I have not only recently read, but also studied, Part I of L. Edward Hazelbaker's unabridged revision of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Last summer I taught Pilgrim's Progress in my elementary Sunday School class and I wish I would have known of this book then. I have also done a college level research paper on Pilgrim's Progress. Not only does Hazelbaker make Pilgrim's Progress reader-friendly, he includes Bunyan's annotations in the text, as well as many annotations of his own. The annotations help the reader to experience more than a pilgrimage with Christian to Celestial City, but an in-depth Bible study as well. Other features the book includes are a brief description of Bunyan's life, a comparison outline of events in Parts I and II, and an index.

Access to Bunyan's scripture references gives the serious reader the opportunity to better his or her understanding of Bunyan's work while Hazelbaker's references and annotations also compliment the text. Hazelbaker, for example, elaborates on the importance of the seal that a Shining One (an angel) places upon Christian's forehead and on the Document given to him. Hazelbaker also offers his audience a clear and detailed understanding of the "Family" that resides in the palace called Beautiful. The reader will appreciate Hazelbaker's explanation of Bunyan's reference to "the goods of Rome" at Vanity Fair and why it would have been significant to the first readers of The Pilgrim's Progress. Hazelbaker also takes the time to explain to the reader why he uses the word "coat" for "bosom." These are only a few of the many helpful annotations Hazelbaker includes in his work.

In studying Hazelbaker's translation I referred to an early edition of Bunyan's several times. Each time I found Hazelbaker's translation true to Bunyan. Hazelbaker has made special effort to maintain the characteristic qualities and message of Bunyan's original work. In the translation process, he manages to preserve Bunyan's work by keeping himself removed from the text. This is his duty and obligation as a translator. His translation is, in all honesty, unabridged and non-paraphrased.

Of the 215 pages I have studied to date, I have found only one minor word choice in Hazelbaker's translation that I wish he would not have made. He translates Bunyan's "cartloads" with "truckloads" in the Swamp of Despondence episode. Although, by definition, "truckloads" is acceptable, it too easily causes confusion for the modern reader who thinks of pickups and tractor-trailers when he reads "truckloads." This is certainly a minor concern, but I mention it in an effort to objective.

Hazelbaker has done an exceptional job of making Bunyan's beautiful classic more appealing to the modern audience. This unabridged version is suitable for readers from middle and upper elementary ages to adults. I am glad to see that Hazelbaker has taken the time and made the effort to offer his audience a version of Pilgrim's Progress that is not watered-down and compromised. It definitely deserves a place in any library.

This was an enjoyable read for me. The allegory of Christian on the road to eternal life was interesting for the sense of adventure. It was also revealing in its depiction of experiences common to myself. I was surprised to see my own journey described so clearly in some parts. Just knowing that I am not alone in my experience is a great source of comfort in my spiritual relationship. John Bunyan (1628-1688) was a remarkable and courageous individual. He was a tinker inspired to preach the gospel. He was rewarded for his effort with a prison term lasting 12 years. His time in prison was well-spent because he wrote his first book "Grace Abounding" and started "Pilgrim's Progress" during his incarceration. Up until the 20th century, there was hardly an English-speaking household which did not own a copy of this book. It was often used as a reading primer. After the Bible (KJV), this classic allegory has been the best-selling Christian book and has influenced English literature and thought through the four centuries in which it has been in print. There are so many delightful and thought provoking tales in this book, there is not enough room to tell nearly enough of them. I will relate but one example: Presenting the subtle diversion which a desire for worldly success can bring, Bunyan writes, "'First,' said Mr Moneylove, 'becoming religious is a virtue, regardless of the means he employed to be so. Second - it's not unlawful to get a rich wife or to bring more business to his shop. Third - the man who gets these by becoming religious gets things that are good from them who are good by becoming good himself. So then, here are a good wife, good customers, and good gain; and he has gotten all these things by becoming religious, which is good. Becoming religious in order to get all these things, therefore, is a good and profitable intention.'"

To which, Bunyan counters, "Then Christian said, 'Even a babe in religion may answer ten thousand such questions. If it is unlawful to follow Christ to obtain loaves, as shown in John six, how much more abominable is it to make of Him and religion a stalking-horse to get and enjoy the world?'" If you are interested in Protestant preaching as it existed in 17th century England, or you would like to understand what the Christian journey is about, this book will be interesting to you.

I'm in the middle of reading this wonderful classic and am so excited about it that I am going to host a weekly Bible Study and use the book as a powerful study tool. The revised version edited by L. Edward Hazelbaker makes the translation as simple as reading a children's novel. At the end of each chapter there is a list of specific scriptures and notes for Biblical reference throughout the entire book which I found extremely helpful.

John Bunyon's insight on going through troubles and trials is inspiring. He points out that although we may think we are taking the "easy road" off the "Path of the Way" which is uphill, it ends up taking us to a dark, dreary, dangerous place instead. If we persevere with "Faith" and "Hopeful" up the hill, we will eventually reach the top of the mountain in our Christian Journey with God by our side. I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE not just people who call themselves Christians...For it is a book filled with powerful lessons all can learn from.

You can read this book for free at the Institute of Medicines site. Do a title search at google.

A must have if you want to arm yourself with scientifically proven facts on this very controversially subject. I was so excited to find out what the Institute of Medicine had to say about cannabis, that I went out and told everyone I know. A true gem. Let's get this information out to everyone! And to all of those who helped put this book on the shelf, thank you! so much.

This book is the result of a $900,000 two year study of the known facts on marijuana, including a review of recent literature and interviews with patients. It was requested by "Drug Czar" McCaffrey after medical marijuana had become legal in California. No doubt McCaffrey was hoping the Institute of Medicine would come out against it. However, when finally released in March 1999, the Institute of Medicine report not only confirmed that marijuana has legitimate medical uses and is remarkably safe, it also demolished the myths that marijuana leads to harder drugs or that it causes "amotivational syndrome".

Did you know that 32% of all nicotine users develop a psychological dependency on their drug, as do 15% of all alcohol users versus only 9% of marijuana users? The book is full of useful facts like these.

If you want to get involved in the debate about what drug policy will serve us best you should read this book. Thank you, Mr McCaffrey :-)

I found Book 6 of The Kent Family Chronicles-" The Warriors", to be the best so far.The Civil War is in its closing months and Jeremiah Kent, second son of Jephta, walks hundreds of miles to Georgia, following his promise to his dying commander,Captain Rose who is worried about the fates of his wife and daughter when the Union Army seizes his plantation.Serena Rose, the captains daughter, is an evil vindictive young woman who drives Jeremiah to such a state of madness that she virtually forces him to shoot her to save his life.Realising that this act has put him beyond the pale, he changes his name and joins forces with an Indian.The pair become buffalo hunters and eventually outlaws. Michael Boyle, former protege of Amanda Kent, joins the crew of a company building the Union Pacific railway, where he meets Hannah, the daughter of a whisky selling pedlar. They marry,move to her home state and proceed to build a successful business. Gideon, blinded in one eye, works in a railway yard but soon sees the injustices perpetrated on the workers who are frequently injured and is determined to begin a union. Loius Kent is heavily involved in fraudulent stockmarket manipulations and comes to his just desserts.

keep going, they get even better....

John Jakes continues the series with another great one. Rich characters, great dialogue, and an interesting history lesson. He is consistently excellent.

Armstrong Encore is the best cycling book I have ever read. It does not insult the cyclist intelligence like most other cycling books I have read. It gives in-depth information of day-by-day following the 2000 Tour. It give explainations and insight that can only come from the pro's themselves. This kind of coverage is not found on TV or videos.

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I've read many books about cycling races over the years and this has to be about the best. excellent in-depth coverage of Lance Armstrong and the US Postal squad as they attempt to repeat their previous year's victory. I could hardly put it down. in fact I'm already reading it for the second time.

This book, LUTHER AND ERASMUS: FREE WILL AND SALVATION, contains some great summaries of the arguments involved. Originally, Erasmus, author of IN PRAISE OF FOLLY (1509) and a great scholar who edited a Greek New Testament in 1516, pictures his philosophical self as the perfect opponent of tyrannical godliness in DIATRIBE ON FREE WILL (1524). Luther was offended, not so much that he was named by Erasmus as a particular kind of fool for God, but that Luther's interpretation of the Bible on this question, ON THE BONDAGE OF THE WILL (1525), based on absolute interpretations which depend on the kind of faith proclaimed by Paul, because "the power or endeavor of free choice is something different from faith in Jesus Christ. But Paul denies that anything outside this faith is righteous in the sight of God; and if it is not righteous in the sight of God, it must necessarily be sin. . . . With men, of course, it is certainly a fact that there are middle and neutral cases, where men neither owe one another anything nor do anything for one another. But an ungodly man sins against God whether he eats or drinks or whatever he does, because he perpetually misuses God's creatures in his impiety and ingratitude, and never for a moment gives glory to God from his heart." (p. 308).

In the history of religion, Martin Luther might be remembered mainly for his opposition to the established church of his time and place. Having been subject to many vows as a monk, he openly rejected certain restrictions that the religious organizations of his day had imposed on those who wished to lead worship or serve communion, and his marriage was a scandal that was altogether typical of the kind of disagreements in that time which survive in some form in the present day. One question of faith that I still find meaningful, in FREE WILL AND SALVATION, is the Bible's comparison of life with military service, as assumed in the first verse of chapter 7 of the book of Job, which Luther uses to explain a similar passage in Isaiah. " `The life of man is a warfare upon earth,' that is there is a set time for it. I prefer to take it simply, in the ordinary grammatical sense of `warfare,' so that Isaiah is understood to be speaking of the toilsome course of the people under the law, as if they were engaged in military service." (p. 267).

As old Europe attempts to secularize itself into an economic empire with minuscule military forces, it seems oddly historical that a few fundamentally religious political movements are being tied to such warfare as exists in our times, a modern age in which terrorism excites the forces of civilization so much that no government or political spokesman that harbors such killers is safe. LUTHER AND ERASMUS: FREE WILL AND SALVATION does not attempt to solve this problem. If anything, this book is just a book that shows how knowledge in the form of books can trap scholars by allowing them to do what the best scholars have always been best at, exhibiting the meaning of states of mind that others usually flee, far beyond the realm of what Job 7:1 in THE JERUSALEM BIBLE asks, "Is not man's life on earth nothing more than pressed service, his time no better than hired drudgery?"

Happenstance, at the end of World War II, picked on Hiroshima, for the purpose of a ten-minute speech, to be a military base, instead of a city, for the announcement of the use of an atomic bomb on August 6, 1945. Most people's lives, the way they live, are more like the city, now, but there is a geopolitical interpretation of world power that allows anyplace to be the Hiroshima of the moment, if the rest of the world wants to see it that way. Luther blames the devil, in FREE WILL AND SALVATION, whenever a man thinks he is choosing to do something on his own, and considering Hiroshima a military base instead of a city in 1945 is the kind of thinking that ought to be considered worthy of the devil, even if Harry Truman was willing to adopt it for ten minutes so he would not seem too far out of step with his military advisers. But the outcry, after dropping a couple atomic bombs within a week back then, started to make it obvious that not everybody was inclined to accept the incineration of cities so lightly. I might even be leaving out something terrible about the nature of the judgment of God, which is the primary topic of this book, because Luther seems so much closer to the nature of Hiroshima than we are, survivors though some of us might be. What makes LUTHER AND ERASMUS: FREE WILL AND SALVATION such heavy reading now is because it makes no attempt to lighten up to match the spiritually and economically commercial nature of our society, which usually considers itself thoroughly artistic or comical, especially in the manner in which people all get along by going along. Half of this book doubts that the world could ever be considered so normal. After a general index (which includes some latin phrases, though the tough latin phrases, like *praeter casam,* are explained in an "Appendix: On the Adagia of Erasmus") of several pages, the Biblical References take most of four pages. Anyone who wondered why Luther thought Christians should be reading the Bible, instead of being spoon fed lessons by officials, should get a load of this. Praeter casam to you, too.

Is our will really free or are we predestined? Where do we stand when it comes to our salvation? Can we contribute to the salvation of our souls? Erasmus and Luther argued over what they and their contemporaries thought was the characteristic difference between the evolving Catholic and Protestant positions concerning human nature, namely, the question of the freedom of the will. However, we shouldn't be limited by this ideas, their often heated discourse reveals, as much about their subjective modes of thinking and about the atmosphere of this turbulent period. But in the history of ideas this discourse gains an added significance. It shows some limitations of Christian Humanism and enlightens most of subsequent developments of modern thought. Neither one of them loses we all win! The introductions to the texts are, for themselves, worthy of this price. E Gordon Rupp and Philip S. Watson, offer and impartial analysis of the two men's positions, assuming an important familiarity with the circumstances of the conflict. A great buy.

I shall preface this review by stating that, in my opinion, Luther wins this debate. Erasmus makes some very good points, but Luther's "Bondage of the Will" contained within this volume is, perhaps, the clearest and most humble presentation of the election of God and its relation to human will that I have ever come across -- to the extent that it rivals John Calvin's "Institutes" itself! I found the arguments convincing and clear, and I found Luther's dedication and submission to the authority of Scripture inspiring.

This is a well written, informative, and easy to read book for readers, who may or may not be familiar with the Christians of Egypt, the Copts. Egypt is home for the largest indigenous Christian population in the Middle East that by some estimates is about 15-20% of the total population. The book provides a good and critical review for the history and status of the Copts. Saint Mark the Evangelist baptized the Egyptian Church with his martyrdom in the first century AD. Historical tradition recognizes Saint Mark as the first Patriarch of the Coptic Church.
The book starts by the definition of who is a Copt, however it excludes the Roman Catholic and Protestant Copts from its defintion, and concentrates primarily on the followers of the Coptic Orthodox Church. This is unfortunate, as regardless of the denomination, the Copts collectively face similar challenges. The author may have elected to focus on the Orthodox Copts, as the most ancient Christian group or the one with largest population. However, the author provides a brief review for some of the Protestant and Catholic influences on the modern Coptic Orthodox Church, such as the introduction of Sunday schools and the modest interactions of the Orthodox Coptic Church with the Catholic and Anglican Churches, and other international Christian Churches and communities.
The book provides brief historical reviews, where the author felt the need to introduce historical background, however it primarily focuses on reviewing of the contemporary history of the Copts in the latter part of the 20th century. It also reviews the influence of Islam, specially the resurgence of militant Islam on the Copts. In addressing the issue of the size of the population of the Copts in Egypt, the book provides a rather short review for a major issue affecting contemporary Copts. The book indicates that given conflicting figures of the census data, and the vagaries of politics and hazards of census taking, it is better not to know exactly how many Copts there are. The population of the Christian population affects its social standing, political prospects and influence. Militant Islamic groups have tended to discount the number of the Christians in Egypt, as it suits their political agenda. Sympathizers with militant Islam within the ranks of the government of Egypt have kept the data of the census of the Copt as if it were a state secret. The Copts have long contended that their number was deliberately discounted.
The book provides a good review for historical events occurring during the eras of Cyril VI 1959-1971 and Shenouda III 1971- present, the Patriarchs of the Coptic Orthodox Church. It reviews the revival of the contemporary Coptic Orthodox Church, immigration of the Copts to western countries, evangelical missions in Africa, resurgence of violence by militant Islamic groups against the Copts in Sadat's time through the present, banishment of Pope Shenouda III 1981-1985, and the life of Father Mark of Scetis, a convert from Uganda whose support for Pope Shenouda may have led to his murder in the US. The book criticizes, and rightfully so, the Mercedes Princes of the Coptic Church. This phenomenon reflects upon some of the monks and or bishops who joined the Church's ranks to profit rather than serve the poor.
In its concluding chapter, Era of the Martyrs, the book provides a brief background of contemporary militant Islam and terrorism, and the resurgence of their violence against the Copts, non-Muslims in general, moderate Muslims, and intellectuals in Egypt. The book lists many of the violent episodes of violence against the Copts. It recounts the murder of Raafat Khalil at the age of 32, a Coptic priest who was shot in November 1988 by the Egyptian militant Islamic groups at the doorsteps of church, leaving a young widow and a one-year old baby. The book also notes that the government of Egypt policy and actions seem to have failed its Coptic citizens.
The book is a good and critical review for the cotemporary history and status of the Copts in the late 20th century. It reviews how an ancient Christian community is facing a rising tide of intolerance and violence by Islamic militancy and terrorism, and its attempts to cope with the daily pressures of discrimination and persecution.

Among whom?
Why should you bother, or anyone, to read about an endangered ancient species?
The Coptic Church of Egypt has to be taken seriously by Western Christians, thus writes G. Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury in his preview of this authoritative book.
Among the Copts (J.Watson, 2000) completes a timely trilogy with 'The lonely minority' (E.Wakin, 1963), and; 'Modern sons of the Pharaohs' (S.Leeder, 1918)

'Blessed be Egypt, my people':
Dr. Watson takes you in a wonder tour of 'virtual' Coptic Egypt spanning 1950 years in just sixty pages to explain to the amazed reader the prophecy of Isaia 19:24.
in chapter 3: 'In the state of angels', you could be carried far and away with the Holy family in their flight to Egypt to meet Abba Justus of St. Antony, an ascetic healer and clairvoyant. On the tour you meet with many colorful Christians mystics and scholars: Thomas Merton as well as Pieternella Van Doorn of U. S. Carolina.
'In liturgical times' you will find out how the temporal expresses the eternal, the coptic genius: the expression of the inexpressable.

Abba Kyrillos: father of the Fathers
An ecclesiastical history of the most ancient tradition of popes Athanasius and Cyril, the defenders of faith and doctors of the catholic Church could not be as breathtaking as the ministry of Saint Cyril VI, the praying patriarch (1959-71), wonderworker, clairvoyant and exorcist. Read about the venerated anchorite!

Thinking with the Coptic Church
Dr. Watson masterpiece is chapter 8, his critical examination, theological analysis, talented analogies and inspiring comments. He contrasts the great Alexandrine tradition with the present failure to answer the daily problems in the present language and culture.He eccoes the dissapointment of the Coptic scholars as well as the lay theologians which are "an envy of many chuches"

Conclusion:Era of the Martyrs
The Coptic liturgical year, starts with the feast of Niruz, a commemorations of the great many and ever living Martyrs,Coptic and Universal. Due to differences of their ancient calender adopted by Julius Caeser,from the gregorian, it is celebrated on september 11, the day of American martyrs. For the the last three decades they have been repeatedly killed by the same terrorist of 9/11

Does the "DNA" analysis of the clothing so you can get a true picture of each garment as it marched through time. Answers questions I have always wondered. Beautiful pictures.

This book centers on dress from the 1700's, and its coverage of the period is excellent -- Gorgeous photos of original existing gowns, 18th century tailor's schematics (must be scaled), all kinds of info on how clothing was fashioned, worn, supported by corsets and what would become the 19th-century version of the enormous hoopskirts/crinolines (in the 18th century they were called "panniers" "hoops," or "farthingales", which jutted out to the side, not in a circular or elliptical fashion); the photos alone are great inspiration for the serious vintage fasion reproducer. Also includes lots of info on men's fashions, which are often neglected. I LOVE this book! -- YOURS TRULY, THE COSTUME FREAK FROM BOSTON, MA.

Like Janet Arnold's now-classic "Patterns of Fashion" books, this book takes existing museum garments and offers basic scaled patterns for them. It also offers great details about how the garments were original made, tips for using period techniques, and even a few short histories (like the history of pockets). I can't recommend the book highly enough.

The patterns are not, however, for beginning sewers; they must be scaled up to size and then made up in muslin for the best accuracy. However, even beginners can enjoy drooling over these wonderful garments (shown in color and b/w) and learning about period construction.

Most people say this book is advanced and can't be appreciated by weaker players (under 2000s). I disagree, even if only my personal experience with the book supports it.

I think that this book, coupled with the Silman series and the Nimzovich series, will give players a better insight into how stronger players think. I think that the reality as described by Watson really helped me understand what was meant by not following rules blindly and exceptions. It also enabled me to read annotations better. I now know that when people admire the two bishops, there must be factors in the positions supportng them. When analyzing an idea, tactical nuances regin supreme and concrete analysis is the true judge of the merits and demerits of the idea.

Now, I happily memorize opening lines, classic games and positions and try to augment them with the positional ideas I gleaned from Silman and Nimzovich. The result is a rating that is growing fast -> I was 1500 and now I'm expert strength. I discovered that you just have to find your own way in chess, and use the games of masters as a guide on how to play, but in the end, you just have to trust yourself.

I hope these books can reward you the same way they have rewarded me. I cna now look at GM games and appreicate the ideas. Howver, I now have to imrpvoe my tactics :) Then I will be master strenght. But the thinking that got me there started with this book -go go buy it!

Watson is an opening theoretician who has written many books on specialized openings over the past 20 years. I havent read all of this book, but I have read several chapters and have skimmed every remaining page, and can say that the crux of this book is that you must think for yourself in every situation instead of relying on general principles. This goes beyond the obvious adapting that needs to be done due to tactical considerations, and focuses on exploding myth rules such as "never post your knight at the edge of the board".
The diagrams are large and easy to see though the text print is small. There are hundreds of interesting essential classic and modern grandmaster examples in this book, which was not written as a self-improvement method (the author agrees that most of those types of books fall short) but rather as a tour of the exceptions to every rule you ever memorized in the past. There is alot of material here and in my opinion is well worth the price. It will take a few years to digest all of these examples. This is the type of book that lasts a lifetime. These rules havent changed much over the past 100 years or so.
An exceptional book and one of my best out of a large chess library of nearly 100 books.

This book is one of the best book I've ever read.This book is about how modern chess have changed since Nimzowitsch.Nowdays most dynamic modern GM like Kasparov, Shirov, Anand, etc. accepts double pawn, backward pawn, conceading the two bishop, etc. to get dynamic counterplay.Watson touch on new concepts like Exchange sacrifice, Prophalaxis, and Dynamism.If anyone had not read Nimzowitsch work, I recommend to just buy this book alone because you will develop your intuition according to dynamic and modern play easier.I think I have improve my play since reading this book and sure you will too.I can't think of anyone who didn't enjoy this book.

In this classic work, John Bunyan paints a detailed picture of the Christian life/walk, giving true-to-life insights and experiences. The despair, sorrows, trials and temptations that a believer may face are depicted in an allegorical manner, as well as the hope, joy, and salvation found in Jesus Christ. The main character Christian (once named Graceless) sets out on a lifelong journey from the City of Destruction, where his family disowned him, and encounters many persons and difficulties along the way to the Celestial City (heaven). The characters he meets are given names that reflect their mindset or what temptation they bring. At times he stumbles and at times he perseveres, but all by the grace of God. The second portion of the book tells of the conversion and subsequent sojourn of the wife (Christiana) and children of Christian. The discussions of Christian in the first part and Christiana and her companions in the second part are very interesting, as they defend their faith and explain their purpose to those they meet along the way. The book is quite different from your ordinary novel, and has many interesting words of wisdom for the Christian life. Readers should be aware that some of the language is antiquated and has unfamiliar usages, so its a little bit of an adjustment to read.

Pilgrim's Progress is without a doubt one of the true classics of time--an allegory that has remained a best seller years after its introduction.

My first introduction to Pilgrim's Progress was as a child in parochial school. I had to do a book report on it in 5th grade and ended up reading numerous times for various projects throughout grade school.

The reader follows the main character--aptly named "Christian"--on his journey to the Celestial City.

Along the way, Christian passes through the many trials of life, symbolized by intruiging characters and places along the way. An early temptation is the "City of Destruction", which Christian narrowly escapes with his life. The various characters are perhaps the most fascinating portion of the book--Pliable, Giant Despair, Talkative, Faithful, Evangelist, and numerous others provide the reader with a continual picture of the various forces at work to distract (or perhaps, encourage)Christian on his ultimate mission.

Of course, the theology (for those of the Christian faith) of Pilgrim's Progress is a constant source of debate, the book is nonetheless a classic of great English writing.

It's not a quick read--that's for sure--however, I certainly would recommend that one read it in its original form. Don't distort the beauty of the old English language with a modern translation.

A letter to Marvin Minsky about this book:

I urge you tolook at a remarkable book by the English Puritain John Bunyan(1628-1688), "The Pilgrim's Progress", which is one of the great evangelical Christian classics, though clearly that is not why it interests me and should interest you (although I AM interested in the puzzle that is the religious sense, which even the irreligious feel, and this book can give remarkable insight into that as well).

Rather its fascination lies in the pilgrimage it depicts, or in the fact that human traits, vices, virtues, &c are PERSONIFIED as particular individuals who are their living and speaking epitome, and who are encountered along the way in revealing situations.

Bunyan's hero is appropriately named Christian. Someone once wrote that "Christian's journey is timeless as he travels from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, meeting such characters as Pliable, Talkative, Giant Despair, Evangelist, Worldly-Wiseman, Faithful, Ignorance and Hopeful."

At first this personification is merely amusing, even a bit annoying (as caricatures or truly stereotypical people can be); but after a while I found myself enthralled because I realized that the effect of this odd literary device was to give unmatched insight into the nature of such traits. The force of the whole thing comes from the fact that one journeys about in - literally INSIDE of - what is both a comprehensive and finite moral and psychological landscape (a "psycho-topography"), very much as though one were INSIDE the human mind and your "Society of the Mind" was embodied in the set of actors. This is more or less the opposite or an inversion of the 'real world' of real people, who merely SHARE those attributes or of whom the attributes are merely PIECES; in "Pilgrim's Progress", by contrast, the attributes are confined in their occurrence to the actors who are their entire, unique, pure, and active embodiment, and humanness, to be recognized at all, has to be rederived or mentally reconstructed from the essential types.

The effect, for me, was something like experiencing a multidimensional scaling map that depicts the space of the set of human personality types, by being injected directly - mentally and bodily - into it by means of virtual reality technology.

So Bunyan's book has something of the interest to a psychologist, neuroscientist, or philosopher that Edwin Abbot's "Flatland" has to a mathematician.

I don't mean to overpraise "Pilgrim's Progress", of course; it was written for theological rather than scientific purposes, and has conspicuous limitations for that reason. But its interest to a student of the mind who looks at it at from the right point of view can be profound.

- Patrick Gunkel

I do recommend the book. The first part was kind of boring but when it gets into the tour itself that's when the emotional part starts. Wilcockson and Pelkey do an excellent job bringing the excitement of the tour to the reader. They are the anchormen, narrating the action. But the fact that we also have Andreu's diary pages there too, that gives us the action from a participant point of view. Tons of useful information, a lot of interesting details. If you like biking, this is the book for you. On the other hand, if you cannot tell the difference between a 55 and an 11 you better get something else to read.

Honestly, this is one of the finest non-fiction cycling books on the Tour de France that one could own. While the photographic clarity is outstanding, the foldout "in-scale" maps are supurb. Authorship is genuine, descriptive, and insightful. A must for any library!

This book provides the reader with a fascinating insight into the behind-the-scenes operation of one of the World`s major sporting events,the TOUR DE FRANCE,and also the miraculous comeback from cancer by Lance Armstrong. It is presented in a straightforward,easy to read style,a characteristic of author,John Wilcockson`s writing manner,and I personally found it very hard to put down.(I read it in 2 days!) The daily stage entries by Frankie Andreu are always humorous,as in the previous year`s CONQUESTS & CRISES(The 1998 T de F) and provide a light-hearted alternative to the darker side of a currently,much-maligned sport. Another of John Wilcockson`s books I would thoroughly recommend to any cycling enthusiast is, WORLD OF CYCLING. A 30 year retrospective of Velonews stories. All three of the above-mentioned books get a 5 star rating from me.