The Strange Adventures of Mr Andrew Hawthorn & Other Stories (Penguin Classics)

A new edition of one of the greatest allegorical stories ever written A masterpiece of the English Puritan tradition, The Pilgrim's Progress is rich in its imaginative power and its vivid and heartfelt language. It recounts the story of Christian, who appears to the author in a dream, and his journey to Heaven through the trials and tribulations of life. He meets many like-minded pilgrims on his way, such as Faithful and Hopeful, but before they attain their goal they encounter the Giant Despair and the River of Death itself. Translated into more than one hundred languages, The Pilgrim's Progress continues to have an immeasurable influence on English literature. "In 'The Strange Adventures of Mr Andrew Hawthorn' and the other stories in this collection, peculiar worlds of temptation, adventure or iniquity are perilously close at hand. Mr Hawthorn himself steps outside to allow his porridge to cool and disappears for five years and more, a Glasgow grocer is shipwrecked and ultimately worshipped as a god, a young mathematician discovers an entirely new aspect of reality and becomes terrified by what he finds there, and an ageing sinner clings grimly, weakly to a hard-won life of decency: John Buchan in each demonstrating his abilities as a gripping writer of short stories. In his introduction, Giles Foden explores Buchan's innate sense of the fascination held by sudden jeopardy and vanished comfort, and the themes of the will and fate in his work."--Publisher A New Selection Of Short Stories By The Prince Of Thriller Writers (the Times, London) The Short Stories Of John Buchan Are Known For Their Authentically Rendered Backgrounds, Taut Pacing, And Atmosphere Of Expectancy And International Intrigue. These Diverse Tales Combine Buchan's Remarkable Experiences And Interests As A Traveler, War Correspondent, Politician, And Classical Scholar. Edited By Acclaimed Author Giles Foden, This Selection Features The World War I Thriller The Loathly Opposite, The Frequently Anthologized Sing A Song Of Sixpence, And Streams Of Water In The South, One Of Buchan's Personal Favorites. Addressing Such Themes As Human Frailty, Strength, And Redemption, The Stories Testify To Buchan's Worldview That Mastery Of Oneself Leads To The Fulfillment Of One's Destiny.