that led to the small sheep gate, and if anyone asked him a question, Christian would not even give him an answer.” |
These contemporary edits will prevent the need to carry a dictionary while you read The Pilgrim’s Progress, and will prevent readers from being disrupted in their reading by unfamiliar grammar. More than this, it makes accessible to a new generation the very story that captivated the hearts and minds of Christians over the past three centuries.
2. Vivid Illustrations
Award-winning artist Mike Wimmer painted 32 illustrations for this edition of The Pilgrim’s Progress. I was particularly impressed by the meticulous detail and quality of the artworks. The pictures help bring the story to life, and will give younger readers something to look forward to.
3. Aesthetic Features
Bible references are easily accessible at the bottom of each page. This makes it easy for parents reading with children to explain the theology behind the book, and to show where Bunyan got his ideas from in the Bible.
Another feature worth highlighting is the print of the text. The font is clear and crisp, the margins are large, and it is printed in single column, making the book easy to read and simple to follow. The hardcover is bound with an emerald spine and features an illustration of a liberated captive on the front with a gold-debossed logo. I am the sort of person who appreciates these fine details, and you may be too.
The Bottom Line
I love this edition of The Pilgrim’s Progress and hope to read it many times with my children. If you haven’t yet read Bunyan’s classic, this is the edition for you. It is easily readable, powerfully illustrated, and aesthetically pleasing.
If you have read The Pilgrim’s Progress, this new edition will be a refreshing update to the old classic you are familiar with. It brings Bunyan’s classic to life while maintaining the quality and wonder of the original.
**I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.**