John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Reimagining: Parts 1 & 2

2 reviews for John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Reimagining: Parts 1 & 2

1. 

   Denise Davis, Contemporary Christian Singer and Songwriter – September 22, 2020

   Over the years of getting to know Pastor Duane, his wife Beth and their family, I understand why these lovely people at the church he headed are so special. They felt his love for them as all do who are blessed to know him. The depth of the scenes in his book are a lot like my friend, Pastor Duane. He takes the journey of Christianity very seriously, yet he realizes the goal isn’t to please any of the characters we meet along the way on our journey as a Christian. Our goal is to please God. I loved all the colorful characters. I must admit I’ve been like so many of them in my own journey as a Christian at times. I’ve seen the beauty of life and the dark and scary places as well. Pastor Duane’s book will make you smile, cry, and look at your own journey. You’ll read a chapter and stop and reflect on the new truth you’ve discovered. Or, you’ll discover, we all have different ways of traveling on our journey home.

2. 

   David Parry, University of Exeter, England (UK) – September 22, 2020

   In his poetic address to the reader at the start of The Second Part of the Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan writes ‘My Pilgrim’s Book has traveled Sea and Land.’ Even then, this vivid tale of the perilous journey to the heavenly city by a tinker-preacher with minimal education had become a bestseller. Since then it has become one of the world’s most translated, most read and most influential books, being enjoyed by readers of many ages, nationalities, and religious beliefs down the centuries and around the world. Along the way, it has helped to shape the emergence of the novel in English, the development of movements for political independence, and the childhood memories and spiritual lives of millions of people.

   Yet, Bunyan’s book has fallen on hard times – it is less widely known by contemporary readers and often less accessible to them when they pick it up. Readers today might be inclined to agree with Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, whose verdict on Bunyan’s work is that ‘The statements were interesting, but tough.’ Duane Priset’s retelling of Pilgrim’s Progress seeks to remedy this problem by bringing Bunyan’s vivid story-telling and insightful characterization to life for today’s readers, having Bunyan’s characters address the reader directly in digestible bite-sized chapters. Though justly celebrated as a literary classic, Bunyan’s stated purpose in writing Pilgrim’s Progress was to draw his readers into a spiritual pilgrimage through the imaginative bait of his storytelling. Bunyan tells his readers, ‘This Book will make a Traveler of thee,’ and Duane Priset’s retelling brings Bunyan’s challenge to bear on our own spiritual journeys in a way that is both enjoyable and enlightening.