The Pilgrim’s Progress

John Bunyan wrote much of this Christian allegory while jailed for preaching without a license, and it went on to become one of the most widely read books in English. It follows Christian, an ordinary man who flees the City of Destruction with a burden on his back, seeking the Celestial City. Along the way he passes through the Slough of Despond, Vanity Fair, and the Valley of the Shadow of Death, meeting figures like Faithful, Hopeful, and the giant Despair, each standing for a temptation or a truth of the believer’s life. First published in 1678, it works as both a gripping journey and a map of the soul, plain enough for any reader. Free to read as a PDF and EPUB edition.