Book Review: Christian Encounters, John Bunyan by Kevin Belmonte

Author Kevin Belmonte's work on the life of John Bunyan covers this great man of God's life from birth, childhood, conversion, imprisonment, and death. You read about the loss of his first wife, to the loss of his freedoms for standing firm and faithful for the cause of Christ, to his untimely death as he traveled to speak on behalf of a prodigal son to his unforgiving father. Kevin Belmonte sums up the essence of John Bunyan this way: His simple cadences transformed the language, and his memorable characters became familiar to millions. Bunyan became a public figure, a captivating speaker, and above all, a man known for his unrelenting trust in God.

I would highly recommend this book to any Christian, and especially those who have suffered great tragedy in their own life. The author does a good job in taking what bits of historical information there is about his early life and upbringing, and showing how that may have shaped his life and the writing of Pilgrim's Progress. In putting together the early aspects of Bunyan's life, the author does a good job in letting the reader know that he is making educated assumptions based on the little that is documented from other sources about his childhood and early years.

Reading this biography gave me a greater appreciation for Bunyan's life and a new desire to reread Pilgrim's Progress so that I may understand it in a richer way. While the language used in this book is not typical and may be opn a higher reading level than some are accustomed to, I would highly recommend it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”