Book Review of John Bunyan by Kevin Belmonte

I have signed up with Thomas Nelson publishers to receive free books in exchange for posting my review at www.booksneeze.com.  My first review is for a short biography of John Bunyan.

The book gives a brief overview of John Bunyan's life, and shows some interesting snapshots of his struggle as a poor working-class tinker, and eventually as a fearless preacher of the biblical Gospel in the face of a strict political-religious climate in the second half of 17th century England.

The books also gives some background and premise for Bunyan's great work Pilgrim's Progress.  Writing it while in prison for refusing to attend services of the Church of England, and instead preaching to the "heathen" in his surrounding community (an activity forbidden by the religious leaders), it quickly gained great notoriety and spread across his small home town and eventually all over Europe, even into the hands of the great John Owen who would plead for Bunyan's release from prison.  Bunyan spent around 12 years in prison for what would seem today to be hardly a crime.  12 devastating years away from his wife and small children (one of whom was blind, his oldest Mary).

I found this book to be a very good brief overview of a man whom I have never read about.  I would recommend reading it and I hope to read more about John Bunyan in the future.