Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan

by Faith Cook

In this new and well-written biography Faith Cook relates John Bunyan to the turbulent times through which he lived, surviving two periods of imprisonment in Bedford prison, sustained by his faith, de

Genres: Biography, Christian, History, Biography Memoir, Nonfiction

528 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Faith Cook was born in China, the daughter of OMF missionaries, and now lives in Derbyshire. She is married to Paul, who served as a pastor in churches in Northallerton, Shepshed and Hull. They have five children and ten grandchildren. She is also the author of Lives Turned Upside Down, The Nine-Day Queen of England, Our Hymn-writers and their Hymns, Seeing the Invisible and Under the Scaffold.

Reviews

[Jason Herrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a really well-written biography. She pulls a lot from his autobiography & books, tying in a timeline of events in his life with a timeline of when he was writing his books. Bunyan endured many years in prison b/c of his refusal to stop preaching. The govt crackdown on dissenting churches & pastors was brutal at times. But Bunyan remained faithful & continued to urge others to persevere in the faith.
There were a few times where I thought she spent too much time summarizing Bunyan’s books or just quoting from his autobiography, but overall I really enjoyed this one & was encouraged by it.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I already knew a fair bit about John Bunyan and had read his autobiography (Grace Abounding) but I learned a lot from this biography because Cook gives a lot of historical background to his life. The subtitle is clueing you into that when it says "The Life and Times." So this book is half biography and half history. Bunyan lived in a time of great political upheaval and I read it at a time of moderate upheaval and it was very helpful to me to have things put in perspective.

One thing I did not know was that Bunyan had misgivings about publishing Pilgrim's Progress. And when he asked for input, he got mixed reviews. Yet out of such inauspicious beginnings came one of the top best sellers of all time!

I am glad I read it, but I can't say I read it very gladly. I did not find it a compelling read and had to make myself keep at it. It was worth it, but not always easy, at least for me. Part of it may be the length, part of it may be the going back and forth between Bunyan's life story and 17th century history. Most of it is probably me.

[Rachel Mayes Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

From a literary perspective, Fearless Pilgrim is not particularly memorable. The writing is serviceable but dry. The subject matter, however, is compelling enough to make up for it. Bunyan's life and testimony are amazing, and Cook allows him to speak for himself throughout the novel as she incorporates his writings. This book gave me a new appreciation for my Christian heritage and for this incredible hero of the faith.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written biography. Spiritually challenging.

[Kitty Foth-Regner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting

[David Saxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having taught on Bunyan for about 20 years, I didn't expect to learn much from another biography of his life. I was greatly mistaken. Cook has produced what is, I believe, the best biography of Bunyan, and it is one of the most enjoyable biographies that I have ever read. The painstaking research, the effort she puts into placing each event of his life into the wider historical context, and the warmth and verve with which Cook writes make this absolutely delightful. I strongly recommend it.

[Matt Pitts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a good biography of a great man of God and this one did not disappoint. Many of us know that Bunyan wrote the Pilgrim's Progress and perhaps know that Bunyan was kept in prison rather than quit preaching, but that's about where it ends. Faith Cook faithfully fills in the gaps of the incredible life of this "Fearless Pilgrim". Bunyan is put in his historical context, one of great upheaval, persecution, and turmoil in England. His many works are noted and often (if not always) the reader is introduced to the content. The Pilgrim's Progress and The Holy War received extensive treatment, yet in such a way that does not detract from the narrative. Having already read Pilgrim's Progress twice I believe, I still learned much from Cook's explanations of Bunyan's meaning. It is clear throughout that this author has done her homework.

I almost gave the book four stars and would have loved to give it three and a half. The reason I only gave it three stars is that the portion of the book that drew heavily on Bunyan's autobiography (Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners) seemed a bit redundant for one who had already read that marvellous book, and because it suffers by comparison to some truly excellent biographies.

All said, this is a really good biography that filled a great gap in my own reading and understanding of Buyan's life and writings. I recommend it without hesitation.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful biography of John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim's Progress. I knew next to nothing about this godly man, and I love Faith Cook's writing his story. Very eye-opening to that period of history! She weaves the current situation in England wonderfully throughout the story. Highly recommended!