John Bunyan

John Bunyan was born in 1628 in Elstow, Bedfordshire, England, to a tinker father. He served in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War and later became a prominent Puritan preacher. In 1660, following the Restoration, he was arrested for preaching without a license and spent twelve years in Bedford jail. During this imprisonment, he wrote his spiritual autobiography Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and began his masterpiece, The Pilgrim's Progress. Published in 1678, this allegory follows the journey of Christian from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. The book's vivid characters and plain, powerful prose made it immensely popular across social classes. Bunyan's other works include The Life and Death of Mr. Badman and The Holy War. He died in 1688. The Pilgrim's Progress has never been out of print and has been translated into over 200 languages, cementing Bunyan's legacy as a foundational figure in English literature and religious writing.