The memory of John Bunyan the Tinker is surrounded by myths, not least the myth of his uniqueness. The old romantic picture of a largely unlearned man, locked in solitary durance vile and managing to produce an imperishable masterpiece of literature, is true only in one respect: The Pilgrim's Progress is indeed a masterpiece.
In fact, Bunyan wrote five great books. Only read the rest of Bunyan's works if you have an urgent interest in the theology or politics of the period. There are gems there, but they generally blush unseen.
Impact
But it is The Pilgrim's Progress that made Bunyan immortal. It was good to be reminded of its qualities in an outstanding radio adaptation by Brian Sibley, a Christian writer and dramatist whose adaptations of Tolkien and Lewis are classics of the genre. Going out on three successive Sundays in January as BBC Radio 4's 'Classic Serial', it featured a galaxy of famous actors and the kind of production technique that succeeds by being unobtrusive. Most of the actors adopted Midlands accents, making the opening minutes homely and comfortable - an illusion soon shattered by the supernatural frights and wonders that beset the pilgrim early on.
