Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The Pilgrim's Progress  By  cover art

The Pilgrim's Progress

By: John Bunyan
Narrated by: Robert Whitfield
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.56

Buy for $15.56

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Next to The Bible, The Pilgrim's Progress has probably been more widely read than any other book in the English language, and rightfully so. It is considered by most critics as the greatest allegory in any language. And to think that it was written by a jailed tinker who received very little formal education.

This is the enthralling account of a Christian's epic journey. With a burden on his back, Christian reads a book that tells him that the city in which he and his family dwell will be set ablaze. Christian flees from the City of Destruction and journeys through the Slough of Despond, the Interpreter's House, the House Beautiful, the Valley of Humiliation, the Valley of the Shadow of Death, Vanity Fair, Doubting Castle, and the Delectable Mountains, and finally reaches the Celestial City.

(P)1997 Blackstone Audiobooks; originally published in 1670, United Kingdom

What listeners say about The Pilgrim's Progress

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    595
  • 4 Stars
    142
  • 3 Stars
    82
  • 2 Stars
    23
  • 1 Stars
    14
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    438
  • 4 Stars
    92
  • 3 Stars
    34
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    441
  • 4 Stars
    80
  • 3 Stars
    35
  • 2 Stars
    17
  • 1 Stars
    10

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A good Audio Book

This was the first audio book that I chose to listen to, and although I had heard it was good, I did not know much about it beforehand.

In the introduction, Bunyan's prose is written in couplets, which proved quite difficult to understand. But he quickly begins the story, and the language becomes much easier to understand. In the first half, the author recounts a "dream story" where a man, named Christian, leaves the city called Destruction to head up the trail to the Holy city. Along the way, he meets such characters as a man named Mr. Ignorant and Mr. Timorous, goes through such places as the "Slough of Despond" and the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

Clearly this is an allegory about the Christian journey of faith, and I think everybody should know that going in. If you are a Christian, you will likely find this an uplifting and inspiring work which, in addition to being entertaining, may accurately depict some of your own struggles along the way. If you are not a Christian, you may feel the prose gets a little preachy in parts, but you will regardless enjoy the meticulous prose and wonderful imagination with which this allegory is told.

Robert Whitfield reads with wonderful, light, English clarity, and his voices of the characters are distinct. The recording is also clear and easy to understand.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

54 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Truth contained here!

This beautifully written allegory is the perfect metaphor of a ?pilgrims? journey through life with word pictures that will soothe your soul as you realize your journey along ?The Way? to the Kingdom is not so different than Christian?s. The author is brilliant in his poetry and Biblical truth. A must ?read? for all Christians. Unknown to me before listening, we are treated with a bonus of an additional journey by Christian?s wife and three children.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Pilgrim's Progress

If you are well versed with the King James version of the Bible, you will find this to be an enjoyable, well narrated version of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

If you use a modern day version of the Bible, the 16th century English may be a bit hard to follow. Nevertheless, if you listen carefully, you will get hours of enjoyment from this audio book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

REALLY not worth it!

OK - I just don't get what any non-zealot would see in this book. I choose this title because of the many good reviews I saw here and I thought, at very least, I would get an interesting historical perspective. This turned out to be a club-you-over-the-head allegory. C.S. Lewis does allegory - this is thinly veiled catechism. The rhyming was tedious, the person and place names were tedious, and the language was tedious. The only thought provoking this book did was my thinking why someone would rate this 5 stars. This does not describe the beauty and subtlety of religious faith and the real obstacles to faith, but instead a narrow, pompous, provincial, my-way-or-else view of Protestantism. Even from a historical prospective, I could not recommend this as worth the time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Must Read (listen)

This is one of the best books I have ever experienced. I think listening to it even added to the experience for me. The only thing I regret is that I couldn't highlight the many sections that profoundly impacted me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A Tue Classic of the Christian's Walk

I had heard of this book through a similar work that CS Lewis had written, The Pilgrim's Regress. Lewis made note that he followed the same style as Bunyan in The Pilgrim's Progress. I read Lewis' book (paperback version) and liked it; so I decided to give Bunyan's book a try.
I am now a fan of Bunyan's writings and plan on purchasing more of his works, both in paperback and audio form.
This story "in the similitude of a dream" is filled with so many lessons that I have already listened to it twice and am currently working on my third pass through it, each time with a new blessing, a new lesson.
If you are serious about being on the right road to heaven, this is a must have.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Simply Amazing

This audiobook was awesome. It made a 12 hour trip to Virginia fly by. It included extra parts like the author's bio and a sequel, all for the price of the book. Love it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Theology in an Allegorical Nugget

Very solid theological teaching. Fresh perspective from most sermons today. The only bad thing about the audio is that you miss the nuances of some of Bunyan's character names that you'd be able to catch seeing it in print.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Change of pace

Not exactly riveting stuff, with no car chases, CIA double agents or political scheming. It's well worth a listen when you need a change of pace. Whether you're a deeply-religous Christian, vaguely Christian, of another religion, agnostic or atheist, if you want a relaxing, thought-provoking listen, this is worth a download.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

IT IS BETTER WHEN LISTENED TO

The full title is “THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS FROM THE WORLD TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME.” It was published over the years 1677 - 1684. If, to be designated as a “CLASSIC” requires universal themes and enduring availability, then this is a real “classic.” It has never been out of print since 1677. Wikipedia calls it a “religious allegory.” Allegories abound.
This was required reading in my high school advanced English Lit course in 1950. I encountered it again in a sophomore literature course in college. I found it long, dull and tedious. I learned to appreciate Bunyan’s creative writing flair when I LISTENED to it! (Audible where were you when kids needed you?} Can such a book even be taught today? It is definitely about religion -- Christian religion. Do students have enough familiarity with Christianity to recognize these allegories? I don’t know. I do know that Audible’s spoken words are like Mary Poppins’ “spoonful of sugar,” it makes Bunyan go down with appreciative smiles.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful